Description
Syracuse Opera is proud to be the only year-round professional opera company serving Central and Upstate New York and one of four major arts organizations in Syracuse. Offering three productions each season plus year-round outreach and educational programs through the Syracuse Opera Ensemble, Syracuse Opera reaches an audience of over 30,000 people each year in 20 counties. Its mission is to: 1) produce for the community professional opera performances of the highest quality promoting young talent from across the country; and 2) cultivate a further appreciation of opera within the region, specifically Syracuse and the surrounding six county area, by means of outreach and education programs.
Under the guidance of General Director Catherine Wolff, Syracuse Opera has become known for producing operas of exceptional quality. Opera Quarterly noted that productions of Zar und Zimmermann (1999) and The Tales of Hoffmann (2001), "were admirably performed and conducted, expertly and entertainingly staged, and warmly received by large and enthusiastic audiences. They were the kind of performances that make one want to go back again and again to experience the magic that occurs when all the various elements that go into making opera are administered with the right blend of financial support, administrational know-how, musical intelligence, and artistic taste. May such a fine company long endure and inspire others to follow suit!"
Opera is the most expensive of the performing arts because it encompasses all the performing arts. For our own Syracuse Opera productions, we engage the solo singers, conductor, stage director, choreographer, lighting, set and costume designers. We use the Syracuse Symphony Orchestra, Syracuse Opera Chorus, Upstate NY Ballet, and have all the theatrical elements found at Syracuse Stage - scenery, costumes, wigs, makeup, lighting and special effects. Behind the scenes we employ an army of people to create the magic seen on stage. Opera is the original multimedia artform.
Syracuse Opera expanded its 29th season to include three locally produced operas for the first time in twelve seasons. The community immediately responded and season tickets sales exceeded expectations, easily surpassing our goals. As a sign of our success, Syracuse Opera continued producing locally all three operas since and continues to put on an educational performance each Monday of the 2nd Opera presented each season to over 1500 Syracuse City High and Middle School kids as well as some surrounding school districts free. The 2007-08 season will begin in October with Verdi's Rigoletto followed by Donizetti's Don Pasquale (which will once again have the additional education performance) and the season will close with a double bill of Menotti's The Medium & Leoncavallo's Pagliacci.
We do all of this on a budget of $1 million, and we are operating in the black. Syracuse can be proud to have a healthy and artistically viable opera company when other Upstate cities such as Buffalo, Rochester and Albany do not. Thanks to the wonderful support that we have received from individuals, corporations, foundations and government entities over the past 30 years, we are poised to take the next big step in our development as the finest year-round opera company in Upstate New York.
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