Founded in 1975, Indianapolis Opera is the state’s only opera company. The three-opera season leans heavily toward the standard repertoire, though productions such as Michael Ching’s Buoso’s Ghost, Douglas Moore’s The Ballad of Baby Doe, and Robert Ward’s The Crucibleindicate a willingness to offer less familiar fare.

The company’s marketing department has received national recognition for its successful ticket-selling campaigns. One year’s theme was “It’s all over for the fat lady,” and headlines ripped from the “Indianapolis Opera Inquirer” such as “Husband Says: Opera Saved Our Marriage” and “Jeanne Nixon (sic) Predicts Tragedy, Suffering For All Who Fail to Get Season Tickets” spotlighted another season.

Indianapolis Opera has a particularly strong educational program. It was the first company to institute the national curriculum program Music! Words! Opera! at the high school level. Its Indianapolis Opera Ensemble—four young singers and a coach/accompanist—offer extensive touring performances for both adults and youngsters. Kids enjoy such “classics” as Goldilocks and the Three Bears in Outer Space, Little Red Walking Hood, andFumbelina, in which the title character endures an unbroken series of mishaps until …. School groups can purchase low-cost tickets for dress rehearsals.

Social opportunities include Opera Lite, where singles mingle as they learn about upcoming productions, and the annual Masked Ball.

Indianapolis Opera Information