Opera Memphis facts for kids
Opera Memphis is a special Memphis, Tennessee organization. It's a non-profit group that puts on opera shows. It started in 1956 because some people in Memphis loved opera. They wanted to create their own local performances. Famous Memphians like Philip Belz and Walter Chandler helped start it.
In the beginning, local singers and directors put on the shows. Also, the Metropolitan Opera Company from New York often visited Memphis. They performed here a few times each year. As Opera Memphis grew, singers and directors from other regions joined. The costumes and sets became more professional. By the mid-1970s, very famous singers started performing lead roles. These included Leontyne Price, Beverly Sills, Joan Sutherland, Sherrill Milnes, and Birgit Nilsson.
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Helping the Community Through Opera
Opera Memphis is well-known for its education programs. These programs teach over 25,000 children and adults about opera every year. From 1993 to 1995, the company received a special grant. This grant helped students in three Memphis high schools write and produce their own operas.
Current programs include:
- The Artist-in-Residence Tour: Artists visit schools and communities.
- Opera 101: A basic introduction to opera.
- Black Roots of Opera: Explores the history of Black artists in opera.
- Student Dress Rehearsals: Students can watch final rehearsals for free.
- Summer Conservatory: A summer program for young singers.
The Clark Opera Memphis Center
In March 2004, Opera Memphis finished building a new center. It's called the Clark Opera Memphis Center. This center is in East Memphis. It cost $7.3 million to build.
The center is 19,000 square feet. It has offices, a rehearsal hall, and a small performance space. It also has a costume shop and a small props shop. The center is a cultural hub for the community. It's a place where people can meet and enjoy the arts.
Opera Festivals and New Ideas
Under Ned Canty's leadership, Opera Memphis changed its season. Instead of three big shows a year, they now have two main shows. They also added the Midtown Opera Festival in the spring.
Midtown Opera Festival
The opera festival includes two smaller shows. These are often chamber operas, which are operas for smaller spaces. The festival also has talks about opera. Some shows are "pay-what-you-can," meaning you pay what you can afford.
Who Leads Opera Memphis?
Opera Memphis has had important leaders over the years.
Michael Ching (1992-2010)
In 1992, Michael Ching joined Opera Memphis. He is a composer, conductor, and music leader. He was the Artistic Director until 2010. For most of that time, he was also the General Director. In 2011, Opera Memphis performed his opera A Midsummer Night's Dream. It was special because it was sung completely a cappella (without instruments). A recording of this opera was released in 2014.
Ned Canty (2011-Present)
In December 2010, Ned Canty became the new General Director of Opera Memphis. He has made many big changes. One important change was creating "30 Days of Opera."
30 Days of Opera
"30 Days of Opera" started as a series of free opera performances. These "pop-up" shows happened in public places all over the Memphis area. The idea was to give people a taste of opera for free. Ned Canty wanted to "create a trail of breadcrumbs" to lead people to opera. "30 Days of Opera" now happens in April. It celebrated its 10th year in 2021.
Sing2Me Program
During the pandemic, Opera Memphis created the "Sing2Me" program. This program connects audiences with artists. Artists perform pop-up concerts with opera and musical theater songs.
