Opera Roanoke

{{short description|Opera company in Roanoke, Virginia, US}} '''Opera Roanoke''' is professional opera company based in Roanoke, Virginia. The institution presents fully staged productions and a variety of smaller-scale presentations each year. The company is resident in the Shaftman Performance Hall in Roanoke's Jefferson Center.

==History== thumb|The Jefferson Center in 2023 The company was founded in 1976 as the Southwest Virginia Opera Society.<ref name=Tab>{{cite news |last=Poff |first=Mag |date=13 October 1977 |title=Picking up the tab for performing arts |work=Roanoke Times |pages=27}}</ref> Its inaugural production, Menotti's ''The Consul'', was mounted in May 1977.<ref name=Tab/> Performances of ''The Marriage of Figaro'' and ''Die Fledermaus'' constituted the 1978-1979 season.<ref name=Civic>{{cite news |last=Armistead |first=Mary Bland |date=13 September 1978 |title=Civic opera society producing 'Figaro' |work=Roanoke Times |pages=27}}</ref><ref name=River>{{cite news |last=Willis |first=Trudy |date=25 May 1979 |title=River activities added to festival |work=Roanoke Times |pages=25}}</ref> The group became a professional company in 1989, and changed its name to Opera Roanoke in 1991.<ref name=Teaser>{{cite news |last=Dickensen |first=Kathie |date=24 July 1992 |title=Opera taste-teaser |work=Roanoke Times |pages=60}}</ref><ref name=Ballet>{{cite news |last=DeBell |first=Jeff |date=17 August 1991 |title=Ballet's director leaves company |work=Roanoke Times |pages=31}}</ref> It and the Roanoke Symphony Orchestra moved their headquarters to the newly-remodeled Jefferson Center in 1992.<ref name=Move>{{cite news |last=Petty |first=Adrienne |date=26 July 1992 |title=Roanoke symphony, opera to move, may renovate hall |work=Roanoke Times |pages=16}}</ref>

In 2006, the company celebrated its 30th Season with main stage productions of ''La Boheme'' and ''Macbeth''.<ref name=Thirty>{{cite news |last=Kittredge |first=Kevin |date=6 July 2006 |title=Post School of Ballet to be sold to longtime associate director |work=Roanoke Times |pages=31}}</ref> The institution moved its headquarters in 2007, joining the Downtown Music Lab as the first tenants of the renovated Dumas Center for Artistic and Cultural Development.<ref name=Dumas>{{cite news |last=Allen |first=Mike |date=10 August 2010 |title=Dumas Center struggles to find its Roanoke role |work=Roanoke Times |pages=1}}</ref> Three years later, however, the headquarters were moved again, this time to the downtown Roanoke arts and culture hub Center in the Square.<ref name=Dumas/>

==References== {{Reflist}} ==External links== *[http://www.operaroanoke.org Official website]

Roanoke Category:Tourist attractions in Roanoke, Virginia Category:Musical groups established in 1976 Category:Performing arts in Virginia Category:1976 establishments in Virginia