Opera Carolina facts for kids
Opera Carolina logo
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| Predecessor | Charlotte Opera Association |
|---|---|
| Established | 1948 |
| Merger of | North Carolina Opera (1986) |
| Type | Non-profit |
| Location | |
| Services | Professional opera company |
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Membership
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Opera America, AFRP |
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General Director & Principal Conductor
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James Meena |
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Director of Production
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Michael Baumgarten |
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Senior Director for Learning
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Ashley Johnson Lam |
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Senior Director of Development
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Alina MacNichol |
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Budget
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$2.9 million |
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Staff
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8 |
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Volunteers
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The Opera Carolina Chorus, Opera Guild of Charlotte, Bravo! Young Professionals, Supernumeraries, and others |
Opera Carolina is a special group that performs operas in Charlotte, North Carolina. An opera is a play where the story is told mostly through singing, often with an orchestra. This company started way back in 1948. It was first known as the Charlotte Opera Association.
In 1986, it joined with another group called North Carolina Opera. After this, the company changed its name to Opera Carolina. This merger brought together their main shows, educational programs, and touring performances.
Contents
Discovering Opera Carolina
Opera Carolina is a professional opera company. This means they put on high-quality opera shows. They are a member of Opera America, which is a group that supports opera companies across the United States.
Support for the Arts
Opera Carolina gets help from several important organizations. These include the Arts & Science Council, the National Endowment for the Arts, and the North Carolina Arts Council. This support helps them keep putting on amazing shows.
What Opera Carolina Performs
Each year, Opera Carolina presents three main opera productions. These shows happen at the Belk Theater, which is part of the Blumenthal Performing Arts Center.
- The Opera Carolina Chorus: This is a group of singers who perform in the operas.
- The Charlotte Symphony Orchestra: This orchestra plays the music for the opera performances.
The opera season usually starts in October and runs until the middle of April.
Staying Strong Through Challenges
Opera Carolina has managed to stay strong even during tough economic times. For example, during the recession that started in 2008, many other opera companies had to close. Opera Carolina found ways to keep going.
Smart Choices for Success
To stay financially healthy, Opera Carolina made some careful decisions:
- They stopped a concert series called "Love Notes."
- They reduced their season to three main productions.
- They lowered their staff numbers.
- They became very careful with how they spent money on their shows.
Also, many businesses and individuals continued to give money to support Opera Carolina. This strong support helped them a lot.
Performing During the Pandemic
Opera Carolina was one of the first performing arts groups to return to live shows. They started performing on stage again after many places had closed because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
