Impact
2023 Fall Community Report
The past year has been one of celebration, firsts, and forward momentum for Minnesota Opera. We rang in 2023 with the Ordway brimming with music and laughter, thanks to a joyous staging of The Daughter of the Regiment. We brought to life The Song Poet – Minnesota Opera’s 50th world premiere, and the first Hmong opera – in the intimacy of the newly renovated Luminary Arts Center. And we ended our Ordway season with a bold and beautiful new production of Don Giovanni led by an all-women creative team.
While the 2023-2024 season was Minnesota Opera’s 60th, it was the first for the Luminary Art Center, owned and operated by Minnesota Opera in service to our broader arts community.
As we moved into our 61st season, 2023 continued with renewed focus on the future of the company and its artmaking. Led by our north star – our vision to sing every story – the company refined its strategic direction, staged a new production of the world’s first mariachi opera, Cruzar la Cara de la Luna, and named our principal conductor.
None of this would be possible without the presence and support of our subscribers and donors. We are so grateful for you! We invite you to learn more about the impact that your continued support makes possible.
2022 Fall Community Report
Minnesota Opera’s 60th Anniversary Season is marked by the company’s 50th world premiere, a reinvention of the New Works Initiative, and the opening of a new stage. In short, Minnesota Opera is looking to the future. At the same time, we’ve honored our past by bringing back mezzo-soprano superstar Denyce Graves to direct a new production of Carmen, 30 years after she first performed the role right here at Minnesota Opera. We also debuted Edward Tulane, our latest in a long line of new works, after it was postponed by the pandemic in 2020. As we celebrate 60 years of Minnesota Opera, we continue to innovate and work in partnership with our community on our journey to sing every story. We invite you to learn more about the impact that your continued support makes possible.
2022 Spring Community Report
Throughout the pandemic, Minnesota Opera has continued in pursuit of its mission and vision to sing every story and develop deeper, more authentic connections with our community. We aim to inspire hope, empower all voices, and strengthen bonds between people of all backgrounds and identities. We are dedicated to supporting and nurturing our ever-growing, diverse community of opera artists, staff, and patrons—carefully and compassionately listening to the voices that we serve every day. MN Opera believes that pursuing anti-racist and anti-oppressive practices enhances the beauty and power of the form itself, and amplifies the tremendous artistry cultivated in our musical storytelling. As we pursue a more inclusive opera experience for everyone, we invite you to learn more about the impact in the community that your support makes possible.
2021 Impact Report: Building a Foundation for Change
Everything that Minnesota Opera achieves as a company hinges on our ability to connect with our community and bring people together. When the pandemic turned our world on its head last year, we were faced with myriad challenges we weren’t immediately sure how to overcome. Figuring out how to sustain our artists and engage with our audience without being able to meet at the Ordway seemed like an impossible feat.
But change often leads to growth. This year has given us the opportunity to hone our skills around digital media. It’s helped us think critically about how to introduce opera as an artform to people we otherwise might not reach. And it’s provided the space for us to take meaningful action in our approach to equity, diversity, and inclusion.
All of MN Opera’s major organizational efforts throughout the past year are outlined in the latest Impact Report, including the creation of the Impact Department, the organization’s transition to hosting virtual events, and much more. Thank you for your support in making it all possible.
2020 Impact Report: Addressing Community Needs
Through your steadfast support and belief in the power of music to bring us together, Minnesota Opera continues to be creatively vital. While keeping our communities safe during the COVID-19 pandemic by postponing performances at the Ordway, we’ve been able to pivot our operations and keep our eyes squarely focused on addressing community needs. In doing so, we rely on a tried-and-true tool: the restorative and transformative power of opera.
2019 Impact Report: Fostering Community through Opera
Through your generous support, Minnesota Opera continues to provide opportunities to experience high-impact artistic experiences and education initiatives that strengthen our community, giving all Minnesotans increased access to opera and empowering all voices.
COVID-19 Response:
Advancing Our Mission In New Ways
As we find new ways of advancing our mission while keeping our communities safe during the COVID-10 pandemic, we’d like to offer a few key updates:
- We’re committed to sharing opera with you all and are excited to launch At Home with MN Opera, a digital collection of videos, recordings, and music. We invite you to enjoy this online resource full of MN Opera news and updates, treasured Minnesota Opera moments from the past, and sneak previews of all that is yet to come.
- Minnesota Opera has partnered with HealthPartners in the Twin Cities to create masks for four large hospital systems, directly addressing the pressing public need to protect frontline healthcare workers. You can learn more about the new initiative in the Star Tribune or The New York Times.
- Our Education department is taking its programming online, including multiple sessions per week for our after-school music program Music Out Loud and a new podcast for Opera Connections, our opera education series for older adults.