Timeline | Greensboro Opera

First production October 16, 1981

October 16, 1981

The foundation of this venture was laid the previous year by a group of civic leaders and music lovers, who adopted the dual mission of presenting operatic productions at the highest possible professional standards and educating the community about opera.

1981-1998 Productions

From 1981 to 1998, the Company concentrated on one production in the fall. Those operas were attended by increasing numbers of people from throughout the Piedmont. The audience enjoyed productions of

Lucia di Lammermoor (1982),

Rigoletto (1983),

Tosca (1984),

The Barber of Seville (1985),

Madama Butterfly (1986),

Carmen (1987),

Don Giovanni (1988),

and La Bohème (1989).

1990-1996 Sold Out Productions

Beginning in 1990, audience support enabled the offering of both evening and matinée performances of Faust (1990), Il Trovatore (1991), Tales of Hoffmann (1992), Aïda (1993), The Magic Flute (1994), La Traviata (1995), and Falstaff (1996). With the productions of Madama Butterfly and Carmen in 1997 and 1998, in which all seats were sold, the decision was made to mount a season of two productions.

1999-2000

Thus, in the 1999-2000 season, Greensboro Opera produced Tosca and Don Pasquale, both receiving outstanding reviews.

2004 Community Collaborations

2004 Beginning of Collaborations

“Rising Stars from the Met” concert with the Greensboro Symphony Orchestra was produced in the fall of 2004. The Marriage of Figaro was produced in 2005, followed by an adaptation of Gianni Schicchi: The Will, commissioned from the School of Music at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro in 2006.

2006-2010 Original Productions

GO’s 2006-2007 season brought three original productions to the stage: Madama Butterfly (2006), two sold out performances of Hansel and Gretel (2007) with an entirely regional cast, and four sold out performances of The Face on the Barroom Floor (2007) with composer Henry Mollicone on the podium. A thrilling Rigoletto (2007) was followed by the charming L’elisir d’amore in 2008. In spring 2009, two American one-acts, The Telephone & Trouble in Tahiti, presented internationally known and local singers. GO capped its 2009 season with Verdi’s beloved La Traviata, and offered Mozart’s family-friendly The Magic Flute in 2010.

Greensboro Opera's Education Outreach

The education arm of the dual mission of Greensboro Opera has enjoyed equal attention and success. In collaboration with Guilford County Schools and the UNCG Opera Theatre, GO has presented an opera to all Guilford County public school fifth grade pupils since 1991. Approximately 6,000 youngsters attend one of six performances in the beautiful Carolina Theatre. GO sponsors educational programs for adults, such as operalogues before performances and programs for clubs, churches and synagogues, civic groups, and retirement communities.

2012 Partnership/Collaboration UNCG Opera Theatre

In 2012, Greensboro Opera entered into a formal partnership/collaboration with the UNCG Opera Theatre, whereby the opera company financially contributes to the UNCG Opera Theatre, and in exchange, receives marketing and other logistical and production support. The first few years of this venture resulted in our fall Galas entitled Got Opera? and Wine, Women, and Song, which featured UNCG alumni who are singing in prestigious theatres throughout the world. Sidney Outlaw, Joel Sorensen, and Jill Bowen Gardner were among our distinguished alumni who graced our stage in these performances.

2013 Artistic Director Hired

In 2013, David Holley was hired as Artistic Director, and the plans to return to producing fully-staged operas were put in place.

2015-2019

In January of 2015, Greensboro Opera produced La fille du régiment with a stellar cast featuring René Barbera and Ashley Emerson. Mr. Holley was President of the National Opera Association and was hosting the NOA’s Annual Convention in Greensboro at the same time. Greensboro Opera’s production was the featured performance of the 2015 NOA Convention and saw opera luminaries such as Samuel Ramey, Stephanie Blythe, and Warren Jones attend the performance on opening night. This successful production was quickly followed up with La Cenerentola in August of 2015, featuring Sidney Outlaw as Dandini and Andrew Owens as Prince Ramiro. Cinderella was sung by Sandra Piques Eddy, who returned to sing the title role in a nearly sold-out Carmen in 2017. Greensboro Opera presented Rossini’s masterful comedy, The Barber of Seville featuring Metropolitan Opera baritone David Pershall (our Escamillo in Carmen) for the 2017-18 season. Jill Bowen Gardner as Cio-Cio-San and David Pershall as Sharpless returned in Puccini’s Madama Butterfly at UNCG Auditorium in fall 2018. In his fourth appearance for GO, David Pershall sang a passionate Tonio in GO’s production of I Pagliacci at UNCG’s Auditorium in November 2019. As part of a 5-year sponsorship by Well-Spring, A Life Plan Community, GO became an anchor tenant of their new Virginia Sutton Theatre. GO presented Humperdinck’s beloved classic Hansel and Gretel in March and Gian Carlo Menotti’s beloved Amahl and the Night Visitors there in December 2019.

2018 General and Artistic Director

David Holley was promoted to General and Artistic Director in March of 2018.

Exciting and New!

2018 - Present

In our ongoing collaboration with Eastern Music Festival, GO presented popular, lighter theatrical programs at Temple Emanuel: What I Did for Love (2018), Send in the Clowns (2019), Summertime and the Livin’ is Easier” (2021) I Love Paris (2022), and Yours is My Heart Alone (2023) featuring local and internationally known artists in an intimate setting.Our tradition of Opera Galas continues to generate support with themed-evenings highlighting our mainstage productions: GO Butterfly on Temple Emanuel’s beautiful outdoor patio in October 2018, GO Baci Pagliacci at Greensboro’s magnificent Science Museum in October 2019, Je t’aime La Bohème at the Vineyard in September 2022. In partnership with JOLO Winery and Vineyards, GO’s official winery since 2021, Opera in the Vines, an elegant evening of their wine, a delicious dinner and opera excerpts was enjoyed in December 2021, April 2022, December 2022 and May 2023. During the Covid shutdown, GO proudly live-streamed a virtual concert in July 2020 starring soprano Rhiannon Giddens in Ireland, mezzo and UNCG alumna Cherise McLeod Lewis in Washington State, Thomas Cannon (our Porgy in Porgy and Bess) and Robert Anthony Mack (our Sportin’ Life in Porgy and Bess) in Greensboro. “Opera at the Carolina” streamed Box & Cox and Alison’s Voice (Barbara Ann Peters Write Your Own Opera! Contest 2020 winner Kayden Tubb’s story) in spring 2021. For more information about “Opera at the Carolina”, please visit Opera at the Carolina.
In July 2021, sponsored by GO, UNCG Alumni Sydney Outlaw, baritone, gave a free recital at First Baptist Church. In partnership with the Charlotte Hawkins Brown Museum in celebration of Black Heritage Day on June 10, 2023, GO presented an outdoor concert in honor of Carol Brice, Metropolitan Opera mezzo soprano and alumna of the Palmer Institute featuring Metropolitan Opera mezzo soprano Chrystal E. Williams. GO Youth Camp (GOYO), a two-week immersion in all things opera under the direction of Metropolitan Opera mezzo soprano Elvira Green and in partnership with Mt. Zion Baptist Church, presented its concluding performance of lively operatic excerpts from Verdi’s Falstaff and Britten’s Midsummer Night’s Dream before an enthusiastic invited audience in June 2023.

2022- Present

Sold out performances of Gershwin’s Porgy and Bess starring the incomparable Rhiannon Giddens, soprano, graced The Tanger Center in January 2022 followed by audience-favorite La Bohème in November 2022 in a fresh, spontaneous staging and featuring UNCG alumni Sidney Outlaw as Schaunard, UNCG alumna Diana Thompson-Brewer as Musetta and soprano Suzanne Kantorski as Mimí in her 2nd appearance (our Nedda in Pagliacci) with GO. Our “Opera in Action” June 2023 production of dwb (Driving While Black) by composer Susan Kander and librettist and soprano Roberta Gumbel, scored for cello and percussion, was performed in partnership with Mt. Zion Baptist Church, Paul Robeson Theater at NC A&T, Virginia Sutton Theater at Well-Spring, Tew Recital Hall at UNCG and Guilford Park Presbyterian Church. An enlightening and community-building panel discussion and Q&A session led by Yvette Richards followed each absorbing and provocative performance. In September 2023, as part of “An O. Henry Celebration: Stories and Songs”, David Conte’s opera The Gift of the Magi was presented at Well-Spring. Amahl and the Night Visitors returns in December for performances at UNCG Auditorium and at High Point University, supported by the Randall Thomas Johnson guest Artist Program endowment.

Past Presidents

Porter Aichele 2020, 2022
Summertime and the Livin’ is Easy (Live streamed)
EMF: Summertime and the Livin’ is Easier
Porgy and Bess (January 2022)

Janet Hendley 2017, 2018, 2019
EMF: A Shave and a Haircut
The Barber of Seville
EMF: What I did For Love
Madama Butterfly
Hansel and Gretel
EMF: Send in the Clowns
Pagliacci
Amahl and the Night Visitors
Anna Clare Allen 2015, 2016
EMF: Phantoms of the Opera
Cinderella
EMF: Gypsies, Tramps and Thieves
Carmen (January 2017)
Woodson E. Faulkner, II 2014
EMF: Sing to Love
GO to the Movies GALA
Daughter of the Regiment (January 2015)
Anna Clare Allen 2013
EMF: From Verdi to Broadway
Wine, Women and Song GALA
Bert Davis, Jr. 2011, 2012
EMF: Celebrating Anniversaries
Got Opera? GALA
EMF: Popular Operatic Arias
Philip Long 2009, 2010
The Telephone
Trouble in Tahiti
EMF: A Date with Oscar and Tony
La Traviata
EMF: Love, Life, Laughter
The Magic Flute
Barbara Ann Peters 2008
EMF: Night and Day: An Evening of ‘Delovely’
L’elisir d’amore
Frederick J. Smith 2007
Face on the Barroom Floor
Rigoletto
G.W. (Trey) Aycock, III 2005, 2006
The Marriage of Figaro
Madama Butterfly
Richard Hicks, Jr. 2004
An Evening of Metropolitan Opera Stars
Jerry Ruskin 2003
Lucia di Lammermoor
Harvey Dondero 2002
La Boheme

Jerry Ruskin 2000, 2001
Un Ballo in Maschera
The Barber of Seville
Otello
Die Fledermaus
Terry Geremski 1999
Tosca
Don Pasquale
George House 1998
Carmen
Judy Jolly 1997
Madama Butterfly
Jackie Farlow & Helen Irvin 1996
Falstaff
Julie Olin 1995
La Traviata
Lynn Karmel 1994
The Magic Flute
Bobbie Mann 1993
Aida
Ann Snyder 1992
Tales of Hoffmann
White Agony
Pam Sprinkle 1992
Il Trovatore
Anne Bodner 1990
Faust
Thomas Allen Recital
Lynn Karmel 1989
La Boheme
Sallie Nolan 1988
Don Giovanni
Kathleen Battle Recital
David Bray 1987
Carmen
Carol Cone 1986
Madama Butterfly
Kay Bryan Edwards 1985
The Barber of Seville
Laura Deane Gresham 1983, 1984
Rigoletto
Tosca
Kelly Maness 1982
Lucia di Lammermoor
Jane Armfield 1981
La Traviata

Jane Harris Armfield Award Recipients

This award was established in 1996 to recognize individuals who have made a significant contribution to the Greensboro Opera. The award is named in honor of the first president of Greensboro Opera, Jane Armfield.

2023 Andrea Allen

2022 Charlene Marchant

2021 Porter Aichele

2020 Elvira Green

2019 Keith Cushman

2018 Mary Miller

2017 Michiko Stavert

2016 Lollie Lake White

2015 Judy Wright Jolly

2014 Marnie Ruskin

2012 Bert Davis, Jr.

2012 Janet Hendley

2011 David Holley

2010 Anna Clare Allen

2009 Mike Bianco

2009 J. Glen Grayson

2009 Claire Kelleher

2008 David and Nancy Bray

2007 Emma and Clay Poindexter

2006 Jane Curtis

2005 Jacquelyn Farlow

2004 Jerome Ruskin, MD

2003 Jeanne Hassell

2002 Sallie Nolan

2001 Peggy Johnson

2000 Kelly Maness

2000 Lynn Karmel

1999 Alice Pearce

1998 Laura Deane Gresham

1997 Jane Armfield