President and Chief Executive Officer for Madison's Overture Center for the Arts, Bob D'Angelo, announced his retirement Tuesday.

Michael Goldberg, vice president of program and development at Overture, will serve as interim president beginning Nov. 19.

D'Angelo, who brought stages for the arts to the City of Madison — first with the Madison Civic Center and then the Overture Center — indicated in his letter of resignation to Mayor Dave Cieslewicz he would step down to spend more time with family and friends.

In the wake of the Overture's $5 million construction shortcoming, the center is currently requesting the city help refinance the center.

Cieslewicz and city alders expressed concern earlier this week about the city's possible participation in the refinancing of the Overture, and the mayor said he regards the issue as near the top of the city's priorities, second only to the budget.

But D'Angelo gave no indication that his retirement was the result of debt and finance issues surrounding Overture in the letter he released.

Goldberg insisted D'Angelo's reason for retirement was simply to retire.

George Twigg, communications director to the mayor, said any specific information regarding D'Angelo's retirement would be difficult to ascertain.

"The mayor does not release details on the appointment or retirement of city staff," he said.

In his resignation letter, D'Angelo said his work with Overture was "the opportunity of a lifetime."

"From the revitalization of the Madison Civic Center to the construction of Monona Terrace to the successful launch of the Overture Center, the last two decades have been an incredible renaissance in downtown Madison," he wrote. "I am proud to have played a part in that."

Jim Ruhly, chair of the Madison Cultural Arts District Board, said the loss of D'Angelo is significant to the center.

"Bob [D'Angelo] has done a terrific job building the Civic Center and transforming it into the Overture Center for the Arts," Ruhly said.

D'Angelo, who spent the final 15 years of his 43-year career in Madison, said he looks forward to observing the future of the Overture Center in coming years.

As of Nov. 19, the Overture's future will rest in Goldberg's hands.

Goldberg expressed nothing but admiration for the work D'Angelo did for Madison.

"If I can run the Overture Center for the Arts as well as he did, I will have done a fine job," Goldberg said.

Meanwhile, Cieslewicz will be responsible for selecting a permanent president of the cultural arts center.

"I've been asked to step in on an interim basis until the mayor sees fit to make a final decision on the position," Goldberg said.

Ruhly said he was delighted to hear Goldberg accepted the interim position.

"One thing Bob [D'Angelo] did was surround himself with an extraordinary support team, and Michael Goldberg was a part of that team," Ruhly said. "I am extremely confident the operation of the Overture Center will not skip a beat with Goldberg filling in."