Recognizing Christina Scheppelmann's Contributions to the Arts

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Ms. JAYAPAL. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize Christina Scheppelmann, who is stepping down after five years of service as the General Director of Seattle Opera.

Seattle Opera thrived under Christina's leadership. Her passion for the performing arts will undoubtedly leave a mark on the City of Seattle for years to come. In the process of navigating a global pandemic that halted over two years of in-house performances, Christina led Seattle Opera to be able to deliver the entirety of its programming during the 2020-2021 season by recording performances for patrons to stream online. She helped hire artists to present free, online performances and expand virtual educational programming for youth and Veterans. When pandemic restrictions began to partially lift in 2021, Christina committed to offering Seattle Opera's first celebratory outdoor rendition of ``Die Walkure'' by Richard Wagner.

Throughout her tenure, Christina forged a deep commitment to community engagement as well as diversity, equity and inclusion. Under her leadership, the Seattle Opera presented a number of works by and about people of color. The productions included ``Blue'', a story about a Black family that draws strength from their community in the face of a police killing and ``Bound'', a story about a daughter of Vietnamese immigrants, as well as A Thousand Splendid Suns and X: The Life and Times of Malcolm X. In all of these productions, she engaged the community through Advisory Boards, outreach to the specific communities represented in the productions, and nonprofit organizations working on the issues. Her goal, in her words to me, was that these productions ``showcase how Seattle Opera is keeping relevant stories centered on- stage.''

In 2020, she led Seattle Opera to launch its Racial Equity and Social Impact plan. The effort contributed toward hiring a diverse staff and brought over 100 new artists from around the world to debut performances. Her addition of community programs such as the Jane Lang Davis Creation Lab and the Seattle Arts Fellowship--will serve as trademark opportunities for underrepresented communities to build careers in the arts.

Christina's leadership at the Seattle Opera exemplifies the need for all of us in the United States to ensure we support the arts and the unique ability arts have to add positively to our society. As Christina moves on from her role at the end of the 2023-24 season to lead La Monnaie De Munt in Brussels, I ask my colleagues to join me in celebrating her many accomplishments and contributions to Seattle Opera. On behalf of Washington's 7th Congressional District, I thank Christina for her service to the people of the Pacific Northwest and dedication to the performing arts.

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