The Bluegrass Opera is a non-profit performing arts organization based in Lexington, Kentucky. Founded in 2008, our mission
is to use music to inspire, educate, entertain, and unite people, regardless of how different their backgrounds may be.
We believe that music is a precious gift that all humans have been given - even those who can't sing or play an instrument
have the ability to enjoy music and to be moved by its invisible energy. That energy is especially great when the work being
performed is one that no one has ever heard before. The musicians' senses are on high alert as they tune in to
each others' actions, and the audience reacts to every musical turn with excitement and anticipation.
According to Time Magazine, more than 100 new operas are written every year in the United States. But many of them
are never heard, as opera companies choose to devote their limited resources to older, better-known works in order to protect
their bottom lines. As a result, the only new works that get performed are the ones written by a small number of well-known
(or well-connected) composers. But part of the excitement in staging a new work comes from the risk involved. In a new work,
we - the performers - are largely responsible for whether or not the audience (and the world) understands and embraces
the music. If we don't take a risk, then the experience is less exciting for everyone involved (performers and audience alike).
We at the Bluegrass Opera believe that the performance of a new work should not be a privilege to be earned, or a
competition to be won, or a service to be purchased. It should be a shared priority for all those who believe that music
is a living art form and a meaningful part of our lives. Our goals are: |
