DANIEL GRAMBOW PERSPECTIVES

By Ashley Johnson Lam

R achel Gilmore. Limmie Pulliam. Daniel Montenegro. These successful artists all share that they are alumni of the ILA program. And while the ILA has served as a springboard for careers of performing artists, it has also helped shaped the careers of opera industry young leaders like Daniel Grambow, Managing Director at Chautauqua Opera Company.

A twist on the adage: those who administer aren’t necessarily unable to perform. Grambow is an accomplished artist having studied at Cleveland Institute and performed many roles -including Papageno and Guglielmo with the ILA- and directing many operas around the country. And his thirst for bringing the arts to life didn’t stop in the theater: he earned an M.S. in Leadership for Creative Enterprises and founded and led the site-specific Floating Opera Company in Chicago, Illinois. Today he finds his inspiration in form of creative leadership at Chautauqua, in many ways paying forward the wisdom that was imparted to him as a young artist by creating opera experiences that resonate for all - audience and artists.

“My ILA experiences helped lay the foundation and aspirations of my current and future work,” Daniel reflects. “They really give an incredible perspective on the industry.” From Maestro Vignati and Claudio Ferri helping provide first-hand perspective on the industry from the singer’s point of view including auditions, repertoire, and more, to helping young artists begin building their network, Grambow’s program experience created a well-rounded understanding of how to work with young artists, what is required to produce an opera (and doing so in unique ways) , and how to engage with all the stakeholders it takes to put o n an opera.

“Giving someone the experience to work internationally with European professionals,” he adds, “is a great opportunity for those who are figuring out what they want out of their professional life. I highly recommend the experience.”

Though Chautauqua is a forward-focused organization, their primary aim being the production of new works, and the ILA rooted in tradition through the performance of opera’s treasured works, there are shared values between both, particularly developing young artists’ potential. As Managing Director, Grambow serves as a representative for the opera company across the entire Chautauqua Institution in a role that is responsible for securing personnel, funds, and all things needed to make the company run, including the important role of accepting and helping develop young artists. “I bring my perspectives from ILA when I hear singers audition with more traditional repertoire, but especially with the screening process for young singers – what’s the potential that person has to grow in their craft and how is Chautauqua the right fit for that growth?” Such a development-focused lens on opera and community is in the groundwork of the Institution, but there’s no doubt that Grambow and his ILA experiences coupled with his penchant for innovation and creative leadership help fulfill that mission to the fullest.

“That’s something that comes from my time at ILA… seeing someone’s potential in what they can become,” shares Grambow. It’s a tune that harmonizes beautifully with the mission of the Chautauqua Institution at large: dedication to the exploration of the best in human values and the enrichment of life.