{{short description|American arts administrator (born 1950)}} {{other people|Charles Mackay}} '''Charles MacKay''' (born May 1950, Albuquerque, New Mexico) is an American arts administrator, known for leadership roles at the Santa Fe Opera, Opera Theatre of Saint Louis, and Spoleto Festival USA/Festival of Two Worlds.
==Early experience== MacKay is the son of John and Margaret MacKay and an alumnus of Santa Fe High School and of the University of Minnesota. He played French horn in the Santa Fe Symphony, earning the first chair position while still in high school, and joined the orchestra of the Santa Fe Opera (SFO) at age 18. He was a volunteer with Santa Fe Opera at age 13 and began to work in administrative capacities with SFO at age 18, beginning with a job as the orchestra "pit boy."<ref>{{cite news | url=https://www.operaamerica.org/industry-resources/2022/oral-history-project/an-oral-history-with-charles-mackay/ | title=An oral history with Charles MacKay | work=Opera America | author=Marc A. Scorca | date=4 November 2019| accessdate=7 November 2024}}</ref> He worked at SFO as an orchestra librarian,<ref>{{cite journal | url=http://www.metoperafamily.org/operanews/issue/article.aspx?id=4910&issueID=322 | last=Driscoll | first=F. Paul | title=Hail and Farewell | journal=Opera News | volume=72 | issue=12 | date=June 2008 | accessdate=9 August 2008}}</ref> in the business office, and painting stage scenery.<ref name="Miller">Miller, Sarah Bryan, "Opera Theatre's Charles MacKay will take the helm at Santa Fe Opera". ''St. Louis Post-Dispatch'', 9 November 2007.</ref> MacKay also held several administrative positions with SFO, including box office manager, assistant orchestra manager, and business manager, the last position for 4 years.<ref name="Smith">{{cite news | url=http://www.santafenewmexican.com/SantaFeNorthernNM/Opera_taps_native_son_as_director | title=Opera taps native son as director | work=Santa Fe New Mexican | author=Craig Smith | date=2007-11-10 | accessdate=2007-12-08}}</ref><ref>{{cite news | url=http://www.playbillarts.com/news/article/7341.html | title=Santa Fe Opera Appoints New General Director | work=Playbill Arts | author=Matthew Westphal | date=2007-11-09 | accessdate=2007-12-08}}</ref>
==Spoleto Festival== After leaving Santa Fe, his other administrative positions include a 6-year tenure as director of finance and administration for the Spoleto Festival USA, from 1978 to 1984. For 5 years, he was the manager for the American artists at the Festival of Two Worlds in Spoleto, Italy.
==Opera Theatre of Saint Louis== In 1984, MacKay became executive director of Opera Theatre of Saint Louis (OTSL), recruited to the post by OTSL's first general director Richard Gaddes. In 1985, MacKay was named OTSL's second general director. During his tenure, MacKay presided over the growth of OTSL's endowment from US$682,000 to $18 million and maintained the company's record of never posting a deficit. He also raised funds for the construction of the Sally S. Levy Opera Center, the company's first permanent administrative facility, which was completed in 2006.
==Return to Santa Fe== In November 2007, SFO named MacKay as its third general director, succeeding Richard Gaddes and John Crosby. He concluded his OTSL tenure on 30 September 2008,<ref name="Miller"/> and began his tenure as SFO general director on 1 October of that year. His immediate challenges were financial, in the wake of the 2008 financial crisis.<ref name="Keller">{{cite news | url=http://www.santafenewmexican.com/news/local_news/charles-mackay-will-exit-as-head-of-santa-fe-opera/article_d6196f00-7ed9-11e7-a56b-cbc868e03422.html | title=Charles MacKay will exit as head of Santa Fe Opera | work=Santa Fe New Mexican | author=James M Keller | date=2017-08-11 | accessdate=2017-08-14}}</ref>
During his tenure, MacKay programmed several operas in their first stagings at Santa Fe Opera, including ''The Tales of Hoffmann'' (2010), ''Faust'' (2011), and in 2012 alone, ''The Pearl Fishers'', Rossini's ''Maometto II'' (in a new critical edition), and Karol Szymanowski's ''King Roger''. In 2013, Rossini's ''La donna del lago'' received its Santa Fe premiere in a co-production with the Metropolitan Opera. The 2014 season saw the first Santa Fe production of Beethoven's ''Fidelio''. Additionally, MacKay's tenure has been characterized by working in collaboration with several opera companies across the United States on co-productions, some of which have been US or world premieres of new operas. In addition to the Met, these companies have included Minnesota Opera (Strauss' ''Arabella'' in 2012) and Opera Philadelphia (the Morrison / Cox ''Oscar'' in 2013.) SFO presented five world premieres during MacKay's tenure, including ''Cold Mountain'' by Jennifer Higdon and Gene Scheer (2015) and ''The (R)evolution of Steve Jobs'' by Mason Bates and Mark Campbell (librettist) (2018). MacKay also appointed Frédéric Chaslin and Harry Bicket successively as chief conductors of the company. In August 2017, Santa Fe Opera announced MacKay's intention to step down as its general director after the 2018 season.<ref name="Keller"/><ref>{{cite news | url=https://www.santafenewmexican.com/pasatiempo/opera/looking-forward-looking-back-charles-mackay-prepares-his-exit-from-santa-fe-opera/article_dcb2551b-2304-5d3d-91d9-bcbb3b71413a.html | title=Looking forward, looking back: Charles MacKay prepares his exit from Santa Fe Opera | work=Santa Fe New Mexican | author=James M. Keller | date=2017-08-21 | accessdate=2023-12-24}}</ref>
== Arrest == On March 21, 2025, MacKay was arrested in Powell, Wyoming, for soliciting two teenage boys for sex. He was initially charged with breach of peace, but prosecutors later filed four felony charges, including sexual exploitation of a minor. MacKay was released on a $35,000 bond, with a preliminary hearing set for April 2. A spokesperson stated that MacKay was complying fully with the legal process and that he had been facing unspecified serious health issues.<ref>{{cite news |last=Baker |first=C.J. |date=March 27, 2025 |title=New Mexico man alleged to have propositioned Powell teens |url=https://www.powelltribune.com/stories/new-mexico-man-alleged-to-have-propositioned-powell-teens,160902 |access-date=March 31, 2025 |work=Powell Tribune |location=Powell, Wyoming |page=1 |volume=116 |issue=25}}</ref>
== Other achievements == MacKay is a 1997 recipient of the Arts Management Career Service Award. He has served as chairman of the board of Opera America since 2004, and concluded his tenure in that post in June 2008.<ref name="Miller"/> Other board affiliations include the Sullivan Foundation<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.sullivanfoundation.org/foundation.html | title=William Matheus Sullivan Foundation | publisher=Sullivan Foundation | accessdate=2024-11-07}}</ref> and the Edgar Foster Daniels Foundation.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/organizations/850435024 | title=ProPublica: Edgar Foster Daniels Foundation | publisher=ProPublica | accessdate=2024-11-07}}</ref> He was awarded honorary degrees (Doctor of Music) from the University of Missouri–St. Louis (1996)<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.umsl.edu/externalrelations/honoraryawardnominations/pasthonorarydegrees.html | title=UMSL Past Honorary Degree Recipients | publisher=UMSL | accessdate=2019-11-07}}</ref> and from Indiana University (2018).<ref>{{cite web | url=https://honorsandawards.iu.edu/search-awards/honoree.shtml?honoreeID=8754 | title=Indiana University Honors and Awards | publisher=Indiana University | accessdate=2019-01-28}}</ref> In 2022, MacKay was inducted into the OPERA America Opera Hall of Fame.<ref>{{cite news | url=https://operawire.com/opera-america-announces-2022-opera-hall-of-fame-inductees-and-national-opera-trustee-recognition-award-recipients/ | title=OPERA America Announces 2022 Opera Hall of Fame Inductees and National Opera Trustee Recognition Award Recipients | work=OperaWire | author=Chris Ruel | date=9 December 2021| accessdate=7 November 2024}}</ref>
==References== ;Notes {{reflist}}
==External links== * [http://www.operatoday.com/content/2007/12/polish_not_chan.php J.A. Van Sant, " 'Polish' Not Change for Santa Fe Opera". ''Opera Today'' blog entry, 27 December 2007.]
{{s-start}} {{s-culture}} {{succession box | title=General Director, Opera Theatre of Saint Louis | before=Richard Gaddes | years=1985–2008 | after=Timothy O'Leary}} {{succession box | title=General Director, Santa Fe Opera | before=Richard Gaddes | years=2008–2018 | after=Robert K. Meya}} {{s-end}}
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Mackay, Charles}} Category:1950 births Category:American opera managers Category:Living people Category:People from Santa Fe, New Mexico Category:People from Albuquerque, New Mexico Category:University of Minnesota alumni