Opera Batimore’s 2023-2024 season responds to audience demand.
Baltimore, MD - June 28, 2023 - Opera Baltimore is thrilled to announce its 15th season, having expanded its programming over the last three years as the company continues to strengthen. Responding to consistently sold-out performances with long waitlists of eager attendees, Opera Baltimore remains committed to its wide array of operatic offerings: concert operas at the beautifully appointed Engineers Club in Mount Vernon, fully-staged opera at the historic Stephens Hall Theatre in Towson, education programs that reach thousands of individuals a year, and community-centered events in partnership with multiple local stakeholders.
“Opera Baltimore’s exciting, rapid growth is a response to our enthusiastic community,” shares Artistic and General Director Julia Cooke, who has led the organization through massive growth during her decade-long tenure as the leader of the company. “We believe in opera’s unique assets, which unite our artists and audiences together in the thrilling shared experience of a live Opera Baltimore performance. Our vision is to ‘Build Community Through Opera’ and our 15th season includes elements and artistry that will speak to any Baltimorean,” she continued. “For the fifteenth year, I am very proud to showcase the power of this art form in our beautiful city.”
Following last season's spectacular presentation of La Traviata, Opera Baltimore’s second sold-out run at Stephens Hall Theatre in Towson, MD, Opera Baltimore is proud to announce it will begin the 2023-2024 season with another fully-staged work: Verdi's iconic Rigoletto. Additionally, due to increasing demand from our expanding audience, Opera Baltimore is very pleased to add a third performance to each of its semi-staged concert operas at the Engineers Club in the spring, Tchaikovsky's Eugene Onegin, and Mozart's The Impresario.
Opera Baltimore was selected as one of only eight companies in the United States to receive a sought-after Civic Practice Grant from OPERA AMERICA in 2023. Opera Baltimore will combine the forces of two of its important divisions - Education and Civic Practice - in order to launch an innovative new program for children titled “Voice Your Story.” This West Baltimore-centered program will leverage OB’s existing partnerships with the Enoch Pratt Library and Baltimore Department of Recreation and Parks to encourage creativity and joy in children through the creation of guided, improvised mini-operas.
Deeply committed to opera education for all ages, Opera Baltimore’s popular pre-opera lectures with Scholar-in-Residence Dr. Aaron Ziegel of Towson University will be offered for each opera. Our Opera Club series -“like Book Club, only LOUDER!” - will be offered at multiple retirement communities and locales throughout the region. Also continuing will be Opera Baltimore’s interactive school assembly program “What is Opera? A Team!” which reached more than 3,500 children in dozens of schools last year with a positive and inspiring message on the transformative power of teamwork. Lastly, the collaboration with Towson University's music students will continue as Opera Baltimore hosts their productions of opera for children and parents at the Engineers Club.
Since Opera Baltimore performances tend to sell-out quickly, we encourage our patrons to purchase subscriptions to ensure access to their seats and to take advantage of the subscriber discount (10%). Renewals for returning subscribers will begin on July 5th. New subscriptions may be purchased beginning on July 19th, and single tickets will go on sale on August 1st. For information about ticket sales, upcoming events, or other inquiries, we encourage visits to our website, www.OperaBaltimore.org or phone calls at 443-445-0226.
Opera Baltimore’s 2023-2024 Season:
Rigoletto (Verdi) October 20th and 22nd, 2023
Fully-staged with orchestra at Stephens Hall Theatre, Towson University
Eugene Onegin (Tchaikovsky) February 28th, March 1st and March 3rd, 2024
semi-staged concert opera at the Engineers Club in Mount Vernon, Baltimore
The Impresario (Mozart) April 10th, 12th, and 14th, 2024
semi-staged concert opera at the Engineers Club in Mount Vernon, Baltimore
Additional ticketed operatic events at the Engineers Club:
Thirsty Thursdays at the Opera (opera tasting evening) - September 28th, 2023
Salon Series Recital - December 10th, 2023
Thirsty Thursdays at the Opera - January 25th, 2024
Thirsty Thursdays at the Opera - May 16, 2024
Opera for Children - Winter 2023 and Spring 2024, TBD
Special Events at the Engineers Club:
Opera Baltimore Gala - February 3, 2024
Season Launch Party - June 4, 2024
