ORGANIZATION
Name: Leon Natker.
Title: General Director.
Organization: Lyric Opera San Diego.
Mission of organization: “To provide a regional model for the production of comic opera, operetta and musical theater that develops new generations of artists and audiences by producing a season of fully mounted productions and education programs.”
Telephone: 619-231-5714.
Web site: lyricoperasandiego.org.
Founded: 1979.
Milestone: Opening the restored North Park Theatre in October 2005.
Annual income: $1.9 million.
Expense allocation: $1.85 million.
Board chairman: James Rouse.
Board members: Roberto Cueva, Merle Fischlowitz, Randy Gibson, Joan Henkelmann, Catalina Preskill, Ned Steinam, Lorraine D. Mautner, Leonard Gosink, Loretta S. Godfrey, Richard Vandervoort and Rodney Whitlow.
Employees: 19.
Volunteers: 62.
Events: Four main-stage shows per year.
Wish list: An endowment of $5 million.
OFFICE ISSUES
Recent challenge: Our largest tenant almost going bankrupt.
Measures of success: The size of the audience, and the number of individual donations.
Smartest move: Buying the North Park Theatre.
Misconception: The time it would take to establish the North Park Theatre in the community.
PROFESSIONAL INSIGHTS
Personal path to nonprofit work: I was a freelance artist who encountered one too many mismanaged companies. I thought I could do a better job.
Toughest aspect: Raising money.
Most surprising aspect: How many people are actually behind you.
Biggest pain: Competing with other nonprofits for the limited dollars available.
Greatest pleasure: Watching young artists grow into successful careers.
INTROSPECTIONS
Best recent moment: Playing Don Quixote in Lyric Opera’s “Man of La Mancha.”
Worst recent moment: Dealing with a catastrophic family illness.
Dream for another life: I’d like to be an anthropologist and travel.
Downtime: Drinking good wine with friends.
Causes: The planet , it’s all we have, we must save it!
Most like to meet: Giuseppe Verdi.