Opera Company of Philadelphia Celebrates Opening of National Opera Week Today, 10/26

The Opera Company of Philadelphia joins opera organizations nationwide to celebrate National Opera Week (today, October 26 – November 4), coordinated by OPERA America, the national service organization for opera, with support of the National Endowment for the Arts.

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 shared through fun, free activities designed to engage novices, opera lovers, and everyone in between.

Proving that opera has plenty of soul, legendary artist Aretha Franklin will serve as the first Honorary Chairman of National Opera Week 2012. As a celebrated artist of immense talent and deep resonance, a nurturer of young opera singers through her opera contest and as an opera enthusiast, Ms. Franklin is a wonderful advocate for the importance and vitality of opera to a national audience.

The Opera Company of Philadelphia is proud to participate in this fourth annual celebration through a series of public performances and educational programs which are aimed at expanding the reach of the classical arts beyond the concert halls and into the community.

Friday, October 26, 6:30–7:30 p.m.
NATIONAL OPERA WEEK RECITAL at The Barnes Foundation
Continuing its partnership with The Barnes Foundation – and just on the heels of OCP's new production of Puccini's La bohème which highlights art from Dr. Barnes' renowned collection – the Opera Company of Philadelphia will kick off National Opera Week with a handcrafted musical program at The Barnes. Soprano Michelle Johnson and baritone Troy Cook, who starred together in the recent production of Puccini's Manon Lescaut, are joined by pianist Laura Ward in a recital of operatic favorites, classical song, and treasured American standards. In honor of National Opera Week, a pair of tickets to an upcoming OCP production will be raffled off at the event. It is not necessary to purchase a museum ticket to attend the free recital. Recital seating is first-come, first-served. If you would like to visit the museum's galleries after the recital, museum tickets may be purchased here.

Sunday, October 28, 2:30 p.m.

NATIONAL OPERA WEEK MASTER CLASS at The Curtis Institute of Music: Want to learn more about singing? Interested in insights about the creative process behind vocal technique, role interpretation and more? Join us for a free master class with star baritone Troy Cook and accompanist and coach Lisa Harer de Calvo at the Curtis Institute of Music's Field Hall. Learn more and Register.

For more information about National Opera Week events presented by the Opera Company of Philadelphia, visit http://www.operaphila.org/national-opera-week.

For more information about National Opera Week events around the country, please visit www.operaamerica.org/operaweek. Join the National Opera Week conversation on Twitter with #OperaWeek.