Arts&Life

opera?

Ethan Davidson’
s new challenge as board
chair meshes with his personal interests.

SUZANNE CHESSLER CONTRIBUTING WRITER

Leading MOT

E

than Davidson, recently elect-
ed chairman of the Michigan
Opera Theatre (MOT) Board of
Directors and Trustees, got his intro-
duction to opera from David DiChiera,
MOT founder and independent com-
poser.
As a teen, Davidson was friendly with
DiChiera’
s daughters and often visited
their home, where music seemed almost
ever-present. The sounds came either
from classical recordings or DiChiera’
s
own talents at the piano.
Davidson, who went on to build
his own career as a touring folk-rock
singer/songwriter recording 10 albums,
enjoyed listening to all kinds of music
and even experimented with opera for
a time.
At the University of Michigan, while
earning a degree in English literature,
Davidson had a jazz band and played
bass as they performed adaptations from
operas.
“I think it’
s going to be a lot of fun
being MOT chairman,
” says Davidson
of Birmingham
, director and Grants
Committee chair of the William
Davidson Foundation, a private family
foundation dedicated to advancing the
economic, cultural and civic vitality
of Southeast Michigan, Israel and the
Jewish community.
“It’
s an exciting opportunity to take
on a new challenge, but it’
s also exciting
on a personal level because I was always so
friendly with David DiChiera and his fam-
ily.
”
Davidson, also on the Board of Trustees
for the Motown Museum, joined the MOT
board after he stopped touring in 2006 to
help establish his late father’
s foundation. He
wanted to get a more complete experience in
philanthropy by getting involved with local
organizations. Music-centered initiatives fit
in with his deep personal interests.
Davidson succeeds Rick Williams, who
served as MOT chairman for 17 years. The
transition will involve a restructuring of the
board.
Three vice-chairs include JoAnn Danto,
former dance professor and soloist with
the Joffrey Ballet; Peter Oleksiak, senior

vice president and CFO at DTE Energy;
and Ankur Rungta, co-founder and part-
ner at Penlife Media. Treasurer is Enrico
Digirolamo, chairman of Good Travel
Software. Secretary is Gene P
. Bowen,
co-chairperson of Business Practice Group,
Bodman PLC.

INTO THE FUTURE
“MOT restructured governance of the orga-
nization around a model that could have
people sharing responsibilities,
” Davidson
says. “That’
s going to work because the peo-
ple involved have extensive knowledge that
can be effective.
”
Davidson has been doing research into
what successful opera companies are doing
that might also be effective for MOT.
“I’
ve been to the Metropolitan Opera in
New York and the San Francisco Opera,

so I’
m making my rounds,
” he says. “I’
m
interested in the opera companies that have
been on the cutting edge.
“I’
m going to the Lyric Opera of Chicago
in a few weeks and will see performances
and talk to the leadership. I’
ve talked to
people at Opera Columbus, which has
brought performances to young adults in
spaces that are not traditional opera spaces.
“I also hear a lot of good things are hap-
pening in St. Louis, so I hope to make con-
tact with leadership there and in Dallas.
”
As with arts organizations in general,
there are explorations of ways to increase
funding as well as audience interest.
Davidson is looking into sources of revenue
that go beyond philanthropic and corporate
funding.
“
At the William Davidson Foundation,
we really feel that to have a world-class
city, you have to have world-class assets,
”
Davidson says. “If you don’
t have cultural
vitality, it makes it less attractive to entre-
preneurs who want to invest and create jobs
and opportunities.
”
Davidson was enthusiastic about
the recent MOT production, Stephen
Sondheim’
s Sweeney Todd, which featured
Tony Award winner and Michigan native
Karen Ziemba.
“This is a more contemporary piece, and
I hope these sorts of productions will reso-
nate with younger audiences,
” he says.
Resonating with Davidson’
s family away
from opera are synagogue services that
include lots of music; performances by
Davidson’
s wife, Gretchen, a guitar player
who also tours with the band Universal Eyes;
and Davidson’
s own music now available
free on the web.
Davidson, who writes some of the lyrics
he performs, can be heard on YouTube with
numbers that include “Death Don’
t Have
No Mercy” and “Someday I’
ll Be Caught.
”
Singles from his album “Come Down
Lonesome,
” with some lyrics inspired by
Jewish philosopher Martin Buber, are avail-
able through Spotify.
“We can never rest on our laurels,
”
Davidson says about his goals for MOT. “We
have work to do, but we’
re starting from a
very good place. I’
m excited to be part of the
team.
”

COURTESY MICHIGAN OPERA THEATRE

Ethan Davidson:
“I’
m excited to be
part of the team.”

“We can never rest on our
laurels. We have work
to do, but we’re starting
from a very good place.”

— ETHAN DAVIDSON

NOVEMBER 28 • 2019 | 43