Portland Opera is a nonprofit organization based in Portland, Oregon. It is the largest professional opera company in the Pacific Northwest and has been a part of the city’s culture for over 50 years. Portland Opera is dedicated to presenting high-quality opera to the citizens of Portland and the surrounding area. Portland Opera and its artists strive to create a unique and diverse experience that is both entertaining and thought-provoking.
Portland Opera was founded in 1964 by Dr. Robert G. Gray, Jr. and his wife, Mary. They had a vision to bring opera to the city of Portland and to make it accessible to everyone. The first performance was an abridged version of Verdi’s La Traviata, presented at the Portland Civic Auditorium. Since then, the company has grown and become an important part of the city’s culture.
Portland Opera has presented a wide variety of productions over the years, ranging from traditional operas to modern works. It has also been a leader in creating new works, commissioning several world premieres. One of the most successful of these was Kevin Puts’s Silent Night, which won the Pulitzer Prize for Music in 2012. Other works by contemporary composers include Gregory Spears’s Fellow Travelers and Jake Heggie’s Moby-Dick.
In addition to its mainstage productions, Portland Opera also offers a variety of educational and outreach programs. These include the Portland Opera to Go! program, which brings operas to schools and community organizations, and Opera in the Park, which brings free outdoor performances to the city each summer. The company also offers free tickets to students and military personnel through its Student and Military Outreach program.
Portland Opera has a long history of partnering with other organizations in the city. It has collaborated with Portland Center Stage, the Oregon Symphony, and the Portland Youth Philharmonic, among others. The company has also been a leader in exploring diversity and inclusion in the arts. In 2019, it presented the world premiere of Gershwin’s Blue Monday, a musical about race and identity in the early 20th century.
Portland Opera has earned a reputation for excellence in the world of opera, and is a source of pride for the city of Portland. With its commitment to presenting high-quality opera and its dedication to education and outreach, Portland Opera is an important part of the city’s culture and a cornerstone of the local arts community.