Grant to opera allows for addition of film series
/ Monday, November 11, 2013
The Gulf Coast Community Foundation has awarded a $50,000 grant to the Sarasota Opera to fund film projection equipment for the opera house.
The equipment will enable the creation of an opera broadcast and film series during the off-season, expanding programming from fall and winter only to year-round. The increased technical capacity will also be available to rental partners, increasing programming possibilities.
The addition of film projection equipment at the Sarasota Opera House will allow for increased programming, including the "Opera in Cinema" series. / HT archive photo by Rob Mattson
"Sarasota Opera audiences are often asking for more programming," said Executive Director Richard Russell in a prepared statement. "With this added capability, we will be able to increase our offerings and provide access at time when we are typically dark."
The first of the program additions will be a partnership with Emerging Pictures to showcase the Opera in Cinema series, which presents exceptional European opera in HD (high definition). This summer series will initially include eight opera or other performances from April to September. The broadcasts will be incorporated into the opera's subscription series; single ticket sales will also be available.
Additional support for this project includes a grant of $60,000 from the William and Marie Selby Foundation, as well as an $18,000 "Building Opera Audience" grant from Opera America, the service organization for opera companies in the U.S. and Canada.