Minnesota Opera, which has become a national leader in generating new work, appears to be less than stable at the executive level. President and General Director Kevin Ramach has resigned after about two and one-half years in the role.

Ramach himself had succeeded Allan Naplan, who quit in March, 2012 after only one year in the job. According to a news release, Nina Archabal – the former director of the Minnesota Historical Society – took over on Thursday as interim general director.

The fact that the Opera is appointing an interim director on short notice indicates that Ramach's decision was not long planned. When longtime president Kevin Smith announced plans to retire in May, 2010, he stayed on and Naplan's hiring was announced six months later. Naplan took over the following March and surprisingly quit the next year. Ramach was appointed interim president and general director and then named permanently to the post in July of 2012.

The Opera has had a tight budget the past few years and announced a deficit for the last fiscal year. At that time, Ramach said the company had cut costs when it was clear that revenue was not matching expenses, even though ticket revenue was at an all-time high with the best season-subscription numbers in 14 years.

Fundraising, marketing and communications departments were streamlined. In the past year, two key players in those roles – marketing director Lani Willis and communications director Daniel Zillman – left the Opera for other positions. Several other people in key positions have also left the company. Ramach had also indicated in the report of the deficit that the company would be hiring a consultant to examine productivity.

The company has launched prominent world premieres in recent years. "Silent Night," "Doubt," and the upcoming "The Manchurian Candidate" are three new works the Opera has commissioned.

Ramach, 54, joined Minnesota Opera in 1988 and left 11 years later for Kentucky Opera. He returned to the Twin Cities in 2006 and served as production director for six years before he succeeded Naplan. Friday's news release quoted him as saying he wanted to "return to my creative interests." He will not stay with the company.

The news release also did not indicate when the Opera board will conduct a search for a permanent leader. It is unlikely that Archabal, 74, will be a candidate long term. She had been with the Minnesota Historical Society for more than 30 years before retiring as director in 2010. She is president of the Schubert Club board.

Opera board chairman Jim Johnson said late Friday that he does not feel the Opera has a problem in the administration. "I think we have everything under control," Johnson said.