Asheville Lyric Opera facts for kids
Asheville Lyric Opera (ALO) is a special group that performs opera and musical theatre shows. They are a professional, non-profit company based in Asheville, North Carolina. ALO performs many different kinds of shows. These include funny operas by composers like Mozart and Rossini, serious dramas by Verdi and Puccini, and popular musical theatre plays.
The company's home since 2001 has been the Diana Wortham Theatre. This theatre has 500 seats and was built in 1991. ALO is also part of Opera America, a group that supports opera companies. David Craig Starkey started ALO and was its main director until 2016. Dean Anthony became the new Artistic and Producing Director for the 2019/2020 season.
The Story of ALO
Asheville Lyric Opera began in 1999. It was founded by a singer named David Craig Starkey. In their very first full season (1999–2000), ALO put on a famous opera called La bohème. They worked with the Asheville Symphony Orchestra for this show.
Over the years, many talented singers, conductors, and directors have worked with ALO. These artists have performed all over the U.S. and even in other countries. For example, in 1999, a famous singer named Susan Dunn gave a concert. In 2001, ALO performed The Barber of Seville, with Rockwell Blake in a main role.
ALO started taking their shows on the road in 2003. They have performed in states like Indiana, Georgia, Ohio, South Carolina, Tennessee, and Virginia. By the 2006–2007 season, they were putting on three full opera shows each year. They also started doing special "education opera" shows for local schools.
In 2009, ALO celebrated its tenth birthday with a big concert. Famous singers like Angela Brown and Tonio DiPaolo performed. The Asheville Lyric Opera Orchestra and Chorus also played, led by conductor Robert Hart Baker. Other well-known artists who have performed with ALO include Angela Renée Simpson, Talise Trevigne, and Stephen Mark Brown. Conductors like Timothy Myers and Daniel Meyer have also led ALO shows.
By 2012, ALO had performed more than twenty-five full operas. They also held many concerts across Western North Carolina. The 2012/2013 season included operas like La traviata and Tosca. A famous tenor named Lawrence Brownlee also gave a concert. The 2013/2014 season featured Don Giovanni, Die Fledermaus, and the musical South Pacific. The Die Fledermaus show was special because it was performed in English. Its story was also changed to fit the history and culture of Asheville. This show also marked a new partnership with the Symphony of the Mountains from Kingsport, Tennessee.
ALO also helps young people learn about the arts. They offer educational programs and special operas for children. Students can also get internships to learn about how an arts company works, music business, and performing.
Past Shows
Here are some of the shows Asheville Lyric Opera has performed:
- 2013–2014 Pagliacci and Suor Angelica (two short operas together), Opera Winter Gala, Don Giovanni, South Pacific, Die Fledermaus.
- 2012–2013 La traviata, Taste of Opera, Tosca, Carousel
- 2011–2012 Madame Butterfly, The Asheville Christmas Show, Cosi fan tutte, The Sound of Music, Taste of Opera
- 2010–2011 The Magic Flute, Christmas Concert, Brundibar, La bohème, Taste of Opera
- 2009–2010 The Marriage of Figaro, Hansel and Gretel, Christmas Concert, Don Pasquale, Carmen
- 2008–2009 Romeo and Juliet, Gianni Schicchi, Opera Concert, Rigoletto
- 2007–2008 Don Giovanni, Down in the Valley, Lucia di Lammermoor, The Barber of Seville
- 2006–2007 The Elixir of Love, Amahl and the Night Visitors, The Merry Widow, La traviata
- 2005–2006 ALO Opera Gala, The Magic Flute, Madame Butterfly
- 2004–2005 ALO Opera Gala, Carmen, The Marriage of Figaro
- 2003–2004 ALO Opera Gala, Amahl and the Night Visitors, La bohème, Don Pasquale
- 2002–2003 ALO Opera Gala, Amahl and the Night Visitors and Gift of the Magi (two short operas together), Cosi fan tutte
- 2001–2002 The Barber of Seville, Amahl and the Night Visitors, Annie Get Your Gun, La traviata
- 2000–2001 ALO Opera Gala, Live from Broadway, Amahl and the Night Visitors, Madame Butterfly, Pirates of Penzance
- 1999–2000 Live from Broadway, ALO Opera Gala, La bohème, Pagliacci
