Anchorage, Alaska: Anchorage Opera (AO) announces the non-profit company’s plan to designate all funding from Pick.Click.Give donations in 2016 towards Educational Outreach Programming.  General Director, Reed Smith stated, “We’re passionate about serving our community through educational initiatives, such as our newly launched AO 2 Go Program.” This season AO partnered with the UAA Music Department’s Opera Ensemble to create and produce Aklaq and Nayak (An Alaska Native Adaptation of Hansel and Gretel), which received its world premiere in December 2015. Anchorage Opera will now take that show on the road to the schoolchildren and families of Alaska, traveling to Nome and Unalakleet in February with many other communities requesting the production also come to their communities. “We were only able to produce this special show, and now tour with it, due to the support of patrons who donated, through Pick.Click.Give in 2015”, said Smith. “The resonance from our community was great; our call to action must be equally so. We’re proud to designate every dollar donated through Pick.Click.Give 2016 to our AO 2 Go Educational Outreach Program for future generations of opera fans and to benefit our entire community.” CLICK HERE for more details.

The local non-profit wishes to thank its loyal supporters who through the years have contributed thousands of dollars to their cause by generously donating a portion of their state of Alaska Permanent Fund Dividend. Anchorage Opera proudly announced that in 2015 an additional 40% was raised over 2014 Pick.Click.Give contributions and they hope to do so again this year in order to help them achieve their vision of bringing the magic of live theater and music education into communities of Alaska.

Anchorage Opera is one of the largest producer of the performing arts in Alaska and the first opera company in North America founded in the circumpolar North in 1962.  Additional information about Anchorage Opera, “Made in Alaska”, can be found at www.anchorageopera.org

For more information please contact Reed Smith at 907-279-2557 or rsmith@anchorageopera.org