Generously supported by the Ann and Gordon Getty Foundation and
OPERA America Board Member, C. Graham Berwind, III

OPERA America, the national advocate and service organization for opera, is pleased to announce a dues waiver for fiscal year 2022 for all current organizational members and individual artist members. This is the second consecutive year that dues have been waived to ease the financial pressure on the field created by the pandemic. The waiver will enable members to remain connected and informed throughout the coming year.

As for FY21, the Ann and Gordon Getty Foundation has allowed the reallocation of existing grant funds to provide more widespread assistance to all organizational members of OPERA America. This will allow OPERA America to waive member dues for all 170 U.S. Professional Company Members and 425 organizational members, including Associate, Business, Career Services, and Educational Producing Associate Members. The Foundation has provided generous support to the field over many years through OPERA America’s Building Opera Audiences Grants and, more recently, Innovation Grants, which have allowed opera companies to engage their artists, staffs, trustees, and community partners in bringing new ideas to the production and enjoyment of opera.

OPERA America also will waive dues for all individual artist members thanks to a generous challenge grant from Board Member, C. Graham Berwind, III, that was successfully matched in early June. The funds will cover membership fees for over 1,500 artists, including composers, librettists, conductors, directors, designers, musicians, singers, teaching artists, voice teachers, and more.

“It’s very important to us that our entire field remain united and informed during the crescendo of activity in the months ahead. We’re glad to be able to remove the barrier of dues, one more time, to keep creators and producers connected to the community and to the resources available to them through OPERA America,” remarked OPERA America President/CEO Marc A. Scorca.

All organizational members and individual artist members with membership directly through OPERA America and who are current as of June 30, 2021, will be eligible for an extended year of membership at no cost. New individual artist members who join before that date will also receive an additional year of membership free of charge.

OPERA America’s organizational and individual memberships feature a wide variety of benefits, including full access to OPERA America’s online resources; priority booking and discounts on rentals at the National Opera Center; access to leadership and artistic development programs; special rates for Opera Conference, Onstage programs, New Works Forum, and other convenings; a subscription to Opera America Magazine and other publications; and much more. To learn more about member benefits go to operaamerica.org/Membership.

“Opera artists and companies will contribute to the re-establishment of community life in the months and years ahead. Universal stories from the inherited repertoire and new stories that resonate with the world around us will help us re-engage with one another after this extended period of distancing. Collaboration across the field, facilitated by these funders’ support, will accelerate our recovery,” concluded Scorca.

OPERA America’s membership services team will communicate with eligible members about activating their complimentary memberships. Individuals and organizations interested in joining are encouraged to email Membership@operaamerica.org to learn more.

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For more information on OPERA America, visit About Us.

For press inquiries, contact Press@operaamerica.org or 212.796.8628.