OPERA America Announces National Opera Week 2012 with Aretha Franklin, Honorary Chairwoman

Nearly 100 opera companies, schools and organizations across the nation will celebrate the fourth NATIONAL OPERA WEEK from Sunday, October 26 through Sunday, November 4, 2012 by offering free, accessible events to their communities. National Opera Week is coordinated by OPERA America, the national service organization for opera, with support of the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA).

OPERA America and participating organizations are thrilled to announce legendary artist and opera lover Aretha Franklin as the program’s Honorary Chairwoman. “I may be known as the Queen of Soul, but I love opera, which is why I’m delighted to be the Honorary Chairwoman of National Opera Week,” declared Franklin. “It would be wonderful to see more people involved in classical music. It truly is enriching.” A brief welcome statement from Ms. Franklin is available at http://bit.ly/OperaWeekVideo.

National Opera Week celebrates the vibrancy of opera in America today and brings the inventiveness and excitement of opera to a national audience. The strength and diversity of established opera companies, community opera ensembles and opera training programs across the United States will be on display through free, dynamic activities designed to engage novices, opera lovers and everyone in between. National Opera Week activities include flash opera events, open houses, online activities, lecture/demonstrations and community performances.

“From behind-the-scenes tours to enlightening performance talks to Twitter contests and more, there is something for everyone during National Opera Week,” states Marc A. Scorca, president/CEO of OPERA America. “National Opera Week draws attention to the creativity and dynamism that propels our field today. We are proud to highlight this depth of opera activity across the United States.”

In addition to coordinating the nationwide program, OPERA America is presenting two National Opera Week events at the newly opened National Opera Center in New York City:

Salon Series: OPERA America Songbook Recital
Tuesday, October 30 at 7:00 p.m.
To celebrate the opening of the National Opera Center, OPERA America commissioned new songs from 47 leading composers, creating the OPERA America Songbook. This event features world premiere performances of selections from this special work.

The Fandom of the Opera
Thursday, November 1 at 6:30 p.m.
Opera and technology expert Mark Schubin presents a highly entertaining lecture describing how the centuries-old art form of opera has contributed to innovations in modern media and techn