Fort Worth Opera
Encyclopedia
According to the company, Fort Worth Opera is the oldest, continually performing opera company in the state of Texas
and among the oldest in the United States
. While originally presenting operas one at a time over a fall/winter season, it changed to a "festival" format in 2007. It now performs 3-4 operas per year each spring in Bass Performance Hall
located in the downtown area of Fort Worth, Texas
.
, performed on November 25, 1946 in a building now known as the Cowtown Coliseum located in the Fort Worth Stockyards
. The new association went through several management changes before it hired Rudolf Kruger as the musical director in 1955. Under Kruger’s guidance, Fort Worth Opera went on to become an arts company of note, especially during the 1960s, when it helped launch the careers of Placido Domingo
and Beverly Sills
.
In 1982, the Fort Worth Opera executive board moved to reduce Kruger’s responsibilities and began searching for a new managing director. The next several years proved to be difficult for the company, both financially and administratively. It hired and terminated two managing directors that were unable to generate the ticket sales and financial stability of Kruger. In 1991, Fort Worth Opera hired William Walker
, a former singer with a distinguished career as one of Metropolitan Opera’s principal baritones and as a recurring guest on The Tonight Show
with Johnny Carson
.
Under Walker’s direction the company was able to return to financial stability and artistic success. In 1998, the executive board, unhappy with Walker’s administrative management and direction, offered him a severance package, which he initially accepted. Later at a meeting of the full board, his supporters rallied to overturn the executive committee’s decision. The company lost many important board members and donors as a result. The remaining board hired an executive director to help with administrative issues and Walker retained his position until his retirement in June 2002.
In July 2001, Fort Worth Opera hired a new general director, Darren Keith Woods
. Woods prior experience included twenty years as a successful character tenor and general director of the Seagle Music Colony in upstate New York and Shreveport Opera
. In recent years, the company has introduced more American and modern repertory to its programming, although it continues to produce mostly classical opera.
Fort Worth Opera hosts a singer’s apprentice program, The Fort Worth Opera Studio. The Studio program gives new singers training and experience, mostly through the company’s Children’s Opera Tour, a program that according to the company brings opera to approximately 100,000 school children each year across the state of Texas, including those in low-income and low-performing schools. Fort Worth Opera also offers “Student Night at the Opera” and $5 tickets to students as part of its educational outreach.
.
The scheduling of performances is similar to that of established opera festivals like the Santa Fe Opera
, where operas are performed alternately, allowing visitors to see multiple works within a few days.
According to Scott Cantrell of the Dallas Morning News, "Fort Worth Opera has become one of the country's premier opera festivals." The company booked its second main-stage world premiere, Before Night Falls
by Cuban-American composer Jorge Martín, based on the memoirs of Cuban poet and writer, Reinaldo Arenas
. Before Night Falls will be featured in the company's 2010 Festival along with Don Giovanni
and the Elixir of Love.
Texas
Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
and among the oldest in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. While originally presenting operas one at a time over a fall/winter season, it changed to a "festival" format in 2007. It now performs 3-4 operas per year each spring in Bass Performance Hall
Bass Performance Hall
The Nancy Lee and Perry R. Bass Performance Hall in Fort Worth, Texas is located in downtown Fort Worth near Sundance Square, occupies a whole city block, and was opened in 1998. It was built entirely with private funds and seats 2,056 people in a city with an estimated 2009 population of 720,250...
located in the downtown area of Fort Worth, Texas
Texas
Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
.
History
The Fort Worth Civic Opera Association, now known as Fort Worth Opera, was founded by three women, Eloise MacDonald Snyder and Betty Spain, both former opera singers, and pianist and composer Jeanne Axtell Walker. In seven months, the trio pulled together a full scale production of Verdi's La TraviataLa traviata
La traviata is an opera in three acts by Giuseppe Verdi set to an Italian libretto by Francesco Maria Piave. It is based on La dame aux Camélias , a play adapted from the novel by Alexandre Dumas, fils. The title La traviata means literally The Fallen Woman, or perhaps more figuratively, The Woman...
, performed on November 25, 1946 in a building now known as the Cowtown Coliseum located in the Fort Worth Stockyards
Fort Worth Stockyards
The Fort Worth Stockyards is a historic district that is located in Fort Worth, Texas, north of the central business district. The district was listed on the National Register of Historic Places as Fort Worth Stockyards Historic District in 1976...
. The new association went through several management changes before it hired Rudolf Kruger as the musical director in 1955. Under Kruger’s guidance, Fort Worth Opera went on to become an arts company of note, especially during the 1960s, when it helped launch the careers of Placido Domingo
Plácido Domingo
Plácido Domingo KBE , born José Plácido Domingo Embil, is a Spanish tenor and conductor known for his versatile and strong voice, possessing a ringing and dramatic tone throughout its range...
and Beverly Sills
Beverly Sills
Beverly Sills was an American operatic soprano whose peak career was between the 1950s and 1970s. In her prime she was the only real rival to Joan Sutherland as the leading bel canto stylist...
.
In 1982, the Fort Worth Opera executive board moved to reduce Kruger’s responsibilities and began searching for a new managing director. The next several years proved to be difficult for the company, both financially and administratively. It hired and terminated two managing directors that were unable to generate the ticket sales and financial stability of Kruger. In 1991, Fort Worth Opera hired William Walker
William Walker (baritone)
William Sterling Walker was a baritone with the Metropolitan Opera whose singing career included performances at the White House, at Carnegie Hall and other concert venues across North America and Europe, and some 60 appearances on The Tonight Show with Johnny Carson...
, a former singer with a distinguished career as one of Metropolitan Opera’s principal baritones and as a recurring guest on The Tonight Show
The Tonight Show
The Tonight Show is an American late-night talk show that has aired on NBC since 1954. It is the longest currently running regularly scheduled entertainment program in the United States, and the third longest-running show on NBC, after Meet the Press and Today.The Tonight Show has been hosted by...
with Johnny Carson
Johnny Carson
John William "Johnny" Carson was an American television host and comedian, known as host of The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson for 30 years . Carson received six Emmy Awards including the Governor Award and a 1985 Peabody Award; he was inducted into the Television Academy Hall of Fame in 1987...
.
Under Walker’s direction the company was able to return to financial stability and artistic success. In 1998, the executive board, unhappy with Walker’s administrative management and direction, offered him a severance package, which he initially accepted. Later at a meeting of the full board, his supporters rallied to overturn the executive committee’s decision. The company lost many important board members and donors as a result. The remaining board hired an executive director to help with administrative issues and Walker retained his position until his retirement in June 2002.
In July 2001, Fort Worth Opera hired a new general director, Darren Keith Woods
Darren Keith Woods
Darren Keith Woods is an American opera director and operatic tenor. A graduate of the Moores School of Music at the University of Houston, he began his career as an opera singer in 1982, making his professional debut at the Santa Fe Opera as Don Curzio in Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart's Le nozze di...
. Woods prior experience included twenty years as a successful character tenor and general director of the Seagle Music Colony in upstate New York and Shreveport Opera
Shreveport Opera
-External links:*...
. In recent years, the company has introduced more American and modern repertory to its programming, although it continues to produce mostly classical opera.
Fort Worth Opera hosts a singer’s apprentice program, The Fort Worth Opera Studio. The Studio program gives new singers training and experience, mostly through the company’s Children’s Opera Tour, a program that according to the company brings opera to approximately 100,000 school children each year across the state of Texas, including those in low-income and low-performing schools. Fort Worth Opera also offers “Student Night at the Opera” and $5 tickets to students as part of its educational outreach.
Change to festival format
After 60 years of producing opera in the stagione style – one opera at a time over the fall and winter – Fort Worth Opera announced unprecedented change in February 2006: it would condense its entire schedule to an annual spring festival, with all of its operas and concerts being presented over a four week period. The inaugural Fort Worth Opera Festival opened in May 2007 and featured the company's first main-stage world premiere, Frau Margot, by composer Thomas PasatieriThomas Pasatieri
Thomas Pasatieri is an American opera composer.He began composing at age 10 and, as a teenager, studied with Nadia Boulanger...
.
The scheduling of performances is similar to that of established opera festivals like the Santa Fe Opera
Santa Fe Opera
The Santa Fe Opera is an American opera company, located north of Santa Fe in the U.S. state of New Mexico, headquartered on a former guest ranch of .-General history:...
, where operas are performed alternately, allowing visitors to see multiple works within a few days.
According to Scott Cantrell of the Dallas Morning News, "Fort Worth Opera has become one of the country's premier opera festivals." The company booked its second main-stage world premiere, Before Night Falls
Before Night Falls
Before Night Falls is the 1992 autobiography of Cuban writer Reinaldo Arenas, describing his life in Cuba, his time in prison, and his ultimate escape to the United States. It was on The New York Times list of the ten best books of the year 1993...
by Cuban-American composer Jorge Martín, based on the memoirs of Cuban poet and writer, Reinaldo Arenas
Reinaldo Arenas
Reinaldo Arenas was a Cuban poet, novelist, and playwright who despite his early sympathy for the 1959 revolution, grew critical of and then rebelled against the Cuban government.- Life :...
. Before Night Falls will be featured in the company's 2010 Festival along with Don Giovanni
Don Giovanni
Don Giovanni is an opera in two acts with music by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart and with an Italian libretto by Lorenzo Da Ponte. It was premiered by the Prague Italian opera at the Teatro di Praga on October 29, 1787...
and the Elixir of Love.