Anchorage, Alaska: Anchorage Opera
Anchorage Opera announces they successfully reached their Ed & Cathy Rasmuson Soar to New Heights Goal of $482,000 for the 2014-15 Season. Thanks to the many generous supporters and loyal patrons of the arts in Anchorage who contributed to the non-profit company’s fundraising campaign, the Rasmusons personally donated an additional $100,000 to help Anchorage Opera survive and thrive in the coming season. “Ed & Cathy Rasmuson set a high bar for the people of Anchorage to step up to and affirm their conviction that our great city deserves great art, and a great opera company,” General Director, Reed Smith acknowledged. “We’re immensely grateful to Ed & Cathy. Our dedicated Board of Directors was tireless in their efforts this season. We’re humbled and extremely proud of our community for proving they believe in Anchorage Opera and believe it should survive well into the future. Each and every donation this season counted toward reaching our goal and we wish to thank each and every person who did so.”
Smith also expressed appreciation to the Penney Family for their Pennies from Heaven $60,000 Challenge to Honor Gloria Allen, which was so instrumental in AO’s fundraising efforts this season. “Patrons of the arts in our community have made a commitment to Anchorage Opera”, stated Smith, “and we’re dedicated to living up to that trust with the highest quality productions, increased community involvement and growing our educational outreach programming in 2015-16, and in many more years to come.”
Season Subscriptions are now available for Anchorage Opera’s 2015-16 “Passport to PASSION” Season with individual tickets on sale beginning in late August. Carmen by Bizet, the most popular opera of all time, kicks things off on October 23, 24 & 25, 2015 in the Discovery Theatre, Maria de Buenos Aires by Piazzolla & Ferrer, also called the “Tango Opera”, makes its Alaskan premiere in the Sydney Laurence Theatre January 21, 22, 23 & 24, 2016 and Gilbert & Sullivan’s The Mikado completes the season on a comic note, April 15, 16 & 17, 2016 in the Discovery Theatre.
A special production of Hansel & Gretel (A Native Alaskan Adaptation), in conjunction with the University of Alaska’s Opera Ensemble, is also planned for December 11, 12 & 13, 2015 in the Fine Arts Building on the UAA campus. This new production will infuse the traditions of opera with indigenous Alaskan culture and storytelling.
Anchorage Opera is one of the largest producers of the performing arts in Alaska and the first opera company in North America founded in the circumpolar North in 1962.