In 1982, the Fort Worth Opera executive board moved to reduce Kruger's responsibilities and began searching for a new managing director. The next several years proved to be difficult for the company, both financially and administratively. It hired and terminated two managing directors that were unable to generate the ticket sales and financial stability of Kruger. In 1991, Fort Worth Opera hired William Walker, a former singer with a distinguished career as one of Metropolitan Opera's principal baritones and as a recurring guest on "The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson".