Change is in the air for Tacoma Opera!

June 10, 2022

CHANGE IS IN THE AIR FOR TACOMA OPERA!

Dear Tacoma Opera patrons and friends,

On May 31st we announced Noel Koran, after a decade of service, was retiring from Tacoma Opera. Under Noel’s direction Tacoma Opera produced excellent “Up Close & Personal” productions and was a springboard for young artists. You might wonder what now? The Board of Directors has formed an Advisory Committee to assist in our search for a new General Director. We are looking for an individual who can build on our excellence, introduce new audiences to Tacoma Opera and be innovative in a post pandemic environment. We welcome your input and will keep you abreast of developments.

Let me give you a quick preview of our exciting new season. In the fall we will have a delightful opera lovers surprise, the details of which I will soon share. In the winter we will collaborate with Tacoma City Ballet to present Carmina Burana and in the spring, we are very honored to present the premier of “The Tacoma Method” an important and timely new work by local professor Greg Youtz.

The Tacoma Opera Board is committed to maintaining the quality of productions we all expect while, at the same time, navigating a changed post-pandemic environment for the arts with financial challenges we never dreamed of. And that is where you, our faithful patrons and friends come in. Your help is critical to keep Tacoma Opera thriving through this exciting period of transition. Only with your support can we create an Opera that remains up close and personal while enhancing its role in the local education and arts communities. Together, we can make Tacoma Opera stronger and more inspiring than ever before. Please give generously toward this effort.

Teresa Gutierrez
President
Tacoma Opera Board

Tacoma Opera has a very intriguing season and auditions are being conducted separately for each show. Please contact Barry Johnson at  johnsobw@plu.edu for all inquiries in regards to auditions and be sure to include your resume.

Tacoma Opera is holding auditions for a new opera by composer Gregory Youtz, titled Tacoma Method.

Tacoma Method will premiere on March 31st, April 1st and 2nd, 2023, in the Rialto Theater in Tacoma with James Brown as conductor and Barry Johnson as stage director with rehearsals beginning approximately March 4th. We are holding limited auditions on July 23rd from 12:00 to 5:00pm in Lagerquist Hall in the Pacific Lutheran University Mary Baker Russell Music Center and would like to hear all principal singers, especially Asian singers, in all voice parts. Please email Barry Johnson at johnsobw@plu.edu with your resume and headshot.

Chorus auditions for Carmina Burana will take place in the fall and dates will be posted in the near future.