Orlando Opera Company

Mission:

Position Orlando Opera as a financially sound, pre-eminent performing arts institution in Central Florida and make opera an integral part of the region's cultural scene.

About:

Serving the Central Florida community for 49 years, Orlando Opera has evolved into a major regional opera company with a distinguished artistic reputation. Orlando Opera's annual subscription series at the 2,200 seat Bob Carr Performing Arts Centre is attended by more than 21,000 people. Orlando Opera has brought world-class singers, conductors, and directors together to create opera magic. Several internationally renowned singers, including Plácido Domingo, Beverly Sills, Luciano Pavarotti, Richard Tucker, Jessye Norman, Cecilia Bartoli, Jerry Hadley, Carol Vaness, and Denyce Graves have appeared with Orlando Opera.

The company also collaborates with Opera Tampa, Vero Beach Opera Guild, to bring the wonder of opera to neighboring areas, and its General Director Robert Swedberg has directed operas in China, and Spain. Orlando Opera ranked highest of all vocal music organizations in Florida by the Division of Cultural Affairs Grant Review Panel May 2004 (ranked #1 in 2002; biannual review).

Orlando Opera began as a project of the Junior League of Greater Orlando, operating as the Opera Gala Guild of the Florida Symphony Society. In 1958, the Junior League of Orlando hosted the first Opera Gala at the Orlando Municipal Auditorium. Robert Merrill, Richard Tucker, Elena Nikolaidi, and Lisa Della Casa performed scenes and arias from some of the world's best-loved operas.

Each year the Junior League presented these opera highlights performed by the top opera stars of the day, until 1963, when it presented its first full production of La Bohème. The outstanding cast included Teresa Stratas and Richard Tucker. In March of 1979 Orlando Opera became a professional opera company.

While it continues to bring opera's biggest names to Central Florida, Orlando Opera is also committed to the discovery and casting of emerging artists. Orlando Opera's Resident Artist Program provides training and performance opportunities for young professional singing actors.

Selected through nationwide auditions, these artists spend a year with Orlando Opera, performing in elementary school shows; on tours; in second stage operas; and mainstage roles, reaching audiences of all ages throughout Central and Northern Florida, in schools, theatres, museums, community centers, and corporations. More than 100,000 people throughout Florida are touched annually by Orlando Opera through opera tours, open dress rehearsals, and opera insight programs.