Understanding Opera's New Audiences Webinar
Dan Cooperman, chief advancement officer, OPERA America
Dan Cooperman, chief advancement officer, joined OA in 2015 and oversees the organization’s development, membership, marketing, and communications. He previously served as director of development for BalletX, a contemporary ballet company in Philadelphia.
Bradley Dunn, vice president, marketing and communications, Lyric Opera of Chicago
Matthew Jenetopulos, senior research associate, Slover Linett at NORC
An experienced research methodologist, analyst, and communicator, Matthew Jenetopulos conducts strategic, equitable studies that give arts and culture innovators the insights they need to succeed. His work ranges from large-scale, national inquiries to place-based, community-specific research and evaluation projects, always illuminating new possibilities for relevance, engagement, and growth.
A member of the Slover Linett team that came to NORC in 2023, Matthew is known to many arts, culture, and community organizations around the U.S. for his role in the pandemic-era research “special edition” of Culture Track: Culture + Community in a Time of Transformation. In partnership with the Barr Foundation, Matthew also played key roles in the Massachusetts-focused follow-up to that national survey. Keenly interested in digital arts engagement and how the classical music field is evolving to serve diverse audiences, Matthew has worked with classical radio station KING FM in Seattle, the Minnesota Orchestra, and the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, among other music and opera presenters. His research has also supported the Irvine Foundation, the Academy Museum of Motion Pictures, the Seattle Theatre Group, the Frist Art Museum, the Chicago History Museum, and a traditional arts apprenticeship program overseen by the Connecticut Museum of Culture and History.
Anh Le, director of marketing and PR, Opera Theatre of Saint Louis
Anh Le is the Publications and Brand Manager at Opera Theatre of Saint Louis. Prior to moving to St. Louis, she served as the Communications Associate for The Santa Fe Opera and the Associate Director of Marketing at Yale Rep. A lifelong arts lover, she has also worked with companies including the Yale School of Music (New Haven, CT), Opera Holland Park (London), and A.R.T. (Cambridge, MA). Anh received her BA from Harvard University in 2012, where she was awarded the Robert E. Levi Prize for excellence in arts administration. In 2015, she also received an MFA in Theater Management from the Yale School of Drama.
Julia Noulin-Mérat, general director and CEO, Opera Columbus
Julia Noulin-Mérat has led Opera Columbus as General Director + CEO for the past four seasons. She has reinvigorated the regional opera scene and captivated diverse audiences by bringing her expertise in immersive performance and new works together with her passion for growing an operacurious community and developing emerging talent on- and off-stage. With a portfolio spanning over 425 operas, theater, and television productions, including 26 new operas and 22 new plays, Noulin-Mérat previously served as Associate Producer at Boston Lyric Opera and co-Artistic Director of Guerilla Opera. With OPERA America, she is a graduate of the Leadership Intensive, WON Mentorship Program, and New GD Roundtable. She currently serves as Co-Chair of the board’s Learning & Leadership Council, and is a mentor in the mentorship program for women administrators.
Marc A. Scorca, president & CEO, OPERA America
Marc A. Scorca joined OPERA America in 1990 as president and CEO. Since that time, the OPERA America membership has grown from 120 opera companies to 3,500 organizations and individuals. Under his leadership, OPERA America has administered two landmark funding initiatives in support of the development of North American operas and opera audiences and launched an endowment effort in 2000 to create a permanent fund dedicated to supporting new works and audience development activities. In 2005, Scorca spearheaded OPERA America’s relocation from Washington, D.C. to New York City and the subsequent construction of the National Opera Center, which opened in 2012 and serves 80,000 guests each year. The Opera Center’s recital hall was dedicated as Marc A. Scorca Hall in 2015 in honor of Scorca’s 25th anniversary with the organization.
Scorca has led strategic planning retreats for opera companies and other cultural institutions internationally, and has participated on panels for federal, state, and local funding agencies, as well as for numerous private organizations. He also appears frequently in the media on a variety of cultural issues. A strong advocate of collaboration, Scorca has led several cross-disciplinary projects, including the Performing Arts Research Coalition and the National Performing Arts Convention (2004 and 2008). He is currently a member of the U.S. delegation to UNESCO. Scorca serves as an officer on the boards of the Performing Arts Alliance and the Curtis Institute of Music, and is on the Music Advisory Board of Hunter College (CUNY). Scorca attended Amherst College, where he graduated with high honors in both history and music.
Tanya Treptow, co-director, senior research scientist, Slover Linett at NORC
As a co-leader of Slover Linett at NORC, Tanya Treptow works toward greater equity, vitality, and co-creation in the arts and culture sector through strategic audience and community research. Her studies blend qualitative and quantitative methods to illuminate how people experience the world, how they connect, and how cultural and creative experiences contribute to the well-being of individuals and communities.
Tanya helped guide Slover Linett’s move to NORC in 2023 and continues to co-direct the practice within The Bridge at NORC. Her nuanced, equity-driven research and evaluation work sparks change and supports decision-making at a wide range of arts, culture, and community organizations, as well as broader change initiatives, learning communities, and cohorts. Tanya’s clients and partners have included the Barr Foundation, Library of Congress, Denver Museum of Nature & Science, Folk Alliance International, Minnesota Orchestra, Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art, a group of jazz radio stations, and the international OF/BY/FOR ALL movement, among many others. As part of Slover Linett’s national research collaboration, Culture + Community in a Time of Transformation, Tanya co-authored “A Place to Be Heard, A Space to Feel Held: Black Perspectives on Creativity, Trustworthiness, Welcome and Well-Being.” She has also contributed to reports about the needs of working musicians in the US and how classical music radio stations can become more welcoming to listeners of color.
Bayaz Zeynalova, senior research associate, Slover Linett at NORC
Bayaz Zeynalova joined NORC in 2023 as part of the Slover Linett arts and culture team, bringing a wealth of experience and knowledge that adds to the project management efficiency and overall rigor of research. She supports both qualitative and quantitative projects as an analyst and research methodologist, assisting with clients such as Denver Museum of Nature and Science, Museum Hue, NOVA GBH, Chicago Department for Cultural Affairs and Special Events and the High Line. Bayaz is passionate about helping cultural organizations understand their audiences and develop relationships with their communities.
Prior to joining Slover Linett, Bayaz came from a background in international non-profit management. She managed multi-stakeholder projects in the fields ranging from refugee assistance and fighting human trafficking, to education and public health. Early in her non-profit career Bayaz developed a strong interest in program evaluation and social research; to pursue this interest, she worked on several learning and assessment initiatives. She conducted research on small business environments, female entrepreneurship, prevalence of drug use, road safety, as well as program evaluation for OECD, German Development Cooperation, SOS Children’s Villages and Junior Achievement in the South Caucasus.
Bayaz holds a master’s degree in public policy from the University of Michigan. She has a certificate in museum studies from Northwestern University and a Project Management Professional certification.