Charlottesville Opera
Description
Charlottesville's opera company In 1978, a group of Charlottesville musicians, began to present chamber performances at the home of President James Monroe, Ash Lawn-Highland. These performances became the Ash Lawn-Highland Opera Festival, which grew dramatically after Judy Walker became the General Director in 1987. At that time, the festival began performing full-length operas and musical theater productions in the historic home’s boxwood gardens. Over the years, with the support of Ash Lawn-Highland’s owner, the College of William & Mary, the festival grew and flourished. In 2002, the Ash Lawn Opera Festival Foundation was independently incorporated with the mission of performing opera and musical theater, developing young artists and administrators for professional careers in opera, and providing educational programs in opera.
In the summer of 2009, Ash Lawn Opera relocated its performances to The Paramount Theater on the Downtown Mall in Charlottesville, allowing the company to grow even further artistically and professionally. With the hiring of Michelle Krisel as General Director in 2010, complete with over thirty years of experience in the national and international world of opera, including 14 years as the Special Assistant to Plácido Domingo at Washington National Opera and seven years as the Director of the Domingo-Cafritz Young Artist Program, the Board of Directors set a goal to become one of the finest small opera companies and summer opera festivals in the United States.
In recent years, the company has partnered with a number of other local arts groups, including the Oratorio Society of Virginia, the Wilson School of Dance, the Virginia Consort, the Virginia Festival of the Book, and Charlottesville Ballet. Not only that, but it has expanded its season to include winter and spring performances. In 2015, the company further expanded its professional staff to include Kevin O’Halloran as Executive Director with Michelle Krisel continuing as Artistic Director. O’Halloran brings more than 20 years of fundraising and nonprofit management to the team.
In 2017, in honor of its fortieth anniversary as the area’s premier opera company, Ash Lawn Opera became Charlottesville Opera. The new name signals our dedication the local community and recognizes the distance it has come. Martha Redinger, President of Charlottesville Opera, said, “We’re proud of our heritage, and we thank all those who built and supported Ash Lawn Opera through the years. We’re pleased to be able to signal our progress and professionalism with our new name: Charlottesville Opera.”
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RECENT FACEBOOK POSTS
facebook.com“This will be our reply to violence: to make music more intensely, more beautifully, more devotedly than ever before.” - Leonard Bernstein #cvilleopera40 #charlottesville
Charlottesville City Schools had their new teacher orientation! Charlottesville Opera presented on their education OPERA-tunities! Including our Artist-in-Residence Program, KidsFest, and Student Dress Rehearsal. We were lucky enough to get a table right next to our friends at Charlottesville Ballet!
And with that, the curtrain has closed on our 40th season. Bravo tutti to everyone who helped make Middlemarch in Spring, Rigoletto, and Oklahoma! a success! #cvilleopera40
Last chance to see Oklahoma!, TODAY at 2pm at The Paramount Theater! #cvilleopera40 Photo: Janet Moore-Coll
Our Apprentice Singers took Virginia by storm!Performing a series of recitals&winning over the ears of Charlottesville. BRAVI #cvilleopera40 https://t.co/OMzcpoXDTE
From Rappahannock County to Barboursville Vineyards, our Young Artists sang up a storm this season! Thank you and BRAVI #cvilleopera40 https://t.co/ptYIgtkGRZ
Congratulations to our cast, orchestra, and crew on another spectacular performance of Oklahoma!. There are only TWO CHANCES left to experience Oklahoma! (August 4th at 7:30 and August 5th at 2:00) TICKETS: Available online or at The Paramount Theater of Charlottesville Box Office: http://bit.ly/2qZvicR #CvilleOpera40 Photos: Janet Moore-Coll and Natalie Krovetz
There are only three chances left to catch the show that audiences are calling " excellent", "beautiful", and "amazing". Remaining performances are TONIGHT, August 4th, and August 5th. TICKETS: Available online or at The Paramount Theater of Charlottesville Box Office: http://bit.ly/2qZvicR #CvilleOpera40
Artistic Director, Michelle Krisel, discusses Oklahoma! and everything that’s been happening with the Charlottesville Opera on WVTF Music and RADIO IQ. #cvilleopera40
Audience reviews are in&Oklahoma! is a hit! Only THREE CHANCES to experience it for yourself. Tickets https://t.co/vnMBnjEeYx #cvilleopera40 https://t.co/k90voi0pyF
The reviews are in, and audiences are loving Oklahoma! Join us on August 2nd, 4th, or 5th and experience the magic for yourself! ___________________________________________________ "There were so many strong singers. The orchestra was excellent. It was the best Charlottesville Opera production I've seen." "Professionalism; talent; warm, relaxed presentation; final audience singing was marvelous!! Smiles on all faces! "From scenery, to acting, to singing and dancing, this production was well done. Engaging and entertaining." __________________________________________________ Available online or at The Paramount Theater of Charlottesville Box Office: http://bit.ly/2qZvicR #CvilleOpera40 Photo credit: Janet Moore-Coll and Natalie Krovetz
Bravi Tutti to our cast, orchestra, and crew on an incredible opening weekend! Shows are selling fast, so save your seat and get your tickets today! Available online or at The Paramount Theater of Charlottesville Box Office: http://bit.ly/2qZvicR #CvilleOpera40 photo credit: Janet Moore-Coll
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