Utah Symphony and the Utah Opera

Paper Summary:

This paper discusses issues regarding merging separate arts institutions as described in a Harvard Business Case. The paper covers various related topics including the role of communications and the decision-models employed. The paper further addresses the likely stress points in the post merger environment management as well as the question of how the dissimilar business models and artistic product of the two institutions mesh or not mesh.

From the Paper:

"Superficially at least the Utah Symphony and the Utah Opera have much in common. Both are performing arts non-profit institutions; both specialize in presenting forms of classical music and both operate in a part of the country far from the mainstream centers of such "high-brow" cultural activities. Peel back a layer or two, however, and it becomes immediately apparent that the two organizations have very different cultures. For starts, opera is as much a theatrical as it is a musical art form. Whereas a symphony gives a concert, an opera company stages a production in which instrumental music plays a major but by no means exclusive role. Indeed, opera is an electric, highly collaborative art form: scenery, costumes, makeup, stage movement, and acting are as instrumental to a production as singing and musical accompaniment. "

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