It all began and ended with four simple colors: pink, purple, orange, and green. It was a rainy Friday morning at 9 o’clock, and a raw chill seemed to hush the usual whir of cars speeding down Peachtree. The drizzle dampened the brick exterior of First Presbyterian with a fresh coat of dew. Inside, four composers and four librettists, some veterans and some newbies, sat wondering with whom they would be paired. Four colors sat in a basket, each hand […]

On February 3rd, we unveiled our lineup for the coming 2015-16 season. We invite you to Join the Adventure as we embark on both the imaginative journeys of the operas, as well as the new pathways that opera in Atlanta has taken in recent years. The operas we have planned will take you on adventures around the world and into an exotic realm of beauty and heartbreak.  We open our mainstage season at the Cobb Energy Centre with a fresh […]

Did you grow up going to the theatre?  No, not really. I grew up on the far end of Staten Island during the 1960’s and early 1970’s. I remember thinking at the time that NYC was very far away. My parents were not the theatre-going type. In fact, I remember only one experience. It was during one of the holiday seasons. My parents took us to see the Radio City Christmas show (I believe I was 7, 8 years old […]

You’re a Georgia native. What is it like to direct a show so close to home? To be perfectly honest, I’ve been so focused on staging the show, I’ve hardly taken a moment to soak it all in!  However, it has been quite a few years since I’ve been on the East Coast in the spring, and I had forgotten how perfectly breathtaking it is when everything starts blooming.  This is such a gorgeous city… it is a real pleasure […]

The Atlanta Opera and Emory University are pleased to offer High School Opera Institute, a one-week intensive study program on the Emory campus, designed for rising 10th-12th grade singers.  Classes include:• Individual and group vocal coaching; diction• Yoga and stretching; movement and characterization• Audition techniques; vocal health• Resume writing; college and career discussion sessions.  Using the audition process as a focus, students receive feedback throughout the week, which culminates in a final mock audition, presented in front of parents and […]

We’re excited to bring Three Decembers, an opera by American composer Jake Heggie, to Atlanta this May.  The contemporary opera (set in the late 20th century) will launch the Discoveries series – dedicated to audience members looking for new operatic works, new ideas, and fresh perspectives. Three Decembers, first performed at the Houston Grand Opera in 2008, is a chamber opera based on a short story by Terrance McNally. The production will be conducted by Steven Osgood and directed by Emma […]

We spent a beautiful evening at The High Museum of Art kicking off their entertainment series for Los Trompos (‘Spinning Tops’). We invited music lovers and fans to swing, chill and listen to beautiful arias from beloved operas in the art installations on Sifly Plaza. Toperoke, our take on Karaoke, invited listeners to choose an aria for one of our incredible chorus members to sing while spinning or sitting inside.  Thank you to our amazing chorus members! Stay tuned for […]

Soprano Theodora (Teddi) Hanslowe has sung on stages across the globe. This weekend, she sings the role of Madeleine Mitchell, the disconnected matriarch of her modern family, in Three Decembers. We asked Teddi three questions to get to know her better as an opera singer, learn about her process as a performer, and get her point of view on the evolution of opera today.  Did you always want to be a singer or performer? And specifically an opera singer? I think […]

Jesse Blumberg is a busy man. The baritone sang in Hawaii, Boston and Paris (among others) in the 14/15 season. This weekend, he sings the role of Charlie (the adult son of Maddy coping with the loss of his partner to AIDS) in Three Decembers. We spoke with Jesse to learn more about his time in Atlanta, his “perfect day,” and his preparation for different roles. This is your Atlanta debut. Seems like there’s a balance between getting used to a […]

Jennifer Black is an energetic, charming and powerful soprano. She sings the role of Bea, Maddy’s grown daughter struggling in her marriage, in Three Decembers. We were eager to speak with Jenna (as she’s known) to discuss her approach, her love for Jake Heggie, and which continent she wants to travel to next. You have sung a number of historic roles, including Mimi in La bohème and Juliette in Romeo et Juliette. Does your approach change when you take on […]