Randy H. Goodman

Randolph Fuller, millionaire opera aficionado and founder of Opera Boston. In 2011, Fuller withdrew much of his financial support from the company. That, along with poor ticket sales and the failure to score a $250,000 grant, led to the demise of Opera Boston.

Clive Grainger

Boston Opera collapsed only months after the Pulitzer Prize for Music was awarded to composer Zhou Long for “Madame White Snake,” a production commissioned and premiered by the company. Pictured, Peter Tantsits as Xu Xian and Ying Huang as Madame White Snake in "Madame White Snake."

Randy H. Goodman

Just before Christmas, the remaining members of Opera Boston’s fractured board announced the company would close, leaving ticket-buyers, arts leaders, and even Mayor Tom Menino stunned and angry. From left to right, Tony Bennett, Opera Boston board chairman Winifred Perkin Gray, Ron Della Chiesa, and Joyce Kulhawik.

George Rizer/globe staff

The only hope for the company was a complete overhaul of the board structure and its financing, so it would not be so reliant on donors like Fuller, board chairman Gray, and board president Gregory Bulger. Pictured, Bulger, left, with BC High president William Kemeza.

Aram Boghosian for The Boston Globe

Fuller pulled funding because he found the new general director Lesley Koenig incompetent. Pictured, Stage Director David Kneuss and Koenig worked together during an Opera Boston rehearsal.

Jonathan Wiggs/Globe Staff

Koenig succeeded founding general director Carole Charnow, pictured, who left in 2010 to become director of the Children’s Museum.

Clive Grainger

“Know thyself,” Opera Boston’s artistic director Gil Rose said. “We may not have understood who we were. Maybe we didn’t realize we should have stopped our growth and hung out a while and taken stock before looking to move forward so fast.”

Clive Grainger

"Beatrice et Benedict" by Hector Berlioz at Opera Boston. Pictured: Julie Boulianne as Beatrice and Sean Panikkar as Benedict Night.