FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE - May 15, 2023

 

OPERADELAWARE’S POP-UP OPERA PROGRAM IS HITTING THE ROAD WITH FIVE FREE PERFORMANCES IN DELAWARE SCHOOLS THANKS TO THE LAFFEY-MCHUGH FOUNDATION

 

WILMINGTON, Del. — OperaDelaware is America’s 11th-oldest opera company. Since its inception, the organization has grown from a collection of enthusiastic and committed avocational singers into a nationally and internationally renowned company. Today, OperaDelaware champions the legacy of “Opera for All” by taking the power and exhilaration of live opera directly to the community with the Pop-Up Opera Mobile Stage. At the start of the pandemic, when producing live opera in an enclosed theater became unfeasible, OperaDelaware began a series of parking lot performances and regularly serenaded front-line workers during shift changes. Since then, OperaDelaware has presented over 150 performances on our state-of-the-art Pop-Up Opera Mobile Stage, which has become a crucial tool in introducing new audiences to fun, approachable, and accessible opera for all. 


Thanks to generous support from the Laffey-McHugh Foundation, OperaDelaware can bring the Pop-Up Opera experience to five schools across Delaware this May. Laffey-McHugh’s commitment to access has been an inspiration. Earlier this year, OperaDelaware opened a statewide nomination process to select five schools for a fully-funded Pop-Up Opera performance. After the community nominated a staggering 40 schools, a selection committee chose Cape Henlopen High School, Towsend Elementary, Mount Pleasant Elementary, John G. Leach School, and Springer Middle School. The mobile stage will hit the road in mid-May, bringing our all-star artists to these students for an unforgettable end-of-school-year performance. 


With age and developmentally-appropriate programming for grades K-12, OperaDelaware introduces Delaware’s youth to the fun, creativity, and power of live opera singers. 


“OperaDelaware is committed to bringing the same exceptional artistry you’d experience in the opera house to all corners of Delaware. Support from the Laffey-McHugh Foundation has elevated our presence in the community and allowed us to sing for students who may not otherwise experience opera in their lifetime,” says Kerriann Otaño, OperaDelaware’s Vice President of Engagement.

In particular, performing for the students at John G. Leach School will be a tremendous honor for the artists of OperaDelaware. Leach School serves New Castle County students aged 3-21 with physical disabilities, moderate to severe cognitive disabilities, or serious health impairments. Experiencing the arts is a crucial part of our development as human beings, and partnering with Leach School is a powerful moment for the company built on accessibility.

The greatest lesson OperaDelaware has learned is the value of creating an approachable environment where those new to opera can experience it for the first time. When the Pop-Up Opera artists stand on the Mobile Stage, complete with bubble machines, tee-shirt cannon, prize wheel, and photo booth props, any notion that opera is inaccessible and elitist fades away, and students’ imaginations can run wild. 

“The Pop-Up Opera Mobile Stage means that we aren’t limited by the confines of a theater, our studios, or even our county. Because we can reach anyone anywhere, we truly live up to the name OperaDELAWARE.” -Sarah Asmar, OperaDelaware

Learn more about Pop-Up Opera and book a performance at https://www.operade.org/pop-up-opera

 
 

About OperaDelaware: OperaDelaware, now in its 78th season, is a professional non-profit opera company with a reputation for excellence in both opera and arts education. OperaDelaware opens the door to bold, vibrant and creative operatic programming that enriches the community, transforms audiences, and encourages dialogue.

MEDIA RELATIONS

Press contact: For interview requests, please email Kerriann Otaño at kotano@operade.org or call 302-442-7812.

Organizational images: Available for download here.

Advertising inquiries: For advertising and sponsorship information, please contact Jordan Barrett at jbarrett@operade.org.