The Omaha Performing Arts Society Selects Tessitura Software For New Omaha Performing Arts Center and Orpheum Theater

Omaha, NE & New York City, NY — January 9, 2004 — The Omaha Performing Arts Society extensively reviewed ticketing and fundraising system functionality needs before selecting Tessitura™ for box office operations, fundraising, reporting, marketing and customer relations management. In selecting Tessitura Software, the Omaha Performing Arts Society joins numerous leading North American arts organizations including The Metropolitan Opera, Boston Symphony Orchestra, The Kennedy Center, Lyric Opera of Chicago, City Center, San Francisco Symphony, Seattle Opera, Houston Ballet, Stratford Festival of Canada, and the Center Theatre Group.

Tessitura, originally developed by the Metropolitan Opera for its own use, was implemented in 1998 and is now widely used in the arts field. Smeeta Sharon, who is responsible for Business Operations at the Met, noted that "The rapid acceptance of Tessitura by a growing number of arts organizations is highly gratifying. The Met designed Tessitura to enhance customer relationships, and improve business practices by efficiently driving revenue transactions and boosting fundraising productivity. The end result is organizational improvement. We are pleased to share this powerful technology with other arts organizations through our Impresario, L.L.C. subsidiary."

The Omaha Performing Arts Society (OPAS) is building the new state-of-the-art Omaha Performing Arts Center scheduled to open in fall 2005. OPAS also manages the Orpheum Theater in downtown Omaha. Built in 1927, the Orpheum is a 2500 seat multi-purpose proscenium theater and is home to Opera Omaha, touring Broadway productions, and other events. As a perfect complement to the multi-purpose Orpheum Theater, the new Omaha Performing Arts Center will provide a true concert hall environment with acoustics designed to serve the Omaha Symphony as well as other local and touring arts organizations and artists. A first-class design team — led by Omaha architectural firm HDR in collaboration with Polshek Partnership Architects (New York), acoustic consultants Kirkegaard Associates (Chicago) and theater consultants Fisher Dachs Associates (New York) — is designing the new center with three priorities: a concert hall with excellent acoustics, a center to draw people in to experience the arts, and a building of distinction for the community. It will feature the finest in arts and cultural programming, and a major new presenting series will be launched in both venues in 2005/06 in conjunction with the new Center opening.

Joan Squires, President of the Omaha Performing Arts Society, commented on their selection of Tessitura, "A project of the size and visibility of the new Omaha Performing Arts Center requires the absolute best technology tools to complement our center and our organization. The patron-centered focus of Tessitura combined with the extensive ticketing and fundraising functionality and their excellent track record with some of the most visible arts organizations in North America, enabled our software selection process to go smoothly and rapidly with all parties feeling very comfortable with the Tessitura selection. We look forward to taking advantage of the benefits that Tessitura has to offer and becoming active members of the Tessitura Network."

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