Dayton Opera is an American
opera company
Opera is a form of theatre in which music is a fundamental component and dramatic roles are taken by singers. Such a "work" (the literal translation of the Italian word "opera") is typically a collaboration between a composer and a libretti ...
based in
Dayton, Ohio
Dayton () is the sixth-largest city in the U.S. state of Ohio and the county seat of Montgomery County. A small part of the city extends into Greene County. The 2020 U.S. census estimate put the city population at 137,644, while Greater D ...
. The company makes its home at the
Schuster Performing Arts Center in downtown Dayton where it annually produces three operas and an operatic concert and has an annual budget of approximately $2 million. Kathleen Clawson is the Artistic Director.
History
The Dayton Opera was founded in 1960 by the opera impresario
Lester Freedman, who also led the
Toledo Opera
The Toledo Opera is an American opera company in Toledo, Ohio, performing in the Valentine Theatre in downtown Toledo. The company's season consists of three fully-realized operas, plus additional community programming for the Northwest Ohio regi ...
company. For 20 years under Freedman, the company produced opera at Dayton's Memorial Hall. From 1981 to 1993 the company operated in partnership with the
Michigan Opera Theatre Detroit Opera is the principal opera company in Michigan, USA. The company is based in Detroit, where it performs in the Detroit Opera House. Prior to February 28, 2022, the company was named the Michigan Opera Theatre.
Each year it presents an op ...
under artistic director
David DiChiera
David DiChiera ( ; April 8, 1935 – September 18, 2018) was an American composer and founding general director of Michigan Opera Theatre.
Career
Born in McKeesport, Pennsylvania as son of Italian immigrants, DiChiera was raised in Los Angeles ...
and other administrators. In 1996 Dayton Opera entered into a partnership with the
Cincinnati Opera
Cincinnati Opera is an American opera company based in Cincinnati, Ohio and the second oldest opera company in the United States (after the New York Metropolitan Opera). Beginning with its first season in 1920, Cincinnati Opera has produced operas ...
, sharing staff including the general director Thomas Bankston. The late 1990s saw the company grow in stature and independence, culminating in a move to the new Benjamin and Marian Schuster Performing Arts Center in 2003.
Over its history the Dayton Opera has produced a wide repertoire of Italian, French, American and German opera. It has presented many prominent guest stars, including
Plácido Domingo
José Plácido Domingo Embil (born 21 January 1941) is a Spanish opera singer, conductor, and arts administrator. He has recorded over a hundred complete operas and is well known for his versatility, regularly performing in Italian, French ...
,
Martina Arroyo
Martina Arroyo (born February 2, 1937) is an American operatic soprano who had a major international opera career from the 1960s through the 1980s. She was part of the first generation of black opera singers to achieve wide success.
Arroyo first ...
, and
Deborah Voigt
Deborah Voigt (born August 4, 1960) is an American dramatic soprano who has sung roles in operas by Wagner and Richard Strauss.
Biography and career
Early life and education
Debbie Joy Voigt was born into a religious Southern Baptist family ...
, among others. Since 1987 the company has encouraged new talent in opera through a professional training program and an artist-in-residency.
Since 1998 the company has maintained a partnership with Dayton's
Victoria Theatre under which the two companies share administrative and management functions. The Dayton Opera is a
not-for-profit organization funded by individual and corporate contributions as well as county and state support. The Opera Guild of Dayton is a volunteer support organization.
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See also
*
Dayton Ballet
The Dayton Ballet is a ballet company based in Dayton, Ohio.
The Dayton Ballet was founded in 1937, making it the second oldest regional ballet company in the United States. Dayton Ballet seasons typically comprise four works—familiar tradition ...
*
Dayton Philharmonic Orchestra The Dayton Philharmonic Orchestra (DPO) is a fully professional musical group in Dayton, Ohio, formed in 1933. It is a member of the League of American Orchestras (LAO) and the Regional Orchestra Players' Association (ROPA), and presents programs ma ...
References
External links
Official Site
American opera companies
Culture of Dayton, Ohio
Tourist attractions in Dayton, Ohio
1960 establishments in Ohio
Musical groups established in 1960
Performing arts in Ohio
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