Palm Beach Opera facts for kids

Palm Beach Opera is a professional opera company located in West Palm Beach, Florida. They perform exciting opera shows at the Kravis Center for the Performing Arts and other places across South Florida. The company started in 1961, originally called "Civic Opera of the Palm Beaches." Over the years, they have put on many fully staged operas, growing from just one show a season to four shows by the mid-1990s.

What is Opera?

Opera is a special kind of play where the story is told mostly through singing, often with an orchestra playing music. It combines music, drama, costumes, and scenery to create a grand performance. Palm Beach Opera brings these amazing musical stories to life for everyone to enjoy.

Big Shows and New Stories

In 2013, Palm Beach Opera started a huge free outdoor concert called Opera @ The Waterfront. This event brings nearly 100 performers to the stage and is the biggest outdoor classical music show in Palm Beach County. It's a great way for many people to experience opera for free!

The company also likes to present new and exciting works. In their 2014/2015 season, they performed their very first world premiere. This means it was the first time that specific opera, called "Enemies, A Love Story," was ever performed anywhere. It had music by Ben Moore and a story by Nahma Sandrow, based on a book by Isaac Bashevis Singer. That season also featured famous operas like Giacomo Puccini's "La Bohème" and Gaetano Donizetti's "The Daughter of the Regiment."

Past Leaders

Over the years, many talented people have helped lead Palm Beach Opera. In the 1980s, a person known as an impresario named Joseph H. Conlin guided the company. An impresario is someone who organizes and manages public entertainments, like operas. Later, Anton Guadagno served as the company's director for many years, from 1984 to 2002, helping it grow and succeed.