Fort Worth Opera's general director, Darren K. Woods, occupies a new plateau among 25 key figures of influence cited by Opera News magazine in its August issue. Publication coincided with the Aug. 1 opening of single-ticket sales for the 2013 Fort Worth Opera Festival, which will begin a month earlier than usual.

The article, "Opera's Next Wave," hails Woods among only three opera company leaders; the list also includes singers, conductors, directors and other professionals in the industry. The magazine recognizes Woods in light of his having broadened FWOpera's approach of championing contemporary opera while preserving the acknowledged classics. It adds: "Woods' talents extend beyond being a courageous programmer; he also has a reputation for being a strict fiscal watchdog. … As other regional companies are collapsing under the weight of moribund programming and bad debt, Fort Worth continues to move forward. Recently, the board extended Woods's contract through 2018."

-- Michael H. Price, Fort Worth Business Press

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