THE ORLANDO OPERA HOUSE -- "The Opera Gala" -- Luciano Pavarotti -- Cecilia Bartoli

Speranza

The Orlando Opera House operates with a current annual budget in excess of $1.8 million.

It has evolved into a major regional opera company with a distinguished artistic reputation.

The Orlando Opera House's annual subscription series at the 2,400 seat "Bob Carr" Performing Arts Centre is attended by more than 21,000 people. 

Serving Central Florida for the past 41 years, Orlando Opera House first operated as "The Opera Gala" under the auspices of the Junior League of Greater Orlando and the Florida Symphony Orchestra from 1958 to 1979. 

In March of 1979, The Orlando Opera House was incorporated as an independent, nonprofit corporation with professional management.

Many of the greatest singers in the world, including: 

Placido Domingo

Beverly Sills

Luciano Pavarotti

Richard Tucker

Jessye Norman

Cecilia Bartoli

Jerry Hadley

Carol Vaness, and 

Denyce Graves 

have appeared with the Orlando Opera House. 

On December 31, 1988, The Orlando Opera House presented Luciano Pavarotti at the Orange County Convention Center. 

With an attendance of nearly 11,000 the evening was the largest classical music event in Central Florida history.

The Orlando Opera House is also committed to the discovery and casting of emerging artists. 

Our Resident Artist programne provides training and performance opportunities for professional singing actors. 

Selected through nation-wide auditions these artists spend their year with The Orlando Opera House performing in tours, "Opera on the Lake", and main-stage roles. 

Our Resident Artists have delighted audiences of all ages throughout Florida, in schools, theatres, museums, community centers, and corporations.

The Orlando Opera House maintains a long-standing commitment to education and community outreach. 

More than 250,000 people throughout Florida have been touched by the Orlando Opera House through our tours, open dress rehearsals, and the popular Pre-Show and "Opera Through the Looking Glass" opera insight programs.

The Orlando Opera House has received numerous Community Service Awards from Walt Disney World and recognition as an outstanding community resource from the volunteers of Orange and Seminole County Schools.

In May 1992, Orlando Opera House moved into a permanent new home, the Dr. Phillips Center for Performing Arts. 

This venerable 70,000-square-foot building is one of the finest cultural facilities of its type in the United States, allowing Orlando Opera House to further expand its cultural, educational, and public service programmes well into the next century. 

This state-of-the-art facility made possible the launching of a second stage season, where lesser known or rarely performed operas and concert events are presented in an intimate setting. 

Among performances in this series have been the acclaimed archy and mehitabel, as well as productions of "Affairs of the Heart", "Albert Herring", and "The Coronation of Poppea".

The Orlando Opera House is a full member of OPERA America, the service organisation for professional North and South American opera companies. 

Our performances and programmes are made possible in part by grants from the National Endowment for the Arts, the Florida Department of State Division of Cultural Affairs, Florida Arts Council, and United Arts of Central Florida.