opera philadelphia ( prior to 2013 opera company of philadelphia ( ocp ) ) is an american opera company in philadelphia , pennsylvania and is the city 's only company producing grand opera .

the organization produces five fully staged opera productions annually , encompassing works from the 17th through the 21st century .

the famed academy of music , the oldest opera house to be continuously in use for its original purpose within the united states , is currently the venue for three of company 's performances ; two productions of chamber opera are produced at the kimmel center 's perelman theatre .

the company is led by david devan , who was appointed general director in 2011 .

opera philadelphia

the opera company of philadelphia was formed in 1975 through a merger of the philadelphia lyric opera company and the philadelphia grand opera company .
opera philadelphia is committed to embracing innovation and developing opera for the 21st century . our mission :
join us to keep up - to - date with all things opera philadelphia .
each year , opera philadelphia hosts opera on the mall , a free opera screening in independence national historic park . but this year we need your help .
theatre collection , free library of philadelphia , parkway central branch , 1901 vine street , philadelphia .
given his history , bliss admits that . . . - opera philadelphia | facebook
glazer , irvin r . philadelphia theaters : a pictorial architectural history . philadelphia & new york : the athenaeum of philadelphia and dover publications , 1994 .
irvin r . glazer theater collection , athenaeum of philadelphia , 219 s . sixth street , philadelphia .
the philadelphia historical commission’s architectural committee today unanimously approved plans to install multiple 1930s - era led signs on the philadelphia metropolitan opera house on north broad .
the home of over 5 . 1 million full archive pages of the philadelphia inquirer and philadelphia daily news print editions
hamilton , frank . opera in philadelphia : performance annals . website created 2002 ; accessed april–may 2017 :
in 2013 the opera company of philadelphia , the city’s only remaining grand opera company , changed its name to opera philadelphia . based in the academy of music , opera philadelphia presented both traditional grand opera as well as new operatic works , some commissioned by the company . curtis opera theatre , a program of the curtis institute of music , philadelphia’s world - renowned music conservatory , also presented grand opera in this period , continuing a curtis tradition of public opera performance begun in 1929 . both the curtis institute and the academy of vocal arts , a vocal training school founded in philadelphia in 1934 , served as premiere training grounds for opera singers in the twentieth and early twenty - first centuries .
the mid to late twentieth century was a period of consolidation for philadelphia opera companies , as well as overall contraction of opera activity in the city . the metropolitan opera of new york city discontinued its regular philadelphia appearances in 1961 . philadelphia la scala opera company ( 1925–54 ) and philadelphia civic grand opera company ( 1950 - 54 ) merged in 1954 to form the new philadelphia grand opera company . in 1975 philadelphia grand opera company merged with philadelphia lyric opera company ( 1958–74 ) to form opera company of philadelphia . most of these local companies were based in the academy of music ( the metropolitan opera house had become largely inactive as a music venue by the late twentieth century ) , although another company , pennsylvania opera theatre ( 1975–93 ) , was based primarily in the merriam theatre on south broad street ( originally built in 1918 as the schubert theatre to host broadway shows ) and in the early 1980s presented some operas in the former arch street opera house , which had been renamed the trocadero .
the opera , presented by opera philadelphia with the apollo theater , had its world premiere sept . 16 . it revisits that house and its ghosts , while remaining centered on stories about young people in philadelphia today .
philadelphia la scala opera company was one of several that merged to form the philadelphia grand opera company in 1954 . this 1947 photograph shows baritone enzo mascherini of la scala rehearsing in his dressing room before a performance .
renew or purchase a subscription to opera at the academy and curtis opera theatre at the perelman .
opera philadelphia has become the most skillful calibrator of populist appetites and the need of the art form to progress .
the release of breaking the waves caps opera philadelphia’s women’s history month celebration , which is devoted to shining a spotlight on women creating opera today . throughout march , audiences will gain access to exclusive interviews , guest blog posts , and more on urltoken and opera philadelphia’s social media channels .
opera has played an important role in philadelphia arts and entertainment since the mid - eighteenth century . the city has long been a key center for opera and holds several important distinctions in opera history , including being the site of the first serious opera performances in america , birthplace of the first major american opera composer , and home to the nation’s oldest continuously operating opera house .
his career took him to many other cities . he served as manager of the san francisco opera and its touring arm , the western opera theater , director of planning and public affairs at the metropolitan opera in new york , and manager of the opera company of philadelphia .
discover how you can become part of opera in philadelphia - from singing in our productions to being one of the many volunteers who make our city ' s opera great .
in philadelphia , north broad street became an important corridor for grand opera in the late nineteenth and early twentieth century with the construction of two major opera houses . in 1888 beer brewing magnate john betz ( 1831–1908 ) built the betz germania opera house at the southwest corner of broad street and montgomery avenue , and in 1908 opera impresario oscar hammerstein i ( 1846–1919 ) built the huge philadelphia opera house at the southwest corner of broad and poplar streets . both venues initially had resident opera companies , but neither company lasted very long . the metropolitan opera of new york city , which had been performing in philadelphia since the 1880s , took over the philadelphia opera house , changed its name to the metropolitan opera house , and gave regular performances there from 1910 to 1920 , after which it returned to the academy of music . in 1931 the philadelphia grand opera company gave the high - profile american premiere of the modern opera wozzeck by austrian composer alan berg ( 1885–1935 ) in the metropolitan opera house , with philadelphia orchestra music director leopold stokowski ( 1882–1977 ) conducting .
a number of new philadelphia grand opera companies formed in the early twentieth century , while outside companies maintained a presence in the city . the metropolitan opera of new york city continued its regular weekly performances in philadelphia and the new philadelphia chicago grand opera company split time between the two cities from 1910 to 1914 . both companies used the metropolitan opera house . among the local opera companies established in the first decades of the twentieth century were three different ones called philadelphia grand opera company ( operating at various times from 1916 to 1932 ) , the pennsylvania grand opera company , philadelphia civic opera company , and philadelphia la scala opera company . many were short - lived groups , lasting from one to six seasons before folding . they performed mostly in the academy of music , although some used the metropolitan opera house . many ceased operations during the great depressio n of the 1930s . to fill the void left by their demise , the philadelphia orchestra offered a series of ten grand operas in the academy of music as part of its 1934–35 concert season .
we read your excellent article about opera companies in philadelphia . we are trying to find records or archival information on the philadelphia civic opera company from 1924 - 30 . no luck to date . can you provide any suggestions on where records might be located ?
' we shall not be moved ' : a new opera traces the legacy of the 1985 move bombing : deceptive cadence the opera , presented by opera philadelphia with the apollo theater , had its world premiere sept . 16 . it revisits the house at the center of the bombing and its impact on philadelphia ' s youth today .
the opera we shall not be moved revisits the story of the 1985 bombing of the move house in philadelphia , and that tragedy ' s impact on philadelphia ' s youth . shown here : actors portraying the ghosts that inhabit the site of the bombing surround character un / sung ( lauren whitehead , center ) . dave direntis / opera philadelphia hide caption
the $ 35 million renovation proposal for the philadelphia metropolitan opera house includes the addition a 1930s - era illuminated sign . rendering by aos architects
the opera company of philadelphia has named robert b . driver its general director . mr . driver , who is 48 years old , has been the general and artistic director of the syracuse opera and the artistic director of the indianapolis opera and opera memphis . earlier in his career , he was assistant stage director of the bayerische staatsoper of munich , germany , assistant director of the kentucky opera and associate director of the kansas city lyric opera .
if you love opera , fully celebrate your passion by becoming a part of the opera philadelphia family for this incredible season . subscribe today and receive exclusive benefits and perks , or discover our annual festival o with a festival pass or opera à la carte package .
oscar hammerstein i , grandfather of the broadway lyricist , opened the metropolitan opera house on north broad street in 1908 . originally called the philadelphia opera house , it was renamed after hammerstein sold it to new york city’s metropolitan opera , which performed there until 1920 .
additional production support provided by the virginia brown martin fund of the philadelphia foundation .
marion , john francis . within these walls : a history of the academy of music in philadelphia . philadelphia : the academy of music restoration office , 1984 .
march 29 : just before the breaking the waves audio cast release , pulitzer - prize winning composer jennifer higdon and opera philadelphia composer in residence rene orth sit down with opera philadelphia’s own new works administrator sarah williams for a facebook live discussion about what it takes to be a contemporary composer .
in years past , grandeur was elusive , and cut corners were glaringly obvious . plans had a way of being announced , then trounced . one season , la clemenza di tito morphed into die fledermaus . indeed , the road from opera company of philadelphia to opera philadelphia was littered with land mines .
the academy of music’s ornate interior was modeled on la scala opera house in milan , italy . ( photograph by b . krist for visit philadelphia )
1420 locust st , ste 210 ( 583 . 45 mi ) philadelphia , pennsylvania 19102
the term “opera” has been used to denote several types of musical theater in america over the centuries : grand or serious opera , ballad opera , operetta , and even ethiopian opera , the latter another name for blackface minstrelsy . with some notable exceptions , grand opera—the type of large - scale musical theater production that has generally come to define to the term “opera”—was rarely performed in america until the 1820s .
whether it’s on stage , backstage , in the pit , or behind the scenes . . . meet the people who are creating great opera in philadelphia .
philadelphia’s first dedicated opera venue was the chestnut street theater , opened in 1794 by actor thomas wignall and lyricist alexander reinagle . ( historical society of pennsylvania )
oscar hammerstein i , grandfather of the broadway lyricist , opened the metropolitan opera house on north broad street in 1908 . originally called the philadelphia opera house , it was renamed after hammerstein sold it to new york city’s metropolitan opera , which performed there until 1920 . ( historical society of pennsylvania )
partnerships are everywhere . traffic between santa fe and philadelphia is so frequent that one might think the two cities had sister companies . opera philadelphia ' s composer - in - residence program is in conjunction with the downtown - ish gotham chamber opera and music - theatre group of new york . each season has a perelman theater coproduction with the curtis institute of music , usually something difficult such as henze ' s elegy for young lovers . this spring , opera philadelphia coproduces with the philadelphia orchestra for the first time , presenting a semi - staged salome conducted by yannick nézet - séguin .
urltoken - a hit with audiences and critics alike , we shall not be moved played seven sold - out shows when it premiered in 2017 . opera philadelphia wants our entire city to see this groundbreaking opera rooted in philadelphia’s history . which is why we need your help to bring a free - to - the - public screening of we shall not be moved to opera on the mall : urltoken show less
, who starred as un / sung , shared with us what we shall not be moved meant to her . share the opera with all of philadelphia by supporting our kickstarter to bring we shall not be moved to opera on the mall :
the 3 , 000 - seat academy of music is the oldest opera theater in the united states still serving its original function . its first full opera performance , in 1857 , was guiseppe verdi’s il trovatore . the academy of music’s ornate interior was modeled on la scala opera house in milan , italy . in 2017 , it was home to opera philadelphia and the pennsylvania ballet . from 1900 until 2011 , the philadelphia orchestra also performed in the academy of music . ( photograph by b . krist )
west philly cop glenda ( kirsten chã¡vez ) asks un / sung ( lauren whitehead ) why she and her brothers are not in school . dave direntis / opera philadelphia hide caption
opera philadelphia launches free breaking the waves audio stream on march 29 - 21c media group - publicity . digital media . consulting . for music , culture , & the performing arts
changing musical tastes and competition with other types of entertainment forced the majority of philadelphia’s opera houses to close or be converted to other uses , musical or otherwise . most were eventually demolished . by the early twenty - first century , only three remained : academy of music , arch street opera house / trocadero , and metropolitan opera house . of these , only the academy of music was still an opera house .
opera philadelphia is committed to embracing innovation and developing opera for the 21st century . described as “ the very model of a modern opera company ” by the washington post , opera philadelphia is charting a bold new path to september , when it will open its 2017 - 18 season with an immersive , 12 - day festival featuring seven operatic happenings in six venues throughout the city . the first festival , o17 , will feature three world premieres , plus the exclusive east coast appearance of barrie kosky’s groundbreaking production of mozart’s the magic flute , and a recital by superstar soprano sondra radvanovsky . opera philadelphia will continue to present a spring season each year , including two additional productions in february and april , making it the only u . s . opera company producing an annual opera season that begins with a dynamic festival . for more information , visit urltoken .
gerson , robert a . music in philadelphia . westport , conn . : greenwood press , 1970 .
la scala opera company was one of several that merged to form the philadelphia grand opera company in 1954 . this 1947 photograph shows baritone enzo mascherini of la scala rehearsing in his dressing room before a performance . ( special collections research center , temple university libraries )
but whitehead says the opera is very much about the lost children of today .
originally built for opera , the arch street opera house ( later the trocadero theatre ) later became a venue for vaudeville , minstrel , and burlesque shows . the pennsylvania opera theatre company performed a series of operas in the trocadero in the 1980s .
glenda , our truancy officer , a wonderful mezzo , is our opera singer ,
roumain says .
i think every opera has to have one .
. a little long but i didn ' t want it to end . opera philadelph
as grand opera grew increasingly popular in the late nineteenth century , new opera houses were built throughout philadelphia to accommodate the expanding audience . the chestnut street theatre burned down again in 1855 and was replaced by a third theater of that name in 1863 , built on the north side of chestnut street west of twelfth street . two new opera houses were built in 1870 : the arch street opera house on the north side of arch street just west of tenth street and the chestnut street opera house on the north side of chestnut street west of tenth street . ( both arch and chestnut streets had separate venues called “theatre” and “opera house” at this time . ) during this period , additional opera houses opened as opera spread throughout the region . in west chester , pennsylvania , horticultural hall ( built in 1848 ) became an opera house in 1869 . in wilmington , delaware , the masonic hall and grand theater opened in 1871 as a venue for opera and other entertainment . ( later renamed the grand opera house , the theater reopened as a performance venue in the 1970s . )
the opera we shall not be moved revisits the story of the 1985 bombing of the move house in philadelphia , and that tragedy ' s impact on philadelphia ' s youth . shown here : actors portraying the ghosts that inhabit the site of the bombing surround character un / sung ( lauren whitehead , center ) .
the runaway success of opera philadelphia ’s world premiere production of breaking the waves marked a catalytic moment last fall , “ changing many of the people who brought the piece to the stage – and the company itself ” ( philadelphia inquirer ) . the new adaptation of lars von trier’s searing oscar - nominated film scored a nomination for the international opera award for best world premiere , and opera news declared it “ among the best 21st - century american operas yet produced . ” now home audiences the world over can hear the spellbinding production in its entirety at urltoken , starting next wednesday , march 29 at 1pm , when opera philadelphia unveils a free on - demand audio stream of the world premiere production that took the opera world by storm , capping an online celebration of women’s history month .
from its beginnings in philadelphia in the mid - eighteenth century , opera grew to be an important part of the city’s cultural life . its popularity ebbed and flowed as tastes changed over time , but it remained a vital art form . in the early twenty - first century , philadelphia audiences continued to avail themselves of performances from both the traditional opera repertoire as well as new works in the still evolving genre .
although the opera weighs in a little more than three hours , the time flies by .
on the highest level ! . and elizabeth braden ' s wonderful men ' s chorus completed the opera . all of this on one stage in one night . opera philly is unquestion
philadelphia just wasn ' t an opera town , and robert was holding up what was at that time a dying art . you might even say that at one point it died on the er table and they [ driver and his team ] stubbornly refused to believe it ,
says nally , who went on to lyric opera of chicago and formed the acclaimed new - music chamber choir the crossing .
they managed to hold out , which is why you have an opera company in philadelphia today .
march 8 : in a new interview , esteemed director robin guarino , who will lead war stories during opera philadelphia’s o17 festival next fall , explores her experience in the male - dominated field at operaphila . org .
theaters were also built for the various types of vernacular musical theater popular in philadelphia from the mid - nineteenth to the early twentieth century , such as minstrelsy , vaudeville , burlesque , and ethnic theater . while these “low brow” types of entertainment generally aimed for a different audience than grand opera , their venues were sometimes called “opera houses . ” sanford’s opera house , later known as the eleventh street opera house , located on the east side of eleventh street just below market street , was a popular minstrel hall in this period . sometimes vaudeville houses hosted grand opera as well ; the local vaudeville houses of national vaudeville impresario benjamin franklin keith ( 1846–1914 ) hosted grand opera on occasion .
the operas presented at these theaters in the 1820s through 1850s were a mix of productions by local resident companies and performances by touring troupes from europe and new orleans , the latter the first american city in which grand opera gained a foothold . grand opera gradually replaced ballad opera in popularity in this period , with the latter largely disappearing by midcentury . from 1827 to 1833 , john davis ( 1773–1839 ) , a french - born new orleans opera impresario , brought his company to philadelphia and other northern cities each summer , presenting french opera in french . in the 1830s , italian troupes , some managed by da ponte , began visiting philadelphia , while local companies began presenting european operas in their original languages . by this time , philadelphians could hear grand opera at several local venues on a fairly regular basis .
march 13 - 17 : breaking the waves composer missy mazzoli takes over the opera philadelphia instagram and twitter accounts throughout the week with a peek at the contemporary innovators and women in history who have influenced her operatic life .
it ' s a different kind of opera , presented in a different way , says joseph .
videos from opera philadelphia ' s random acts of culture , part of 1 , 000 random acts of culture taking place nationally from 2010 - 2013 , funded by the john s . and james l . knight foundation . knight foundation ' s random acts of culture bring artists out of the performance halls and into the streets and our everyday lives . for more videos and information , visit urltoken . for more information on the opera philadelphia , visit urltoken
another turning point was the 2005 richard danielpour– toni morrison opera margaret garner , a coproduction with michigan opera theatre and cincinnati opera , which was a mixed success following its detroit premiere but established the viability of new opera in philadelphia — not in some curtis institute studio , but in the academy . when devan arrived from victoria , b . c . in 2006 , as driver ' s number - two man , modern repertoire became devan ' s trademark . he pushed the long - discussed idea of producing opera at the perelman theater with works such as wozzeck that might not pull their weight at the academy box office .
the savoy opera company was formed in 1901 to perform the operettas of w . s . gilbert and arthur sullivan . as of 2017 , the savoy opera company was still active and was the oldest opera company in the world dedicated to performing gilbert and sullivan’s works . ( historical society of pennsylvania )
in the early 1850s local civic and cultural leaders began planning a new world - class opera house for philadelphia . construction began in 1855 on the american academy of music , as it was originally called , at the southwest corner of broad and locust streets . later shortened to academy of music , the building was modeled on the famed la scala opera house in milan , italy , and when it opened on january 26 , 1857 , it was the largest and most ornate opera house in the city and one of the finest in the nation . original plans for an opera training academy to be housed in the building were never realized . the first complete opera performance in the academy of music was il trovatore by giuseppe verdi ( 1813–1901 ) on february 25 , 1857 , an opera that had its american premiere at the walnut street theatre the previous year . the academy of music immediately became the center of opera in philadelphia , a distinction it never lost , and in the early twenty - first century remained the oldest continuously operating opera house in the united states .
an opera philadelphia commission from the creative team of composer missy mazzoli , librettist royce vavrek , and director james darrah , it was breaking the waves that launched the company’s present season . the premiere proved a sensation . the new york times declared the opera “ ambitious , accomplished , [ and ] dramatically direct , ” the wall street journal called it “ savage , heartbreaking and thoroughly original , ” and for parterre box , breaking the waves was , quite simply , “ the most startling and moving new american opera in memory . ” as the philadelphia inquirer explained ,
kirk , elise k . american opera . urbana & chicago : university of illinois press , 2001 .
we shall not be moved will be asking those questions to sold - out audiences in philadelphia before it moves on to new york .
potter , dorothy . food for apollo : cultivated music in antebellum philadelphia . bethlehem , pa . : lehigh university press , 2011 .
for glimpses inside the met in its recent state , watch hidden city philadelphia’s video below . stay tuned for updates about the project .
breaking the waves represents the most recent of the “ new and challenging works ” ( daily beast ) yielded by opera philadelphia’s innovative american repertoire program . founded in 2011 with a commitment to producing a recent american work in each of ten consecutive seasons , and thereby fostering a new generation of homegrown opera composers , the program confirms the company’s role as “ one of the leading instigators of new work in the country ” ( opera news ) .
has launched today a crowdfunding campaign to subsidize a free hd broadcast of the critically - acclaimed work ' we shall not be moved ' for its “opera on the mall” event on sat , sept 29 , open to the entire philadelphia community .
the student performance of we shall not be moved has been made possible by the mazzotti / kelly fund - bbh of the philadelphia foundation .
playbill collection and collection of academy of music programs , playbills , and scrapbooks , historical society of pennsylvania , 1300 locust street , philadelphia .
devan ' s luck ( backed by shrewdness ) has been remarkable . he spearheaded opera philadelphia ' s effort to mount the puts / campbell opera silent night , which won a pulitzer prize in 2012 , following its 2011 premiere at minnesota opera . nico muhly ' s dark sisters had a chilly premiere at gotham chamber opera in new york city but came together in the same production months later in philadelphia . for cold mountain , higdon went through years of planning with san francisco opera , but when that arrangement fell apart , devan was on the phone
in two secs
and soon after announced a coproduction with santa fe .
you have to be out on the street for luck to find you ,
he says ,
and we had been talking to jennifer higdon for two years prior .
“when a new opera is commissioned , the highest hope is that the resulting piece can somehow change the art form – to evolve it . that happens , if rarely . but perhaps even rarer is the kind of alchemy that ensued when opera philadelphia helped to create breaking the waves . after the new missy mazzoli opera premiered in the fall , it ended up changing many of the people who brought the piece to the stage – and the company itself . ”
at opera frankfurt made clear how high standards are at this company , now considered one of germany’s best .
it also draws on r & b ; – but it doesn ' t sacrifice the influence of traditional opera .
where to begin ? this was the first opera of my life . i was totally blown away by the entire experience
i am in the minority of the reviewers of this opera . there is a reason it is not performed much . the plot is thin and not developed and the opera is probably twice as long as it should be . many peopl
the family stand , from top left : john henry ( aubrey allicock ) , un / sung ( lauren whitehead ) , john blue ( john holiday ) , john little ( daniel shirley ) and john mack ( adam richardson ) . dave direntis / opera philadelphia hide caption
the company was the province of old philadelphia philanthropists and well - meaning italian immigrants ,
says scorca , who worked there when the organization was formed following a 1975 merger of two other groups .
that will get you some good old - fashioned opera .
librettist marc bamuthi joseph says that even though the events of the move bombing happened more than 32 years ago , they still haunt the citizens of philadelphia .
the most popular form of musical theater in early america was ballad opera . an english form of entertainment that was similar to musical comedy , ballad operas were lighthearted plays with satirical songs and dances inserted , usually performed as “after pieces” following a dramatic play . the beggar’s opera , the best - known ballad opera of the eighteenth century , was probably on the bill in the first documented theater performances in philadelphia , given by a traveling english troupe in january 1749 in a converted warehouse on the delaware river near pine street .
as of 2013 , the former opera company of philadelphia is called opera philadelphia . it is , after all , a company with a whole new orientation .
i think we ' re in mid - stroke ,
says fifty - one - year - old david devan , general director since 2011 .
i don ' t quite know what the answers are , but it feels right that we ' re trying out all these things . the strategic plan is that we want to be one of the leading instigators of new work in the country .
the late nineteenth century saw the rise of operetta , a lighter , simpler form of musical theater that aimed primarily to amuse ( as opposed to the loftier aspirations of grand opera ) . also known as light or comic opera , operetta occupied a place between grand opera and the more respectable forms of vernacular musical theater . the operatic society of philadelphia , an amateur group that operated from 1906 to 1934 , performed mostly operetta , although it also occasionally offered grand opera . the savoy company , founded in philadelphia in 1901 to perform the english operettas of the famed composing team of librettist w . s . gilbert ( 1836–1911 ) and composer arthur sullivan ( 1842–1900 ) , remained active in the early twenty - first century as the oldest amateur theater company in the world dedicated solely to gilbert and sullivan works .
ia to taking a chance on this historic piece of music . the academy itself remains a major challenge to effective opera performanc
' what you thought was dead is very much alive , '
he says , quoting lyrics from the opera .
dizikes , john . opera in america : a cultural history . new haven & london : yale university press , 1993 .
jack mccarthy is a music historian who regularly writes , lectures , and gives walking tours on philadelphia music history . a certified archivist , he directed a project for the historical society of pennsylvania focused on the archival collections of the region’s many small historical repositories . he has served as consulting archivist for the philadelphia orchestra and the 2014 radio documentary going black : the legacy of philly soul radio and gave several presentations and helped produce the historical society of pennsylvania’s 2016 philadelphia music series “memories & melodies . ”
and i ' m so proud of the opera arts in my home city . the cast of # phigaro yesterday afternoon was absolutely
joseph adds that to
delve into the politics and to ask the questions that we do
also makes the opera stand out .
in addition to the walnut and chestnut street theatres ( the latter having reopened on the same site in december 1822 ) , several other venues presented opera in antebellum philadelphia . musical fund hall , built by the musical fund society of philadelphia in 1824 on locust street west of eighth street , was primarily a hall for symphonic concerts and recitals , but occasionally presented grand opera , including the american premiere of mozart’s the magic flute in february 1841 . likewise , the arch street theatre , built in 1828 on the north side of arch street west of sixth street , was mainly a venue for plays , but also hosted opera performances . the national theatre , which opened on chestnut street east of ninth street in 1840 , and p . t . barnum’s museum , which opened two blocks away at the southeast corner of seventh and chestnut streets in 1849 , both presented operas for a brief period before burning down , the latter in 1851 and the former in 1854 . the chestnut , walnut , and arch street theaters remained the primary opera venues in philadelphia for most of the antebellum era .
the savoy opera company was formed in 1901 to perform the operettas of w . s . gilbert and arthur sullivan . the company took its name from the savoy theatre , an opera house in london , england , where eight of the duo’s operettas premiered . as of 2017 , the savoy opera company was still active and was the oldest opera company in the world dedicated to performing gilbert and sullivan’s works . this photograph is from the savoy’s 1928 performance of princess ida , an 1884 operetta based on the poem “the princess” by alfred , lord tennyson .
ia ! ) the academy is a perfect setting for opera as it a grand dame of theatres in america . and kudos to the administra
their significance notwithstanding , the masque of alfred and the temple of minerva were isolated dramatic musical presentations ; they were not part of a broader trend toward serious or grand opera , which did not come to philadelphia on a regular basis until the 1820s . grand opera , characterized by large casts and orchestras , lavish stage effects , plots based on dramatic or historic themes , and a multi - act libretto sung throughout , originated in italy in the late sixteenth century and gradually spread to other parts of europe . lorenzo da ponte ( 1749–1838 ) , the italian librettist who wrote the librettos for several of the best - known operas by wolfgang amadeus mozart ( 1756–91 ) , moved to the united states in 1805 and lived in philadelphia for a period in the 1810s . da ponte lamented the predominance of english ballad opera in the city , and nation , and in later years actively worked to bring grand opera to america .
supported by the pew center for arts & heritage and produced by opera philadelphia with audio by george blood l . p . , the upcoming audio stream was captured on september 29 at the penultimate performance of the opera’s opening run , which starred soprano kiera duffy as bess mcneill in “ an absolutely spectacular performance ” ( opera news ) , under the baton of steven osgood . like von trier’s groundbreaking film , the opera depicts a tragedy of conflicting ethical imperatives that ultimately serves as a meditation on the nature of goodness . the audio will be available for streaming on - demand at urltoken . the production includes explicit language , nudity , and sexual content , some of a violent nature . recommended for mature audiences only . ( see full credits below . )
a more faustian bargain during the 1980s came with the luciano pavarotti international vocal competition , winners of which were invited to sing with pavarotti in an opera company of philadelphia production . the tenor was deeply dedicated to the event and couldn ' t confine himself to the usual handful of winners . one year , all the finalists won .
most recently he served as founder and president of arts pacific , an organization that fostered co - productions of opera and musical theater in china .
ews / 2018 / 06 / 19 / opera - on - mall - we - shall - not - be - moved - o18 . html
while in amsterdam to perform in we shall not be moved at de nationale opera - dutch national opera , kirstin chavez , mezzo - soprano , sent us a message about the experience :
i can’t begin to express to you the outrageous joy that was flowing through our rehearsals . . .
jane grey nemeth , who has been acting general director since march 1990 , when margaret anne everitt resigned , will return to the post of director of the opera company of philadelphia / luciano pavarotti international voice competition . mr . driver has appointed danielle orlando the company ' s artistic administrator . she had been the acting administrator since march 1990 .
they’re increasingly taking chances , offering unusual and new work along with repertory staples , and carving out a place for themselves as proponents of american opera .
w hat was once unthinkable at opera philadelphia has become almost commonplace . formerly a bastion of standard productions of standard repertoire , the company now has seven new operas scheduled for upcoming seasons — high - profile projects such as cold mountain , by jennifer higdon and gene scheer , and the trial of elizabeth cree , by kevin puts and mark campbell .
the earliest attempt at true european grand opera in philadelphia was the december 1818 production at the chestnut street theatre of the libertine , an english adaption of mozart and da ponte’s don giovanni . such adaptations—with librettos translated into english—were common in early nineteenth - century america . the libertine proved very popular in philadelphia ; after the chestnut street theatre burned down in march 1820 and was being rebuilt , the libertine was performed several times at the walnut street theatre , which was built as a circus at the northeast corner of ninth and walnut streets in 1809 and converted to a theater three years later . primarily a venue for plays , the walnut street theatre also hosted some grand opera in the nineteenth century .
we shall not be moved is a new opera that takes its name from both the old spiritual - turned - civil - rights anthem and the philadelphia black liberation group , move . that group might be best - remembered for a 1985 tragedy : a police helicopter bombed the move house , and the resulting fire killed 11 people and destroyed 62 homes in the neighborhood .
sonneck , oscar george theodore . early opera in america . new york : g . schirmer , 1915 ; reprint : new york : benjamin blom , 1963 .
curtis , john . “a century of grand opera . ” pennsylvania magazine of history and biography , vol . 44 no . 173 ( january 1920 ) : 122 - 57 .
starting at 7 : 00 p . m . , enjoy exclusive access to select galleries at the philadelphia museum of art as part of your war stories experience . a cash bar will also be available to satisfy your refreshment needs .
march 22 : hannah moscovitch , renowned playwright and the librettist of i have no stories to tell you , which makes its philadelphia premiere next fall , reveals her path to success in a guest blog post for operaphila . org .
jack , thanks for an excellent and well written overview of the history of opera in philadelphia . when i’ve read descriptions of the first performances of “the magic flute” at the musical fund hall in 1841 , it’s been unclear to me whether they were fully staged or concert versions . i know it the performances were in english , but don’t know much about the staging capabilities at the musical fund hall . the second performance was advertised as “the music of the grand opera of the magic flute , ” leading me to believe it was a concert performance . do yo know any details ? thanks !
so , he and his collaborators — composer daniel bernard roumain and director and choreographer bill t . jones — tread carefully . they were inspired by poems created through a teen workshop sponsored by opera philadelphia and a local non - profit . and they cast new york spoken word artist lauren whitehead as a 15 - year - old girl who leads a group of young men whose school has been closed due to budget cuts .
the grand opera house in wilmington , delaware is home to opera delaware . it was constructed in 1871 for the delaware grand lodge of freemasons to serve as their masonic temple . in addition to opera , the grand hosted vaudeville , minstrel shows , and symphonies . some of the most famous acts of the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries played at the grand including showman
buffalo
bill cody and actress ethyl barrymore . after a stint as a movie theatre in the mid - twentieth century , it was returned to its original function in 1973 .
we shall not be moved also features movement created by legendary choreographer bill t . jones . jones , like the rest of his collaborators , is not from philadelphia . but he says what happened in 1985 still resonates beyond the city limits .
but it came at a cost . even among his own team , driver lost artistic points thanks to his scrupulous fiscal responsibility . under everitt , each production had only two performances ; by 1998 , driver had increased the number to four and was turning away subscribers . the philadelphia orchestra ' s 2001 move to the kimmel center meant that opera could take up residence in the academy of music , allowing for more sophisticated productions .
and music we ' re all very good and it ' s a shame they were wasted on this opera . the world should be grateful that rossini got better as he got older .
, has shared with us what the opera meant to them , and why they would like the whole city to have the opportunity to see it for free . please donate to help bring
one can sense a glass ceiling , of course : repertoire such as wagner may be forever off - limits at the academy of music , whose orchestra pit holds only sixty - five players . attempting to compete with the metropolitan opera , only two hours up the road , seems fruitless . yet opera philadelphia has its trump cards . thanks to the nearby curtis institute and academy of vocal arts , young singers such as matthew rose and stephen costello had early exposure with the company . though music director corrado rovaris is at home with operas ranging from wozzeck to ainadamar , his ownership of verdi rivals any of the late greats .
mr . corn was born in st . louis , and after graduating from yale university in 1954 , he returned to his hometown to be the public relations manager of the st . louis municipal opera .
rts . the chance to hear stephanie blythe , one of the great mezzo voices of our time , in a rarely performed rossini opera was not to be missed . the other members of the cast , especially
madeira , louis c . annals of music in philadelphia and history of the musical fund society from its organization in 1820 to the year 1858 . edited by philip h . geopp . 1896 ; reprint : washington , d . c . : ross & perry , 2002 .
we have been season ticket holders for , i think , about 40 years . i do not remember ever seeing a better opera . how can you do better then mozart . . . he was sent from god
one would think it ' s impossible to find such an exciting opera company in such close proximity to new york city ,
says marc scorca , opera america ' s president and ceo .
but this one seems to be defying the force of gravity . it ' s not alone in learning to relate to its community in the twenty - first century but has reached more deeply into itself to find transformation .
for my first time at the opera , it was very fun and not really what you would expect . while the crowd was dressed more formally ( what my grandma would call their sunday best ) there were no ball gowns
repertoire is now built partly around singers that devan most wants to work with , philadelphia native eric owens being high on the list . he is the starting point for next season ' s don carlo , in which he sings his first filippo in a cast that includes michelle deyoung as eboli .
in april 1754 , another english theater troupe , the hallam company , began giving plays and ballad operas in the same warehouse and then in 1759 erected a temporary theater on the southwest corner of cedar ( later south ) and hancock streets , between front and second streets . in 1766 the hallam company built the southwark theatre , the first permanent theater building in america , on cedar street west of fourth street ( later the southwest corner of south and leithgow streets ) . cedar street was then the southern boundary of the city of philadelphia and the theater was deliberately built on the south side of the street , just outside the city limits and beyond the jurisdiction of conservative quakers and city officials opposed to theater on moral grounds . the southwark theatre was the primary venue for theater and ballad opera in philadelphia until the mid - 1790s .
the new works are in conjunction with the american repertoire council , a national steering group focused on advancing the company ' s commitment to new american operas under the advisory guidance of nathan gunn . traditional grand opera is somewhat less in evidence , though opera philadelphia opened the current season with a nabucco that was simulcast onto independence mall with an outdoor audience of 4 , 000 , roughly half of whom were new to the company ' s database . but what , exactly , constitutes
traditional
? this season also saw osvaldo golijov ' s 2003 ainadamar — for the second time , in a new production at the academy .
when i asked for things like that fifteen years ago , i was laughed at ,
recalls ex - chorus master donald nally .
the philadelphia metropolitan opera house at 858 n . broad street was built in 1908 by oscar hammerstein i , the grandfather of oscar hammerstein ii . designed by architect william h . mcelfatrick , it sat some 4 , 000 people and was the largest theater of its kind in the world . but after hammerstein i fell into debt and sold the property , the theater went on to play many roles , from a movie theater , to a circus venue , a ballroom , and most recently , a church for the holy ghost congregation .
new works such as puts ' s silent night hold their own at the 2 , 900 - seat academy of music . chamber - sized hans werner henze works filled the 650 seats of the kimmel center ' s perelman theater . in november ( 2013 ) , an off - site serbian - language a cappella opera titled svadba ( a balkan wedding ) played to sold - out houses at a repurposed water - pumping station . the new works range from ricky ian gordon ' s coffin in egypt , starring frederica von stade this season , to hip h ' opera , a work being devised from the stories of inner - city philadelphia school kids for 2015 . three composers in residence pass each other in the corridor — among them that paragon of brooklyn chic , missy mazzoli .
in 1980 he became the director of the national endowment for the arts ' new opera and musical theater program , a position he held for two years before returning to arts management as director of wolf trap farm park in vienna , va .
in 1793 , two immigrant english impresarios , actor thomas wignell ( 1753–1803 ) and musician alexander reinagle ( 1756–1809 ) , built the chestnut street theatre on the north side of chestnut street west of sixth street , although its opening was delayed until the next year after yellow fever struck the city . the nation’s most elaborate theater at the time , the chestnut street theatre became a major center for opera . ballad operas still predominated in this period , usually productions written in england and adapted for american tastes . benjamin carr ( 1768 - 1831 ) , an english musician who settled in philadelphia in 1797 and became a prominent performer , composer , and music publisher , wrote the archers in 1796 , the first musical drama to be written and professionally performed in the united states . carr and reinagle were prolific philadelphia composers whose ballad operas and other compositions were performed frequently in the city in the federal period .


boston whaler is an american boat manufacturer located in florida .

it is operated as a subsidiary of the brunswick boat group , a division of the brunswick corporation .

boston whalers were originally manufactured in massachusetts , but are currently manufactured in edgewater , florida .

boston whaler

boston whaler - unsinkability . . . attribute is not exclusive to boston whalers . . . boston whaler , however , does claim to exceed the coast guard requirements . . .
information on boston whaler boats is collected and organized in the reference section . this documentation of boston whaler boats is a work in progress .
a separate section devoted to planning , organizing , and documenting boston whaler rendezvous .
boston whaler 150 super sport ( 2009 - ) captain ' s report is archived .
hear what some of our owners have to say about being part of the boston whaler family . the whaler . . .
boston whaler 345 conquest 2 day fishing trip off the east coast of nth nsw . wmv
boston whaler boats also remain afloat when completely swamped ( full of water ) . because of these attributes , boston whaler ' s trademarked sales line is
the unsinkable legend .
david horner battles high rollers and big species out on the gulf in his boston whaler 320 outrage .
boston whaler owners brave wild weather and an unexpected rescue mission off the coast of santa . . .
the highly anticipated new boston whaler 420 outrage made its world premiere at the 2014 fort . . .
the new forum provides an on - going and timely source of information on boston whaler boats—new and old—by active and informed owners and operators of boston whaler boats . it replaced the the old forum in october 2015 .
boston whaler is proud to celebrate 60 years as the “unsinkable legend” and a leader in the marine industry .
the perfect chance to step aboard this latest new edition of the boston whaler 150 . . . read more
71 ' boston whaler outrage history of . . . ? - the hull truth - boating and fishing forum
the whaler section of urltoken is an encyclopedia of information on both classic and contemporary boston whaler boats which began in 1999 . there are six main sections .
a boston whaler boat is the best recreational boat ever produced ! in production for over 50 years , the unique boston whaler boat has attracted an intensely loyal group of owners and fans . the
classic
boston whaler boat is any of the many boats descended from the original boston whaler style hulls offered from 1958 to present . read the story of how the original whaler hull was conceived and developed . the
post classic
boston whaler boat retains the high quality and most of the unique construction technique of the originals , but uses a number of new and different hull forms .
2012 boston whaler outrage $ 100 , 000 7 photos rhode island ( 1198 miles away ) 2012 boston whaler outrage 1971 / 2012 21 boston whaler outrage restorationthis soon to be completed 2012 boston whaler outrage is located in mass . it will be a complete restore . . . dealer : rudders & moorings yacht s . . . more info updated : 03 - 01 - 2013 1971 model similar to that on boat trader for $ 100k
grab your polar fleece and travel coffee mug and take your boston whaler on a tour of pacific . . .
boston whaler , the unsinkable legend , celebrates their 50th anniversary with the 2008 model year . enjoy this outstanding look at the timeline of one of america ' s greatest boating brands . find more information on boston whaler at urltoken
modernizing , consolidating , and designing an award - winning website and interactive tool for premium boat manufacturer boston whaler .
what makes boston whaler unique ? boston whaler is committed to providing you with the safest , easiest to own , most exciting boats on the water . it is a calling that started in 1958 with founder , richard fraser , who crafted the first twin sponson 13 - foot boston whaler and then did his best to destroy it by driving up rocky rapids and cutting it in half . turns out it was unsinkable , just like all boston whaler models are today .
boston whaler boats - model / year index . this section is alphabetized by size and model . older models first , newer models on last pages . 75 boston whaler model albums . there are 129 photos of various models in this section .
a lot of time and work goes into a boston whaler photo shoot . enjoy some behind the scenes shots . . .
boston whaler made a major splash at the year ' s biggest boat show : three new models made their . . .
coverquest is proud to offer durable , beautiful boat covers and bimini tops , designed specifically for boston whalers . what do you think about boston whaler boats ? we would love to hear your opinion .
photographs of various boston whaler boats in their native habitat , often in a mock - zoological style , are collected in cetacea .
what makes boston whaler legendary ? more than 50 years of superior quality , safety , performance , reliability and trouble - free operation . the legend started when boston whaler founder richard fisher began subjecting his boats to torture tests to demonstrate their unsinkability , and it continues today as customers pass down their boston whalers to their children and grandchildren .
boston whaler has delivered for decades what no other boat can . when boats were expected simply to float , boston whaler proved they could be unsinkable . where most fishing boats lack comfort , and most pleasure boats lack fishing features , boston whaler proves you can have both at the most premium level . no matter what initially pulls you to the water – fishing , cruising , or water sports – your whaler will draw you back over and over again .
the purpose of this video is to visibly show that a 20 horsepower motor will plane out a 13 foot boston whaler very easily .
a boston industrial arts teacher named bob dougherty came to work for boston whalers in the early 1960 ' s . dougherty would become , among other things , the chief designer of the later generations of whaler boats .
the true legend of a whaler lies in the possibilities it empowers , the enjoyment it evokes . with a storied history and a forward - looking present , boston whaler is in a class all its own . here’s where boston whaler came from , where it is headed , and a few of the accolades we’ve collected along the way .
boston whaler ' s unsinkable legend isn ' t just a tale already spun . it ' s a story retold with each . . .
this is a brief history of boston whaler , the company , not the boats . there are five distinct eras to this story , as boston whaler was passed among five distinct owners . there are also a number of notable personalities that left an imprint on the product line .
the electrical company , fisher - pierce , ( which incidently survives to this day ) and the boat building company , boston whaler , eventually were separated as corporate entities . boston whaler continued to design and produce innovative and successful products , under the control of its founder dick fisher .
boston whaler ' s future looks nothing short of dazzling . improved facilities and technology have allowed for more and larger boats—including the flagship 420 outrage .
this site is not affiliated in anyway with boston whaler or brunswick inc . , et al everything on this site is for informational purposes only .
from its boundary - defining launch to today ' s many awards for innovation and quality , boston whaler is a leader as well as a legend .
on september 25 , 1995 , 81 - year - old richard t . fisher , founder of boston whaler , died at his home in florida .
boston whaler produces boats used for fire , rescue and marine governmental patrol , and sport fishing and recreational boats . for the first half of 1994 , boston whaler had net sales of $ 25 . 4 million as compared to $ 22 . 3 million for the first half of 1993 .
we love our dealers , and our dealers love us . see why our loyal and trusted dealer network supports the boston whaler brand , year after year .
boston whaler has , for many years , sawn boats in half to illustrate their durability , performance , smooth ride and
unsinkability
. the original 1961
vigilant : conquest : 27 feet ( 8 . 2 m ) cuddy cabin : 400 : 450 : advertising and unsinkability claim . a boston whaler of the bermuda police service . boston whaler has , for many years , sawn boats in half to illustrate their durability , performance , smooth ride and
unsinkability
.
in february of 1996 , the old boston whaler building on hingham street in rockland , massachusetts was torn down to make way for a new home depot store .
finally , element three focused on improving lead generation throughout boston whaler’s website , creating and adding new forms and landing pages that more accurately capture mqls and sqls .
after the redesign , boston whaler’s website was recognized as best - in - class within the boating industry and won the neptune award for best website in 2016 .
2017 boston whaler 420 outrage @ la paz bcs anchor windlass bow table - teak 12v dc receptacle ( elect . reels / dowriggers ) summer kitchen freezer plates 120v cock
boston whaler is a boat manufacturer located in florida , united states . it is a subsidiary of the brunswick corporation , and a division of the brunswick boat group .
the sale of boston whaler to reebok was a deal with some sweetener added ; along with whaler , cml also gave reebok warrants on cml stock , which when exercised in 1992 resulted in an almost $ 30 - million profit to reebok .
back at meridian - owned boston whaler , business was not good either . there is some speculation that the only thing keeping whaler afloat during these years was profit from the highly successful commercial products division , makers of expensive and customized whaler variants for military , law enforcement , and other commercial customers . during this period , meridian was offered as an ipo , and opened its books for examination by prospective investors . notice the wording regarding their boston whaler operation , wherein they said :
a key benefit to boston whaler ownership is confidence . confidence in the quality of the ride , the seamlessness of the experience and the excellence of the build . that confidence is enhanced by the unmatched global service network built on the foundation of the exceptional boston whaler dealer network , comprised of dealers who bring vast industry expertise and boating knowledge .
this is accomplished through the use of closed cell foam , or other non - permeable material . boston whaler , however , does claim to exceed the coast guard requirements .
maybe we should say that the original boston whaler company , circa 1958 - 1990 * used * to create highly original , unskinkable boats . and leave it at that .
2008 marked the 50th anniversary of the boston whaler company . in 1958 the company manufactured the first 13 foot whaler and the rest is history . the videos constitute a documentary of this amazing company and unsinkable legend . we hope you enjoy this series .
take a tour of the boston whaler factory in edgewater , florida , for a first - hand look at how whalers are made , with personal insight from our expert craftsmen .
as part of the cml - group , boston whaler boats flourished . the cml group (
consumer marketing lifestyles
) was a just formed small conglomerate looking for businesses to acquire . eventually they would assemble a stable with strong brand names and high quality products like nordic track and the nature company . boston whaler was cml ' s first big acquisition , and they seemed to be a good fit with the whaler corporate culture .
boston whaler’s history of innovation started with its first hull . today , the 13 footer , featuring a variation of the original twin sponson design , still delivers superior stability , shallow draft and optimum performance with minimal horsepower . boston whaler created the first centre console boat , as well as the unique unibond construction process , which no other manufacturer has ever duplicated .
clean lines , low - maintenance center console construction and a pristine finish give the boston . . .
that ' s a horrible marketing blunder by boston whaler , the the boating company most recognized for truly creating original boats . that would be a better slogan for operations like mckee craft and wahoo & various splashers , copied whaler ' s ideas rather originate them .
whaler says
we don ' t create boats .
- moderated discussion areas
boston whaler has delivered for decades what no other boat can . when boats were expected simply to float , we proved they could be unsinkable . where most fishing boats lack comfort , and most pleasure boats lack fishing features , boston whaler proves you can have both at the most premium level . no matter what initially pulls you to the water – fishing , cruising , or water sports – your whaler will draw you back over and over again .
boston whaler engineers make sure your boston whaler is designed for the ultimate in high quality and low maintenance . things like 316 - l stainless steel hardware , solid ( not hollow ) cleats with whaleboard backing , and special electrical wiring and connectors to withstand the marine environment mean you can spend your time on the water having fun with your boat , not worrying about it .
to pull it off , the team at boston whaler knew they wanted a marketing agency with experience in partnering with manufacturers that sell through complex dealer networks . this led them to us .
boston whaler was founded by richard fisher in 1958 . he crafted the first twin - sponson 13’ whaler then in return try his best to destroy it by driving it up rocky rapids and even going as far as cutting the boat in half . the result , it is unsinkable .
contribution of photographs ( see guidelines ) , historical information , and first hand experiences with a boston whaler is welcomed ! please help this collection to grow by sending your information to jimh @ urltoken .
boston whaler has an unmatched commitment to delivering the safest , most reliable and most stunning boats out there . that leads to consistent awards and accolades from people who know . here are a few .
i have a video at the following link that show my boat planing . you will notice that the bow stays almost level the entire time . boston whaler 13 with tohatsu 20 horsepower and hyrofoil planing
boston whaler and mercury marine , both divisions of brunswick corp . , work closely together to create precise engine / boat packages that perform well and result in better overall product for their customers . from new model development to manufacturing coordination to customer service , boston whalers partnership with mercury offer our customers distinct advantages .
even the name
boston whaler
was carefully chosen . fisher was looking for an
unstraight
name , something that people would remember . the
whaler
idea came from the boat ' s ability to behave in following seas - -
a hell of a good thing for a nantucket sleigh ride ,
said fisher of the boat . of course , whaling dories are pointed on both ends and flat bottomed , while the new hull was blunt ended and anything but flat bottomed . more
unstraight - ness
for fisher , which made
whaler
good nomenclature . since the boat was made in the boston area , but boston wasn ' t generally associated with whaling , the
boston whaler
name seemed to have just the contradiction in terms fisher was looking for .
boston whaler provides the safest , easiest to own , most exciting boats on the water . since our founding almost 60 years ago , we have conceived and built peerless designs that meet boaters’ diverse and changing needs . only whaler can bring you a legendary , innovative boat that is engineered for a lifetime of enjoyment and dependability . only whaler can bring you the unsinkable legend™ .
for $ 27 - million - - probably little more than what the land and building in edgewater were worth - - they got the entire boston whaler operation , the designs , the molds , the reputation , the number - one name in boating ! it was at once both the bargain of the century and also an indication of just how close to foundering the boston whaler boat company had come .
the boston whaler 285 conquest is developed to offer a holistic experience in fishing and offshore multiday touring providing all the expected amenities of a household . she is the fruit of a meticulous research and consistent feedback from boston whaler ' s users and fans offering high levels of luxury , practicality and versatility . this boat is not just designed for fun she is an investment in fun . more info : urltoken
i was just browsing the whaler website . apparantly , the market in cuba is quite lucrative . i bet that whaler that ended up in cuba was a
free sample
life magazine , may 19 , 1961 dick fisher ' s marketing genius matched his engineering skills . after this photo layout ran , the whole world knew the boston whaler as the boat that was unsinkable .
for 60 years now , boston whaler has engineered the most reliable and forward - thinking boats on the water . every chapter of our history starts with a belief in pushing the limits of what’s possible , including the very first whaler ever created . this heritage is cause for reflection and celebration .
whaler production facility located in edgewater , florida is where every legendary boston whaler journey all begins . expert designers and engineers employ cutting - edge cad product development methods , build and test proprietary innovations such as the dive door , and subject each and every model to painstaking quality - control standards .
in 1992 reebok reported that boston whaler sales were $ 45 . 0 million , an 18 . 7 % increase . reebok ' s total sales that year were over $ 3 - billion . after three years in the boat business , reebok sold boston whaler to meridian , on july 3 , 1993 for just $ 20 - million , or a $ 25 - million loss on their three - year old acquisition .
“element three delivered a dramatic digital transformation during the website redesign in 2016—a responsive , modern approach that not only enhanced the user experience of boston whaler prospects and existing customers , but drove real results , too . ”
i have always thought that a whaler was the best there was . it was the boat .
boston whaler boats , clews & amp ; strawbridge - new & amp ; used boats , service , and parts in frazer , pa , near wayne & amp ; norristown 310 lancaster pike frazer pa 610 . 644 . 3529
an oral history of the boston whaler boats is presented in radio , a unique audio - content feature . although this feature predates the term podcast by several years , you may be more familiar with this content by that name .
while the foam and all of the other components of today ' s boston whaler boats have evolved into more modern forms , the boats are still just as unsinkable as ever . in fact , current videos show the boats being sawed in half with a chainsaw and still operable - even when powered with an engine . the stability and craftsmanship certainly played a role in boston whaler becoming a major supplier to the us navy , coast guard and law - enforcement agencies .
. due to the foam core construction , the whaler will remain afloat when sawed completely in half .
33 % ownership for $ 360 , 000 . we are delighted to introduce you to the world of seanet and a smart way of owning the impressive boston whaler 420 outrage . become one of only three owners to co - own this
usually an established company sells for some multiple of its annual sales , and meridian had just said whaler had annual sales of about $ 50 . 8 - million . brunswick was about to offer less than half that amount , and boston whaler , the queen of the american boat building , was about to get its third owner in four years .
this footage will perk up any whaler owner or enthusiast – just what we need . . . read more
this will be a successful message for brunswick and boston whaler as the company continues to evolve to become a strong financial contributor to the brunswick group while holding on to the traditional core that founded a base of nut - job fanatics like ourselves .
there is some speculation that the motivation for the sudden sale was the threat of a hostile takeover of cml by irwin jacobs and genmar corporation , a large boat and marine conglomerate . jacobs had been buying cml stock , intent on capturing cml really only to acquire the crown - jewel of boat building , boston whaler . rather than see itself taken over by genmar , cml quickly negotiated the sale of their valued boat company to reebok , thus ending irwin jacobs ' bid to own boston whaler .
we also added the option for users to download a pdf of the boat , email themselves the information , share the boat on social media , or contact a dealer after using the tool to encourage content sharing and generate new leads for boston whaler .
hey boston whaler , don ' t take your eye off the ball - keep the focus on high - quality , competent boats , and let sea ray and bayliner satisfy those folks who need help figuring out how to have an
experience
.
much of the design team from van lancker ' s era stayed , however , producing a series of new models that again did not raise many fish from the core of whaler ' s customers . the term
bowrider
was cautiously used for the first time to describe a boston whaler . the 18 - ventura introduced the first whaler
euro transom
boat - - it ' s designer reportedly under orders from meridian that the boat must have that style stern .
boston whaler’s new website hit all of the goals of the project , increasing traffic and leads while offering a mobile - friendly responsive design and revamping the “build your whaler” tool . overall , traffic increased 99 . 06 % , “have a dealer contact me” sql form submissions increased by 130 % , and “request a quote” sql form submissions increased by 1245 . 45 % .
under cml ownership , bob dougherty seemed to have had a free hand to design and produce the whaler product line . with the sale of the company to reebok , that changed . by early 1990 dougherty left whaler , taking with him thirty years of experience in designing , engineering and manufacturing the boston whaler boat . he had already relocated to florida when the edgewater facility had been purchased a few years earlier , and like many florida boat builders before him , he left one boat building company and started another one almost next door , producing a line of boats called marlins . marlin soon became edgewater boats . ironically , the boats bob designed and produced at edgewater began to look more like boston whalers than the newer designs from whaler itself !
after reading this , i cannot say i doubt the quality of today ' s whaler at all . what i was not aware of was the number of changes and philosophies that have occurred in the whaler company since its beginning .
although he started boston whaler in 1958 , dick fisher actually only owned it for 11 years of its now 43 - year history . cml ran the operation in a similar style for two decades before selling out to reebok in 1989 . reebok and subsequent purchaser meridian together had whaler for only about seven troubled years . finally in 1996 brunswick picked up a bargain - priced whaler company that was not as unsinkable as their boats . they ' ve been running the ship for about five years now .
this is relatively common among smaller boats . boston whaler has been marketing their boats as unsinkable for decades and have the famous demonstration where they cut a boat in half or thirds and it remains afloat . their boats are essentially fiberglass encased foam and are inherently buoyant .
and this is what the whaler lifestyle is all about . credit : jesus fares , 420 outrage owner . . .
the remarkable 420 outrage , whaler ' s largest model yet , marries cutting - edge design and technology . . .
the best boats allow you to have faith in your craft in almost any waters , but even the best boats can sink . so how confident would you feel knowing you were in an unsinkable boat ? that’s the promise of boston whaler , the boat company that has found a way to pair an unsinkable hull with the best features and luxury accommodations . whether you’re looking for a deep sea fishing boat or a boat for taking the whole family cruising around the bay , boston whaler has a model for you . when you’re ready to look at some of the best boston whaler models , stop by jet ski of miami . from our miami location , we proudly serve hialeah , miami beach , miami gardens , coral gables , aventura , sunny isles beach , key biscayne , miami shores , and key largo .
esthetics of the new design aside , the new boats tended to have increased weight and manufacturing costs . boston whaler continued to produce only the highest quality boat possible , but as production costs increased , lack of pricing flexibility and decreased demand did not allow for much profit .
the boston whaler and the outboard motor have been an almost perfect match since the inception of the boat . this is mainly due to the wide stern and seaworthy hull design . you get a safe feeling in a whaler that you don’t get with other designs . when your kids go out in a whaler you don’t worry quite as much . there are , however , some issues that if corrected would make the boat even safer and more enjoyable . especially in heavy seas . these issues center around the outboard motor .
in the history of all the remarkable boating legends , the image of boston whaler founder dick fisher sitting in a floating boat with his legs crossed , and wearing a bow tie and a jaunty hat while a humongous saw sliced his vessel in half is quite a memorable vision .
well , boats yes , they can make boats of less dense than water materials like closed cell foam wrapped with a skin . take boston whalers for example .
fisher is often described as a genius , an inventor , a tinkerer , and a perfectionist . in 1969 he was 55 - years old , and he had been running boston whaler for over a decade . perhaps he wanted to retire early ; perhaps he wanted to get back to other pursuits , to tinker around with other inventions ; maybe he just wanted new challenges . whatever the motivation , in 1969 , fisher sold the boston whaler company to cml - group of acton , massachusetts , a specialties marketing company . after the sale , fisher stayed on as a consultant until 1972 .
reebok described itself as a
marketing
company . their products , athletic shoes , were often made by subcontractors . reebok marketed them quite successfully with an upscale image . intent on building their sales and expanding , reebok went looking for acquisitions and found boston whaler . whaler would be their first manufacturing company .
recreation
was the only thing the two corporations had in common other than both being located in massachusetts .
i am in my 30 ' s , and remember as a kid my dad ' s 13 foot whaler . he sold it to buy a bigger boat when i was about 7 , unfortunately it was not a whaler , but an 18 ' thompson .
your point is well made . i don ' t think anyone wants to discourage folks from buying a new whaler , imho .
having large facilities in both massachusetts and florida and lower demand , meridian closed all the boston area operations of boston whaler and moved the entire company to edgewater . relocating a business that had operating in the same place for almost 40 years to a new state 1 , 500 miles away is a drastic move and one that probably left a lot of old - time whaler people behind . when the name of the town you ' re leaving is in the company ' s name , it is even worse psychologically . however , the move did get whaler more in line with the rest of the boat building business . many builders were already concentrated in the warm - climate , low - cost - labor market of florida .
with all the features of the boston whaler , you ' d think it would sell itself , and it probably would have . but just to make sure it was a roaring success , dick fisher ginned up some of the best promotional stunts ever seen in the recreational boat business or anywhere else .
fisher started building boats in the 1950s using foam surrounded by fiberglass , which made the hull much lighter weight than other boats on the market - certainly lighter than the wooden boats . it helped with floatation … and definitely helped with speed when boston whaler launched the first jetboat to the boating market .
ce boston 420 outrage allie totalement plaisance et pêche sportive . disposant d ' une cabine ainsi que d ' un pack cuisine ; il est habitable . il a été en
another issue for boats that are underpowered is the time it takes to get onto a plane . in some situations the motor is not able to do this at all . for example , a 13 foot boston whaler with a 9 . 9 horse engine will barely get onto a plane if at all .
after the cut was completed , fisher used the stern section to tow the bow section back to shore . modern whaler advertising uses a
look what brunswick has done - again , right out of the sea ray handbook . they have created pricing tiers within whaler products :
i think i would like to own both , a new whaler and a classic . then i would have the best of both worlds .
that is a total of 43 years in the boat business . there are not too many other builders who can trace such long roots or have made as many boats . will we see boston whaler boats returning to those wonderful designs of yesteryear ? probably not , not as long as the offerings in the current catalogue keep the factory running around the clock . but the legend of whaler lives on , an amazing unsinkable boat and an equally unsinkable boat company .
sea ray promotional literature touts their advanced manufacturing techniques , including things like 6 - axis cad - controlled milling machines that can make molds for new designs in a day or two . if you want to make a lot of design changes each year , you probably need a machine like that . when sea ray looked at boston whaler , instead of seeing all the good , classic designs whaler already had , it just saw another way to keep that 6 - axis mill busy .
. . . many things have changed over the years , but . . . the things upon which boston whaler values are built - - our people , our pride in our craftsmanship , our belief that a design should fill a need , not follow a trend - - have not changed at all , and never will .
boston whaler had a classic 22 - foot hull that had been sold in thousands of outrages and revenges , and in thousands of guardians . guys catch fish from these hulls , families cruise on these hulls , coasties patrol on these hulls , and marines go to war with these hulls . it is one hell of a hull design .
you can put a hole in a boston whaler hull or cut it in two – both halves will still float and you can drive away in the half with the engine . but unsinkability means more than that . it means truly level floatation for added safety and stability . it means quality , reliability and durability . that’s the unsinkable legend .
when i think of all the highly original boats boston whaler has created , begining with the 13 & 16 , the center console idea , the 1971 ribbed sided &
smirked
21 outrage , the 18 - 25 second generation outrages , etc etc , i cringe to read something like that . they should get rid of that slogan fast
this is a verified html 4 . 0 document served to you from continuouswave uri : urltoken last modified : author : james w . hebert material attributed as quotations to dick fisher appeared originally in other sources , including a january 1978 motor boating article by marty lurey as well as a number of in - house publications of the boston whaler company .
* the venture series is like a conversion van . it ' s a boat that can do everything with the family but doing it in a whaler .
i would have to say that my personal opinion of the classic whaler versus today ' s whaler is that both i am sure are excellent boats , but the classic whalers can claim to be part of a unique era , built at a time when things were just a little bit different in the company .
recognizing the need to improve their online experience for both consumers and dealers , boston whaler , a leading manufacturer of luxury and premium fishing boats , sought to revamp their website . at the top of their list was a responsive site , as well as a complete overhaul of their “build your whaler” tool used by consumers and dealers to customize boats . additionally , the client needed help consolidating domains into one cohesive website , as they had previously created a mobile website and multiple content hubs that were separated from the main domain .
athletic shoes sell at huge multiples of their manufacturing cost , their design is driven almost entirely by style concerns , they are typically made overseas by the cheapest labor available , and as a product they have a life span of a year at best . it his hard to imagine that ownership of boston whaler could have come from a more different corporate background than reebok .
the final arbiter of value is the marketplace . ultimately , then , in the marketplace , the changes introduced by brunswick appear to have been very successful . the current boston whaler edgewater plant has been running three shifts around the clock to keep up with production demands . the success of the design trends , however , may also reflect a sea change in the marketing of boats .
cml stock was one of the most hyped issues on wall street , and as a result heavily shorted by traders . they must have been on to something . in 1989 the boston whaler company , the pride of american and yankee ingenuity , the most honored name in boat building , was sold for $ 45 - million to reebok , an athletic - shoe maker of all things !
meridian sports also owned master craft boats which was a very popular ski boat at the time . meridian owned boston whaler from 1994 – 1996 and did poorly with the company . two models from the fisher era , the 13 and17 and two models from the cml era the 19 and 27 were produced . to cut costs meridian moved all operations to edgewater florida where they remain today .
there has been a lot of discussion about what size engine is needed on the 13 foot classic boston whaler . the boats intended use has a lot to do with this answer . in all cases below , a hydrofoil such as a davis doel fin , an se sport stabilizer or a stingray hydrofoil will help the boat achieve a plane and operate more efficiently . especially in rough water .
thus in 1958 the boston whaler was born , designed with its unique hull shape , constructed with new materials and techniques , and marketed with innovative advertising and promotion . the timing was excellent , as interest in recreational boating swelled among a new class of american boaters , enriched by a strong post - war economy with the leisure time and the discretionary income to enjoy a little yachting of their own .
boston whaler furthered its acclaim by filling a boat with 40 - plus people and completely swamping it with water . still the boat did not sink . ( check out the company ' s website urltoken to watch the videos . ) however , in 1978 , the federal government passed a law stating that boat manufacturers had to pass floatation requirements by using a certain amount of foam and placing in specific areas .
on may 31 , 1996 , [ brunswick ] acquired the assets related to the boston whaler line of boats from meridian sports for $ 27 . 4 million in cash and the assumption of certain liabilities . the company acquired assets , including goodwill that will be amortized using the straight - line method over 40 years . this operation is a part of the sea ray division of the marine segment .
the boston whaler boats have always been functional - serving the purpose for which they were built exceptionally , and often doing double or even triple duty with remarkable proficiency . growing up as a kid i ' d see the same whalers at the local fishing hold , pulling waterskiers and tubers , and also at the town dock either buying groceries , or simply bringing the family into town for an ice cream .
posted 09 - 26 - 2004 01 : 43 pm et ( us ) i think those folks unhappy with the whaler ad campaign are missing the point a little . the function of ads and positioning is not to actually sell boats . it is to get people to the dealership so the dealer can sell boats . the unique traits of a boston whaler will be lost on first time boaters unless they are explained in depth ( features / benefits ) . for example , mention unsinkability ( gasp , boats can sink ? ) and you may turn off 1 / 2 the wives sitting on the fence about a boat purchase . whereas a dealer can walk the ladies about the craft pointing out the intelligent design and heavy duty construction found in each and every whaler hull .
videos , profiles and stories that show why boston whalers make their owners confident to the core . it ' s the design , the build , the history , and it ' s also how people have made whalers central to their lives .
the boston whaler was unique in that it was essentially made from foam , coated with a relatively thin skin of laminates and gelcoat . the composite boat was strong , rigid , and light . the foam provided unheard of floatation , too . it made the hull very resistant to
oil canning
, and it worked to absorb sound as well . at every turn , the foam filled hull seemed to have an advantage .
classic whalers have an enormous following . check out urltoken for a wealth of information and a huge community of whaler lovers . also a good place to list the boat if you sell .
but i ' m puzzled and a little worried by this marketing approach . does it suggest that whaler is losing focus on the boat ? heck , i can get a boating
experience
from lots of brands , most of which are a lot less expensive than whalers . most whaler owners , i think , are more than capable of taking a great boat and creating their
when i bought my boat , the largest selling point to my family and especially grandparents was the steel railings on the whaler for safety reasons . those who knew the whaler name also liked the unsinkable nature of the boats . before my mom went salmon fishing with me , she asked around her real estate office about fishing in small boats in the ocean . they gasped at the thought of using a 16 footer for fishing in the ocean . once she told them it was a whaler , they said
oh yeah . . no problem then . . .
.
what does core confidence feel like ? one ride onboard the new 330 outrage will tell you . learn more about what makes the 330—and every whaler model—the softest , safest , driest ride imaginable .
i was at a whaler dealership back in those days . it was a cool boat back then . today it ' s shallow on the inside , small fuel tank , and pounds pretty hard in rough water . it could still be a lot of fun if used within those limitations , and the good news is there is almost always someone willing to spend way too much for a whaler .
a production facility was set up in 1958 in braintree , massachusetts to manufacture the
boston whaler
boat . the first model was to be called
the cox ' n
, but this gave way to a more prosaic
standard
model . the initial product line was confined to the 13 - foot hull , until the introduction of the 16 - foot model in 1961 . at some point , production moved to the hingham street plant in rockland , massachusetts .
while reebok - ownership had been a rough ride for many old - time whaler boats and employees , having meridian at the helm would turn out to be a near capsize ! to be fair , they started from much less of a position , as the 1994 catalogue of boston whaler boats now had only two of the dougherty - designed classic boats in production , the 19 - outrage and 27 - offshore , to go with the classic fisher - era 13 - foot and 17 - foot hulls . the poor selling van lancker designs of 21 - foot and 23 - foot walk - arounds were gone , the molds turned into new 21 - outrage and 24 - outrage production .
the boston whaler dauntless truly lives up to its name . well equipped for both watersports and offshore fishing , the center console dauntless comes with a host of amenities and options to suit your specific on - water pursuits . pedestal fishing seats and an optional reversible pilot seat with livewell expand fishing capabilities , and the all - activity tower delivers extra watersports exhilaration . unsinkably safe , reliable , and with plenty of space for people and gear , dauntless is outfitted for the active family .
brunswick is a huge conglomerate of
recreation
companies which by 1996 included mercury marine , a giant in outboard motors and i / o propulsion , and sea - ray boats , a market leader in upscale production boats . on march 29 , 1996 , brunswick corporation announced that it
had agreed to purchase the boston whaler line of fishing vessels from meridian sports inc . , for about $ 25 . 3 million .
it later submitted a 10 - k form to the sec that said :
the man behind the unsinkable legend™ was always pushing boundaries—from his out - of - the - box ideas to his torture tests proving whaler ' s toughness . richard fisher ' s family takes us back to the beginning .
the 1980 ' s continued strong for whaler , and catalogues from this decade feature an amazing number of different length hulls , different model trims , and hundreds of accessory options . bob dougherty became chief designer and senior vice president of engineering . redesigned hulls in the outrage and revenge series from 18 to 25 feet were added . many consider whaler boats from the late 1980 ' s to be the most desireable of all the older whalers .
beginning in 2001 , boston whaler boats are being delivered with mercury engines on the transom as part of a
package .
separating the boat from the motor will be possible but expensive . in this regard , whaler has joined what is almost an industry - wide practice of marrying boat and motor at the factory . even independently owned boat builders have resorted to alignments with certain outboard makers - - usually ones that don ' t own boat builders with competing lines - - and offer their boats pre - rigged for that brand exclusively . grady - white and yamaha are one such pairing . this practice may not offer the buyer the most flexibility , but it is how business is done these days at the boat show .
fisher ' s inventive genius wasn ' t limited just to electrical apparatus . he began experimenting with innovative manufacturing techniques in boat building , planning to produce a small sailing board similar to the then very popular alcort sunfish . in the process , and with input and suggestions from naval designer c . raymond hunt , he invented the 13 - foot boston whaler , a small , unsinkable outboard power boat . after showing the boat at the 1958 new york boat show , the design became a huge commercial success .
my point is that whalers were born in an era when people built something well , and it lasted . today they may still hold that belief , but they have to sell that idea at a cost . just selling a
darn great boat
must not be enough to command the higher dollars , so i am sure marketing is working overtime to find anything and everything they can to sell the whaler boat , and the whaler legend .
head on view whaler 13 hull the original whaler hull evolved from the hickman sea sled . the two outer hulls are
runners
. fisher and hunt evolved the third central appendage to reduce
airy water
being created by air trapped under the boat and flowing into the propeller . this photo shows a more recent hull evolution . the wrap - around bow chine - - the
smirk
- - was not in the original molds .
when it came time for new designs , which hull form did brunswick choose ? a new ,
improved
accu - track hull with a euro - style transom quite reminiscent of the laguna superceded the classic whaler hullform .
the cml - group appeared to be a good corporate owner , a group of savvy new england business men who also liked boating and boston whaler boats . charles m . leighton the ceo and
cml
of cml - group was being honored by his alma mater , bowdoin college , in part because his company was
a model of how an enlightened businessman can bring a number of small companies together without dampening their creative fire , without forcing unsympathetic management on the entrepreneur responsible for their identity and success .
1
posted 09 - 14 - 2004 02 : 48 pm et ( us ) why do we care what whaler says in it ' s marketing materials ? i think most of us know why we own one ( function , utilitiy , durability , unsinkability , etc . ) so what ' s the big deal ? the boston whaler company is in business to make money , and they ' ll use whatever marketing tools they can to that end . we are members of this community to seek and share real , valid , information about these boats , regardless of what the advertising says . in the long run , it ' s better for all of us if they sell a lot of boats and stay in business , so more power to selling the experiences .
today , this
unsinkable
attribute is not exclusive to boston whalers . all motorboats ( and certain other boat types ) under twenty ( 20 ) feet , manufactured for sale in the united states are required by law to have positive flotation , such that a completely swamped boat will still float .
from the award - winning boston whaler 230 vantage to the new , sophisticated 320 vantage , this multifunctional family of boats offers the space and capabilities active families demand . leading - edge design combines with an impeccably crafted hull to deliver remarkable comfort , handling and stability . best - in - class amenities and options make vantage ideal for offshore cruising , fishing and adrenaline - pumping watersports . play all day , then take it to dinner : vantage is equally at home in rough saltwater and sidled up to a 5 - star restaurant .