Southeast Region

The Palmetto Opera began in 2001 with a group of motivated enthusiasts and a goal to bring professional opera into South Carolina. Our mission is to present professional opera to the Midlands and South Carolina, so that there is an entertainment, educational, and economic impact on the community and state. We strive to promote local talent. We started small, hiring performers to sing arias in various Columbia venues. We hosted competitions that attracted graduate students and young professionals from the Southeast. Our official debut came in 2003, with our performance of “Love, Murder & Revenge,” a mixture of scenes from famous operas

Kathy Newman is Chair of the Board of Directors.

katnewman@aol.com

P.O. Box 50462

Columbia, SC 29250 USA
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In the 2009-2010 season, The Board of Directors of the Chattanooga Symphony & Opera voted to suspend opera production and to use the year to explore options which would make opera sustainable in Chattanooga.

The CSO has explored options which would make opera viable in Chattanooga, including potential collaborations with regional opera companies, presenting touring versions of opera, limiting productions to one every other year or every three years, or raising an endowment for opera. By taking the time to thoroughly research all of the options available to us, the CSO will emerge with an active plan of action to move the company forward.

There are no performances currently scheduled for the Opera Series.

Katie Wilson is Director of Marketing.

kwilson@chattanoogasymphony.org

701 Broad Street

Chattanooga, TN 37402 USA
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The Knoxville Opera Guild (formerly East Tennessee Opera Guild) is a non-profit, volunteer organization created in 1992 to support Knoxville Opera Company and to provide a means of fellowship for opera lovers.

Through fund-raising and educational activities, the Guild makes opera accessible to an increasingly diverse audience and enhances the quality of life in our community.

The president of the Knoxville Opera Guild is Phylllis Driver.

info@knoxvilleoperaguild.org

P.O. Box 16

Knoxville, TN 37901-0016 USA
Ph: (865) 524-0795

For the more than 20 years since its founding, Nashville Opera Guild members have cherished their role in preserving and promoting Grand Opera in Middle Tennessee through their support of the Nashville Opera Association, Inc. For the Guild, opera is the gateway to all fine arts—poetry, music, sculpture, painting, design, and dance. The musical score excites and then invites you, the listener, into the emotional realm of superior storytelling that is the heart of every opera. Modern English subtitles allow opera-goers to understand every scene regardless of the language being sung.

The president of Nashville Opera Guild is Nancy Coleman.

nancy2@comcast.net

The Noah Liff Opera Center
3622 Redmon St.
Nashville, TN 37209 USA
Ph: 615.832.5242

Opera Tampa, the resident opera company of the Straz Center, depends on opera lovers to play a leading role. Opera Tampa League members enjoy a host of exclusive members-only benefits and privileges, including special event invitations, premier ticketing options and once-in-a-lifetime opportunities to meet world-class artists that grace our stages.

The president of Opera Tampa League is R. Troy Atlas.

troy.atlas@raymondjames.com

Straz Center for the Performing Arts
PO Box 518
Tampa, FL 33601 USA
Ph: 813-222-1003

The Young Patronesses of the Opera (YPO) is a non-profit organization whose mission is to cultivate, promote, foster, sponsor, educate and develop the understanding, taste and love of opera in our community. Educating children has always been of paramount importance to the members of YPO. Without fostering and appreciation of or exposure to opera and classical music, by our future generations, it is doubtful that these arts will have the necessary support to survive.

Comprised of over 100 volunteer women, YPO offers programs focused primarily on children’s education. These programs are a need in today’s world where many school systems have taken away or decreased the arts programs in schools.

For more information on volunteer membership and opportunities, go to the website (above)
The President of YPO is Rebecca Spinale

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Help support The Atlanta Opera! Become and Atlanta Opera Volunteer! The gift of your time and expertise is just as valuable as a monetary gift. Last year Atlanta Opera volunteers contributed more than 6,000 hours! Volunteers help keep costs low and help fulfill the mission of presenting world-class opera productions, while fostering education about this important art form.
For more information on volunteer membership and opportunities, go to the website (above)
or e-mail Stephanie Cantillo, Volunteer Coordinator, scantill@atlantaopera.org

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Capitol City Opera Company was formed in 1983 to provide Atlanta area classically trained singers the opportunity to learn and perform complete opera roles and to continue to develop their post-graduate vocal and acting skills on a professional level. Since its inception, the company has flourished as the only opera company in the southeast that primarily helps local singers establish their careers. We present high quality, innovative and exciting opera theatre.

Capitol City Opera Company has created many recurring programs that benefit all ages and demographics of the general public and has toured throughout the Southeast and also Italy. Currently the company performs to opera theatre shows per year, a monthly restaurant series (Dinner and a Diva), a vocal competition, touring Madrigals, touring gala singers, a summer pops concert (On The Light Side), and an astonishing 150-200 performances solely for children.

For more information go to the website, or contact: info@ccityopera.org

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Mississippi Opera in Jackson, Mississippi, is the tenth oldest continuously producing professional opera company in America. Currently in development is an outreach program to develop opera performers and volunteers in their student body. This program will serve as a cooperative partnership between Mississippi Opera and opera educators at every institute of higher education throughout the state. “This Co-OPERA speaks so clearly to our goal of making opera relevant in the lives of every Mississippian” states Mississippi Opera Executive Director Elizabeth Buyan. It is exciting to be on the front edge of a program that has so much potential” she concluded.

The President of Mississippi Opera Guild is Betty Bivins.

info@msopera.org

PO Box 1551

Jackson, MS 39215 USA
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The mission of Shreveport Opera is to produce professional opera and musical productions of the highest artistic quality and to provide educational programming and outreach to children, youth and adults in the Ark-La-Tex region.

Shreveport Opera is one of the oldest opera companies in the country and has been privileged to host some of the world’s greatest performers including Beverly Sills, Franco Corelli, Leontyne Price, and Sherrill Milnes. It has also enjoyed the wonderful opportunity to help launch the careers of internationally acclaimed stars such as Renee Fleming and Greer Grimsley.

Over the years, there have been many creative leaders of the company, notably Mr. Robert Murray, who held the reigns for 17 years producing prominent productions while maintaining fiscal responsibility. Nearly all of the traditional operatic repertoire has been presented over its sixty-two year history.

In the 2000-2001 season, Shreveport Opera created the Shreveport Opera Xpress (SOX) education and outreach touring program. SOX brings opera into schools, libraries, children’s hospitals, retirement centers, and other venues in an effort to both entertain and educate our friends and neighbors about opera and the arts. Currently, SOX performs for an estimated 50,000 young people and adults every year.

Shreveport Opera produces three professional main stage operas or musical theater works each year, as well as three operas for SOX. Shreveport Opera is a 501(c) (3) not-for-profit organization (Federal Tax ID #72-6021455) in good standing with the IRS.

executivedirector@shreveportopera.org

212 Texas Street
Ste. 101
Shreveport, LA 71101 USA
Ph: 318-227-9503

The Shreveport-Bossier Opera Guild is the major volunteer support team for Shreveport Opera. It is proud to boast a 60 year history and has over 400 current members. The members, primarily women, work hard each and every year to support the Opera through membership drives and special events. The Shrevepor-Bossiert Opera Guild is the financial backbone of Shreveport Opera. Their volunteer efforts continually demonstrate high levels of leadership and fiscal stewardship as they contribute the largest financial gift to Shreveport Opera each season The mission of the Guild is to financially support the Shreveport Opera and to create awareness of opera in our community.

The Guild produces numerous events throughout the year, but they are most proud of the long-standing annual fundraiser Les Boutique de Noel—Holiday shoppers come from all around to search out unique gift items, treasures, or that special something to keep for themselves! It is not only a fundraiser, but has grown into a huge social event for all involved. This effort, along with other similar events results in an average annual gift to Shreveport Opera of roughly $100,000.

The president of the Guild is Cindy Jones.

cindytjones@gmail.com

212 Texas Street
Suite 101
Shreveport, LA 71101 USA
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The Opera Guild of Northern Virginia (OGNV) was founded in 1992 as a volunteer-based, non-profit charitable organization to bring the joy of opera to the local community and develop regional support for the performing arts by fostering an appreciation for local theater across generations.

Introducing children to opera through outreach to parochial, private and public school systems, OGNV helps assemble audiences for an annual children's production and works with various non-profit groups to develop additional programs related to bringing underprivileged, elderly and new immigrants into the community via a universal appreciation for the arts. We invite you to explore our website -- learn more about the Northern Virginia opera community, look into membership and volunteering opportunities and above all, take note of past and upcoming performances. We encourage any feedback, questions or comments you may have and look forward to hearing from you!

operaguildnova@yahoo.com



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