Pittsburgh Opera: On Stage in our Community

PITTSBURGH OPERA:

‘ON STAGE’ IN OUR COMMUNITY

Supporting arts education, promoting skill development, and strengthening communities.

Pittsburgh Opera is a leading cultural asset in southwestern Pennsylvania for music-lovers of all ages, educational levels, and socio-economic backgrounds. We celebrate human connectedness by encouraging more people to be part of what we do. Each season, nearly 60,000 individuals participate in Pittsburgh Opera programming, with almost a third of our audiences participating in education and community engagement programs designed for both students and life-long learners. In 2019, the International Opera Awards recognized Pittsburgh Opera’s commitment to community engagement by naming it as the only American opera company finalist in the Education & Outreach category.

Pittsburgh Opera programs bring benefits of arts integration to students throughout the region, promote development of a broad range of artistic and technical skills in the arts, and help meet the needs of diverse communities

Photo on cover: Turandot, Pittsburgh Opera, 2010-11 Season. Photo Credit: David Bachman

Holiday Brown Bag Concert Noontime concerts for audiences of all ages with selections performed by Pittsburgh Opera Resident Artists

Pittsburgh Opera – a dedicated community partner

As the only major arts organization in our region (and one of the few opera companies of similar budget size) to have a full-time senior level position dedicated to promoting inclusion, diversity, equity, and accessibility (IDEA) initiatives, Pittsburgh Opera has cultivated a strong track record in advancing IDEA principles across its areas of programming and operations:

We tell stories of diverse communities created by members of those communities. Our 2022-23 season features We Shall Not Be Moved, a story inspired by the tragic 1985 police bombing of a Black neighborhood in Philadelphia. The allBlack creative team for this work combines the powerful creative voices of composer Daniel Roumain, director and choreographer Bill T. Jones, and author Marc Bamuthi Joseph. Our mainstage casts include performers of African, Latin, Asian, and Maori descent.

Our Board emphasizes the central role of IDEA principles by adopting IDEA goals as part of the company’s strategic planning process and by encouraging integration of IDEA values in all areas of the company’s operations.

Pittsburgh Opera actively contributes promoting conditions for expanding diversity among opera and performing arts administrative staff through Black Administrators of Opera and the Pittsburgh

Traveling educational resource for classrooms in the Pittsburgh area.

Educate

Pittsburgh Opera’s education programs offer meaningful introductory and in-depth enrichment opportunities in subjects and grade levels as well as professional learning opportunities for educators. The integration of opera-based activities in general education benefits students by fostering academic skills across the curriculum, promoting cross-cultural understanding, supporting civic engagement, and connecting rigorous cognitive challenges with social interactions to encourage longterm learning.

Some of the key elements of Pittsburgh Opera’s education programming include: Workshops for Educators, the cornerstone of the company’s diverse education portfolio, offers teachers hands-on learning opportunities on integrating opera and the arts into the general curriculum. Pittsburgh Opera’s programs for educators are a costeffective way to extend the benefits of arts-based education to a wider population of students. All educators participating in the Opera’s professional development activities receive extensive collections of audio and video recordings, lesson plans, activities, books, and the opportunity for their students to attend a live opera performance either at the Benedum Center or in their classroom.

OPERA IMPROV TRUNK

Connecting Arts and Academic Success

Opera Academy is a stimulating and intensive year-long professional program created and tailored for teachers. Opera Academy is designed to immerse educators into the world of opera and arts integration. These very creative teachers incorporate opera into their multi-disciplinary classes and document its use to promote arts education in the classroom.

Opera Trunks are large, colorful steamer trunks on wheels filled with books, CDs, DVDs, costumes, props, and lesson activities. The trunks are shipped to schools for extensive residencies (minimum 4 weeks). During the residency, a team of Pittsburgh Opera’s teaching artists visits the school with Opera Improv!, an interactive presentation that engages the students as creators of a short opera performance from the “building blocks” presented by the artists and the contents of the trunks. (Pictured to the left.)

Standards-driven Learning

All educators participating in the Opera’s professional development activities receive extensive collections of resources, including more than 500 student activities connecting the opera (and opera-going experience) with Pennsylvania Academic Standards in all subject areas and for all grade levels. The suggested activities are reviewed by a special Teacher Advisory Panel and address a variety of skills and include projects such as writing and budgeting assignments, building of set models, and physics experiments on lung capacity.

Arrival of over 1,200 local students to the Student Matinee performance of The Marriage of Figaro –November 2022

Support

Pittsburgh Opera is committed to cultivating and attracting a diverse workforce in the artistic, production, and administrative areas. We advance this goal by offering meaningful experiences for all age groups, from introductory hands-on experiences to professional career advancement opportunities. Some of the programs include:

Family Day is a free community event that offers early exposure by introducing children and their families to different creative elements used in opera (voice, dance, instrumental music, as well as set and prop design) with presentations and hands-on activities. Pittsburgh Opera is actively working to bring this event to community locations throughout the city.

Launching in July 2023, BRAVO Summer Camp is a unique two-week learning experience for high school students that offers classes in voice, production (costumes, sets etc.), acting, dance/movement, opera history, opera fanfiction, and audition preparation culminating in a high-level performance opportunity. The students also gain knowledge and understanding of opera company operations.

Technical Theater Seminar is a partnership with CAPA High School offers students an opportunity to learn from technical theater professionals and to receive practical training by assisting in running Pittsburgh Opera’s annual production at CAPA Theater.

The Pittsburgh Opera Resident Artist Program is a prestigious professional development program for aspiring opera performers, directors, and arts administrators. Pittsburgh Opera’s Resident Artist program has built a reputation as a welcoming and nurturing place for a diverse group of performers and directors. For the last ten years, 30% of our Resident Artists have come from racially and ethnically diverse backgrounds, affirming Pittsburgh Opera’s commitment to expanding the diversity and representation of artistic talent. Most recently, the company established a Resident Artist Administrator position intended specifically for BIPOC individuals. Additionally, Pittsburgh Opera participates in Opera America’s mentorship program for opera leaders of color.

Through university partnerships, Pittsburgh Opera is investing in the success of Pittsburgh graduates by creating professional development opportunities for local students. In partnership with Carnegie Mellon University’s acclaimed School of Drama, Pittsburgh Opera offers the opportunity for students in scenic design to develop sets for Resident Artist productions under the mentorship of Pittsburgh Opera’s artistic and production staff. Students in the Cinema Arts Department of Point Park University’s Conservatory of Performing Arts are offering audiences a new perspective on opera by creating and producing animated video shorts to recordings of arias performed by Pittsburgh Opera Resident Artists.

Promoting Skill-Building

Pittsburgh Opera Family Day

Pittsburgh Opera 2022-23 Resident Artists

The Rose Elf created in partnership with CMU Scenic Design Department

Engage

Pittsburgh Opera has long been recognized in our region as a valuable cultural asset committed to the best standards of civic practice The company engages in partnerships in the areas of artistic programming, community engagement, and business operations to strengthen its service to the community and meet unique needs of diverse audiences. Open communication and connection have allowed us to craft bespoke programs that reflect the specific needs of diverse groups and communities. Centering intentionality behind our partnerships has ensured that we are aware of our effect and influence over our communities and are able to engage with them in authentic and meaningful ways

Assistive Services for Patrons with Disabilities

In order to strive to make opera accessible for all, the popular Audio Commentary program offers individuals with visual impairments the reading of the supertitles along with the simultaneous description of key visual elements of the performance. Sensory workshops further enhance these patrons’ experience by inviting them to physically explore the sets, costumes, and props. Specially adapted Opera Trunks support arts engagement of children and young adults with disabilities at Woodlands Camp. Necessary accommodations are provided for any student with disabilities attending our annual Student Matinee or any of our educational programming.

Opera Meets Wellness – coming soon!

In partnership with Open Up Pittsburgh and the City of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh Opera is creating a series of health and wellness videos that will offer tips and exercises using various resources, including opera techniques, breathing practices, and musical themes in mindfulness and physical health practices helping people find harmony in their mind and body.

Pittsburgh Opera Community Concert at Hartwood Acres

Woodlands Foundation Camp for children with chrinic illness

Pittsburgh Opera & Local Communities

National Opera House partnership

Pittsburgh Opera is a strategic partner with the National Opera House in the efforts to restore the former home of the National Negro Opera Company, a place of enormous cultural and historical significance both in the Pittsburgh region and nationally. We are a key collaborator in developing the artistic programming that will be based in the renovated facility to celebrate the rich operatic history of our region and to fulfill the dream of Mary Cardwell Dawson, the pioneering founder of the National Negro Opera Company. By providing opportunities for children in Pittsburgh most affected by racial inequalities in education and the arts, Pittsburgh Opera is proud of the work this partnership will do in the Homewood neighborhood and beyond.

Opera Connections partnership with The Brashear Association

Working with The Brashear Association, a community-based organization serving more than 5,000 South Pittsburgh residents facing financial challenges, including chronic, multi-generational poverty, Pittsburgh Opera presents customized workshops and facilitates attendance for students and their families at mainstage performances. Partnerships like this allow Pittsburgh Opera to open its doors to all communities and extend an invitation to explore and enjoy the world of opera.

Cadenza Project – coming soon!

Pittsburgh Opera is developing a program to create targeted opportunities for teens in challenging circumstances to discover opportunities for personal improvement and independence through opera and the arts. In partnership with organizations like The Asservo Project, who work with people rescued from human trafficking, Pittsburgh Opera hopes to make an impact in the lives and secure a bright future for members of these underserved populations.

Opera Connections with The Brashear Association

Board President, Donald Fischer, M.D. with NOH Founder, Jonnet Solomon after announcing strategic partnership

Pittsburgh Opera’s The Summer King

The story of Pittsburgh’s own, baseball legend Josh Gibson. World premier by Pittsburgh Opera in 2017.