A Conversation with Jaclyn Grossman
This winter, Jaclyn Grossman, Program Manager at Opera 5 and opera singer, participated in the Opera Europa Management Course in Sabadell, Spain — an immersive program for emerging opera professionals. The course brought together participants from Europe, the UK, Canada, and Japan and explored the full ecosystem of opera management, from artistic vision and finance to audience development, education, and fundraising. Sector experts led sessions, offering tools, frameworks, and career insights.
Our Director of Communications and Member services, Rasha, had a chance to chat with Jaclyn about her participation. Jaclyn mentioned that a standout moment for her was the surprise public speaking challenge, during which she synthesized her learning into a confident presentation. She later reflected that it was the spirit of generosity and curiosity among peers and leaders that made the experience most memorable.
Following the course, Jaclyn spoke at the Opera Europa Conference on a panel titled “New Careers in Opera,” representing both the course alumni and the Association for Opera in Canada (AOC). The discussion focused on the growing importance of portfolio careers — multi-faceted paths combining artistic practice with strategic and educational roles. Jaclyn emphasized that such careers were essential for building a sustainable and resilient future in opera.
Jaclyn shared how much she valued international learning through this experience. From Europe, she was inspired by the more deliberate approach to managing overhead and administrative costs, sector-wide environmental sustainability efforts, and flexible production models that supported freelancers’ schedules. From Canada, she recognized strengths in fundraising, innovation amid funding challenges, and strong cross-institutional collaboration. While she noted that some resistance to hybrid careers still persisted, she observed an increasing openness to reimagining opera’s future.
Reflecting on the experience, Jaclyn said:
“Overall it was a brilliant experience with incredibly kind and smart peers and group leaders from opera companies across the World.”