Media Releases

For Immediate Release Tuesday, November 22, 2011
Media Contact Jelena Bojic, Director of Marketing & Communications
jelena.bojic@edmontonopera.com
780.392.7837

Tessitura

Edmonton Opera announced today it has implemented the first of several stages of “Tessitura” software, as part of a wide-ranging plan to upgrade customer experience.

Edmonton Opera CEO, Sandra Gajic, explains, “‘Tessitura’ means texture in Italian, but in voice and music it has to do with which part of the range is most used. Hence we have invested in a program with the greatest potential to meet and exceed the most needs of our customers as well as the needs of the organization.”

Originally developed for the Metropolitan Opera in New York, Tessitura is a unique, member-owned non-profit software provider supporting a growing user base of more than 370 arts and culture organizations world-wide.

“Tessitura’s advantage is that it gives us more customer information and more control over our box office and fund development functions. It gives us direct control of order processing information and allows for real-time online order processing and we believe those are benefits which will add both efficiencies and value for our customers,” said Jelena Bojic, Director Marketing & Communications.

“When fully implemented, our patrons will be able to donate, choose their seats online, pay for them and print their tickets - all of that at a lower charge per ticket than currently. Second, by using Tessitura instead of a third party ticket service, their money goes directly to the local arts organization and stays in Edmonton. Ticket surcharges within Tessitura will help underwrite our box office directly and we believe, help make it more customer effective. In turn, we are certain that will serve our patrons better as our ability to provide direct and enhanced customer service will improve.”

The first phase of Tessitura implementation is up and running. It is an online donation page on the Edmonton Opera website: www.edmontonopera.com. To date, since the page went live on November 18, half a dozen patrons have visited the online donation page and have donated $16,880.

The second phase of Tessitura implementation is scheduled for early next year and is designed to help customers create their own accounts and from there have all their transactions processed immediately and directly with Edmonton Opera. The new integrated software platform benefits both Edmonton Opera and its patrons by limiting service charges and ensures that derived revenue will benefit the organization directly. In addition to Edmonton Opera, several Alberta flagship arts and cultural organizations have or are implementing and benefiting from Tessitura.

Edmonton Opera is dedicated to producing great performances that bring the powerful emotions of opera to our community. Our purpose and vision is to present opera that moves and inspires - you, the audience; our supporters and partners in the community - individuals, corporate and government. We are committed to offer high quality education programs, so we can bring the opera to the classrooms, homes and lives of Edmontonians, and contribute to the versatile culture and arts scene in our city.

For the last 48 years Edmonton Opera has given voice to opera in the community and throughout northern Alberta. It is the 4th largest opera company in Canada and the oldest, largest, year round opera company in the Prairie Provinces. We have been a home to many great singers, directors and musicians ever since 1963.