Speight Jenkins

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Speight Jenkins Jr (born January 31, 1937) is an American arts administrator. Jenkins, a native of Dallas, Texas, is the son of Speight Jenkins Sr and Sara Baird Jenkins.[1] [2] His B.A. degree is from the University of Texas at Austin, and he graduated in 1961 from Columbia University Law School. He served in the US Army, and later became a music critic and journalist. He worked for seven years at Opera News as its news and reports editor, and later at the New York Post from 1973 to 1981 as music critic.[3] He has been a host for US television's Live from the Met.[4]

In the early 1980s, Jenkins was a guest lecturer at Seattle Opera for the company's production of Richard Wagner's Der Ring des Nibelungen. His knowledge impressed the Seattle Opera board of trustees such that they offered him the post of general director of the company.[5] He began his tenure with Seattle Opera as general director in 1983, and in 2003, signed a 10-year extension to his contract.[6]

Jenkins has two children, Linda Leonie Jenkins and Speight Jenkins III, with his wife Linda, from whom he is separated.[6]

[edit] References

  1. ^ Melinda Bargreen. "Sara Jenkins: A Life Of Music", Seattle Times, 20 October 1991. Retrieved on 2007-09-13. 
  2. ^ Melinda Bargreen. "Sara Baird Jenkins, Activist, Grande Dame Of Seattle Opera", Seattle Times, 15 July 1996. Retrieved on 2007-09-13. 
  3. ^ "Speight Jenkins Named Seattle Opera Director", New York Times, 21 December 1982. Retrieved on 2007-09-13. 
  4. ^ Speight Jenkins. "Speight Jenkins: My ultimate summer concert...", Seattle Times, 1 September 2002. Retrieved on 2007-09-13. 
  5. ^ Melinda Bargreen. "Seattle Opera's Jenkins' Personal Tour Of The `Ring'", Seattle Times, 30 December 1996. Retrieved on 2007-09-13. 
  6. ^ a b Melinda Bargreen. "Speight Jenkins: Champion of the opera", Seattle Times, 15 August 2003. Retrieved on 2007-09-13. 

[edit] External links


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