GEORGIA 
2005
Consultants: Steven Brown • Kathleen Charla • Bob Jones • Jerry Kappel • Barbara Niemczyk • Jillian Poole • Jane Safer • Chris Stager
Tbilisi
Opera Consultation
August 15–31, 2005
Consultant: Steven Brown
Stephen Brown Company Manager of the Metropolitan Opera Association in New York spent two and a half weeks consulting with the Paliashvili Opera and Ballet Theatre in Tbilisi Georgia. The US Embassy in Tbilisi sent Mr. Brown on The Fund's recommendation and fully funded his stay there.
The stated objectives of Mr. Brown's review were to establish links with various relevant foreign organizations; attract famous artists to participate in performances and concerts; arrange and organize tours for the theatre; organize international festivals; invite directors of opera theatres and festivals in order to hold auditions for soloists; arrange charity concerts and receptions for VIP guests, and organize and arrange educational programs for children. Unfortunately, many of these goals were not realistic. Though the potential to be a strong member of the international opera community is there, a series of structural, physical, technical, and organizational changes need to be made first.
The Paliashvili Opera and Ballet Theatre has a historic theatre and large pool of talented singers, dancers, musicians, and theatre professionals at its disposal. To best harness these assets, Mr. Brown recommended that the company should import an experienced, foreign administrator to work with the General Director, David Sakvarelidze, to oversee radical changes to the theatre, repertoire, manpower, methodology, and organization over a four year period. Specifically, the theatre needs upgrading; the quality of performances needs to be raised; strategic, rather than tactical, planning needs to be implemented, and a total re-evaluation of the Administrationâs organization must be made.
At the conclusion of his review, Mr. Brown felt it hard to determine whether his visit would be of any practical or strategic use. He recommended bringing in advisors from British and other European theatres where the administrative models and experiences are closer to those in Tbilisi. Furthermore, he has outlined possible future programs and contacted other organizations about suitable consultations for the theatre, as well as potential funding sources.
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