We have received word from one of our patrons that an early VO board president, Otto Feirskov Andreasen, died recently at his home in Denmark at the age of 90.
He was president of the Vancouver Opera Board of Directors from 1963-1965, a time of tremendous excitement for the company, including the historic production of Norma starring Joan Sutherland and staged by artistic founder Irving Guttman.
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| Joan Sutherland in Norma - 1963 Photo by Barry Glass |
Mr. Andreasen started his career in The East Asiatic Company in Denmark in 1938 and in 1948 he was transferred to the company’s Vancouver-based Canadian operations that included Tahsis Company’s pulp mill, sawmills and logging operations on Vancouver Island. After twenty years he returned to EAC’s head office in Copenhagen in 1968 where he took various senior executive positions including managing director.
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| Irving Guttman Photo by Barry Glass |
It is important that we always remember – and THANK – those pioneers who established the opera company in 1960, and shepherded it through its early years.
Anything that we are as a company today is because of those who have gone before.
While we send our condolences to Mr. Andreasen’s family, we appreciate the opportunity to reflect back on our company’s extraordinary history.
- James Wright, General Director
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