Knoxville Opera is currently celebrating its 30th anniversary season.
The company is entering its second season debt-free and “in the black” due to the stellar, conservative financial management of General Director Brian Salesky.
Knoxville Opera helps set the performance standard for the East Tennessee community by presenting world-class performances of full staged operas with top talent from all over the country, and the accompaniment of the Knoxville Symphony Orchestra.
World-renowned artists presented by Knoxville Opera have included Luciano Pavarotti, Mary Costa, Jerome Hines, Marilyn Horne, Catherine Malfitano, Roberta Peters, and Cheryl Struder.
Knoxville Opera presents popular classic opera (such as Carmen, La Bohème, and Madame Butterfly) as well as East Tennessee premieres like this season’s production of La Forza del Destino by Giuseppe Verdi.
Knoxville Opera also presents unique, intriguing concerts such as the 2006 Mainly Mozart Festival and the 2005 Catherine Malfitano: From the Met to the Copa.
Knoxville Opera is presenting its 6th Annual Rossini Festival in April 2008 — including an Italian Street Fair, the largest free education and outreach event of any classical cultural institution in Tennessee.
Opera is often considered the ultimate art form because it comprises great musical theater, literature, solo artists, sets and costumes, a full orchestra, and a chorus. This also makes it the most expensive art form to produce.
Many businesses, new talented professionals, and university faculty are attracted to East Tennessee because Knoxville Opera is part of the vibrant arts community.
We maintain partnerships with major cultural institutions including The University of Tennessee and the Knoxville Symphony Orchestra, of which we are its largest employer.
Knoxville Opera presents free interactive, in-school performances to children of all ages to give them exposure to the art form and help provide basic musical theater education.
Knoxville Opera offers dress rehearsals of fully staged opera productions at the Tennessee Theatre to middle and high school students.
