2008 Grant Awards: Access to Artistic Excellence

[ March 12, 2007 deadline ]

Dance | Design | Folk & Traditional Arts | Literature | Local Arts Agencies
Media Arts | Museum | Music | Musical Theater | Opera | Presenting
Theater | Visual Arts

Some details of the projects listed below are subject to change, contingent upon prior Endowment approval.

Opera

Amarillo Opera, Inc.
Amarillo, TX
$7,500
To support a production of Carlisle Floyd's Cold Sassy Tree. The work will be conducted by James Lowe who worked with the composer on the original production.

American Opera Projects, Inc.
Brooklyn, NY
$15,000
To support the commissioning and second-stage development of Sharon's Grave by composer Richard Wargo. Based on the play by Irish playwright John B. Keane, the adaptation into an opera was advanced by the composer who worked closely with the author prior to Mr. Keane's death.

Atlanta Opera
Atlanta, GA
$10,000
To support performance excerpts of Cold Sassy Tree by Carlisle Floyd in a student matinee program and educational tour. The company will develop a program tailored for ninth-grade students of area public schools and an educational touring production that will travel across Georgia reaching student and adult audiences.

Berkeley Opera
Berkeley, CA
$7,500
To support a double bill of 20th-century works: Bartok's Duke Bluebeard's Castle and Ravel's L'Enfant et les Sortileges. Digitally presented animations by artists will provide a visual counterpart to the music's exploration of the inner mind.

Cedar Rapids Opera Theatre
Cedar Rapids, IA
$10,000
To support a production of Verdi's Aida. An admission-free performance will be presented for youth and adult participants of three nonprofit organizations that support underserved communities; Big Brothers Big Sisters, Osada, and the McAuley Center for Women.

Central City Opera House Association
Denver, CO
$17,500
To support a new production of Britten's The Rape of Lucretia. The opera will take place during the National Performing Arts Convention, a convening of the national service organizations and their memberships of arts professional from across the performing arts, including opera, music, dance, and theater.

Chicago Opera Theater
Chicago, IL
$12,500
To support the American stage premiere of A Flowering Tree by composer John Adams, with libretto by Peter Sellars and the composer. Outreach activities will celebrate South Indian culture through lectures, panel discussions, performances, poetry readings, and cultural demonstrations.

Children's Chorus of Washington
Washington, DC
$10,000
To support a new production of The Nightingale by Imant Raminsh. The one-act opera is written specifically for children's chorus to introduce and engage them in the art form.

Cincinnati Opera Association
Cincinnati, OH
$25,000
To support a production of Daniel Catan's opera Florencia in the Amazons, with accompanying outreach activities. The project will include free preview talks and lectures.

Dallas Opera
Dallas, TX
$25,000
To support a new production of Donizetti's Roberto Devereux with accompanying outreach activities. The project is the company's second production of a trilogy comprising Donizetti operas set in Elizabethan England.

Des Moines Metro Opera, Inc.
Indianola, IA
$10,000
To support artists fees for performers engaged for the Opera Iowa Touring Educational Troupe. The 13-week program will reach students in underserved rural Midwestern schools.

Florida Grand Opera, Inc.
Miami, FL
$25,000
To support performances of Handel's Guilio Cesare in Egitto (Julius Caesar in Egypt). Outreach events will include lectures, artist recitals, a film retrospective, in-school programs, and a family day of children's events.

Fort Worth Opera Association, Inc.
Fort Worth, TX
$20,000
To support a new production of Angels in America by Hungarian composer Peter Etvs and librettist Mari Mezei. Designed as a highly cinematic production, the opera will make use of video projections to fit the contemporary nature of the music and Tony Kushner's original play.

Glimmerglass Opera, Inc.
Cooperstown, NY
$25,000
To support a production of Das Liebesverbot by Richard Wagner. Educational activities related to the production will include pre-season lectures, pre-performance talks, an on-site exhibition, and numerous solo recitals throughout the summer by singers from the company's Young American Artists program.

Gotham Chamber Opera, Inc.
New York, NY
$7,500
To support Ariadne Unhinged, a fully-staged evening based on excerpts from operas by Monteverdi, Haydn, and Schoenberg. Conceived by Artistic Director Neal Goren, the production reflects the company's ongoing series of operas based on the myth of Ariadne.

Hawaii Opera Theatre
Honolulu, HI
$20,000
To support a new production of Verdi's Don Carlo that has never been performed on the island. It prepresents the company's plans to produce more challenging, large-scale repertoire.

Houston Grand Opera Association, Inc.
Houston, TX
$40,000
To support the commissioning and development of Brief Encounter by composer Andre Previn and librettist John Caird. Education components will include a program with the Museum of Fine Arts Houston, featuring film excerpts from the 1945 movie Brief Encounter contrasted with those from the new opera.

Inspiration Point Fine Arts Colony
Eureka Springs, AR
$7,500
To support a production of Gilbert and Sullivan's The Mikado. The performances will be accompanied by education and outreach activities to engage the community.

Intermountain Opera Association of Bozeman
Bozeman, MT
$10,000
To support performances of Bizet's Carmen and related educational activities. Three performances will take place at Willson Auditorium utilizing a core group of professional singers, augmented by local instrumentalists and singers.

Knoxville Opera Company
Knoxville, TN
$12,500
To support performances of Verdi's La Forza del Destino (The Force of Destiny) and educational and outreach activities.

Lake George Opera Festival Association, Inc.
Saratoga Springs, NY
$10,000
To support performances of Buoso's Ghost by composer and librettist Michael Ching. The work is a sequel to Puccini's Gianni Schicchi, and the two productions will be produced as a double-bill at the Spa Little Theater in Saratoga Springs.

Los Angeles Opera Company
Los Angeles, CA
$65,000
To support the premiere of The Fly, an opera by composer Howard Shore and librettist David Henry Hwang. The work fulfills the company's core mission: to create new productions by integrating the traditional operatic art form with the creativity of Hollywood directors, writers, production designers, and musical artists.

Lyric Opera of Chicago
Chicago, IL
$100,000
To support a production of Porgy and Bess by composer George Gershwin, with libretto by DuBose Heyward and Ira Gershwin. Opera preview discussions and community lectures will be held in Chicago's public libraries and other venues.

Lyric Opera of Kansas City, Inc.
Kansas City, MO
$20,000
To support the premiere of John Brown by composer and librettist Kirke Mechem. The work has been commissioned as the centerpiece of the company's 50th-anniversary season.

Madison Opera, Inc.
Madison, WI
$10,000
To support a production of The Tender Land by Aaron Copland. The production will launch a new initiative by the company to present chamber opera as an expansion of the mainstage performance series.

Merola Opera Program
San Francisco, CA
$15,000
To support a professional training program for singers, apprentice coaches, and an apprentice stage director. Participants will receive private coaching and attend master classes that serve as forums for intergenerational exchange between opera's veterans and emerging newcomers.

Metropolitan Opera Association, Inc.
New York, NY
$100,000
To support a new production of Satyagraha by composer Philip Glass. The opera will be conducted by Dante Anzolini, directed by Phelim McDermott, and designed by Julian Crouch, and is a co-production with the English National Opera.

Michigan Opera Theatre
Detroit, MI
$35,000
To support a revival of Margaret Garner by composer Richard Danielpour and librettist Toni Morrison. The three-act opera is based on the true story of a slave woman's quest for freedom.

Minnesota Opera Company
Minneapolis, MN
$25,000
To support the American premiere of The Fortunes of King Croesus by Reinhard Keiser. The Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra, conducted by baroque music specialist Harry Bicket, will partner with the company on the production.

Nevada Opera Association
Reno, NV
$10,000
To support a new production of the critical edition of Emmerich Kalman's Die Zirkusprinzessin (The Circus Princess). Outreach activities will include previews with the artists, free discussions with the artists at libraries, and background kits for schools.

New York City Opera, Inc.
New York, NY
$40,000
To support a new production of King Arthur by Henry Purcell. Education and outreach activities will include lectures, family workshops, new production talks, panel discussions with the creative team, and in-school workshops for high school students.

Opera America, Inc.
New York, NY
$100,000
To support services for member artists and companies in realizing artistic excellence and service to their local communities. Through publications, seminars, resources, and consultant and information services offered both off-and online, the organization provides essential support to its membership.

Opera Company of Philadelphia
Philadelphia, PA
$25,000
To support the East Coast premiere of Cyrano by composer David DiChiera and French librettist Bernard Uzan. The project is a collaboration among the Opera Company of Philadelphia, Michigan Opera Theatre, and Florida Grand Opera.

Opera for the Young, Inc.
Madison, WI
$7,500
To support a multi-state tour of a new production of Donizetti's L'Elisir d'Amore (The Elixir of Love). The 45-minute opera was adapted for children by music director Jeffrey Sykes and artistic director Diane Garton Edie as the librettist.

Opera Memphis, Inc.
Memphis, TN
$10,000
To support a production of Verdi's Macbeth. The company will continue efforts to include a more culturally diverse community through its casting, outreach programs, and partnerships.

Opera North
Glenside, PA
$12,000
To support the production of Blake by H. Leslie Adams and the premiere of Egypt's Nights by composer Leslie Savoy Burrs and librettist Barbara Chase-Riboud. Symposia and pre-performance lectures will be presented at Gwynedd-Mercy College and the Trinity Center for Urban Life for inner-city and rural audiences.

Opera North
Lebanon, NH
$10,000
To support the Young Artist Program for singers. The professional development project will provide opportunities for singers to perform in supporting operatic roles, primary roles in family matinee productions, and community outreach activities.

Opera Omaha, Inc.
Omaha, NE
$12,500
To support a new production of Verdi's Aida. As part of the company's 50th anniversary season, the production will be designed by local sculptor and installation artist Catherine Ferguson.

Opera Pacific
Santa Ana, CA
$10,000
To support performances of Carlisle Floyd's Susannah at the Orange Country Performing Arts Center. Educational components include activities at schools, libraries, and civic centers, as well as a lecture series by the composer.

Opera San Jose, Inc.
San Jose, CA
$10,000
To support performances of a new production of Mozart's Die Zauberflote (The Magic Flute). A student matinee and a family evening at the opera will be offered admission-free, and preview lectures at the San Jose Museum of Art and the Fairmont San Jose Hotel will feature musical excerpts from the work.

Opera Theatre of Saint Louis
St. Louis, MO
$60,000
To support a new production of Troilus and Cressida by composer William Walton and librettist Christopher Hassel. With this opera, the company continues to realize its commitment to produce 20th century works.

Patrick G. and Shirley W. Ryan Opera Center (aka Lyric Opera Center for American Artists)
Chicago, IL
$20,000
To support faculty costs for a comprehensive singer training and professional development program for the Lyric Opera Center for American Artists. Faculty will provide a multidisciplinary program of study to prepare young artists for operatic careers.

Pensacola Opera, Inc.
Pensacola, FL
$18,000
To support the commissioning and premiere of The Widow's Lantern by composer and librettist David Ott and based on Florida history. Collaborations with West Florida History Preservation, the University of West Florida, and Okaloosa-Walton College will provide performance venues and production support.

Pittsburgh Opera Theater, Inc.
Pittsburgh, PA
$10,000
To support a production of Lost in the Stars by Kurt Weill. Co-produced with the Virginia Arts Festival, the project will draw upon both organizations' shared expertise and technology.

Pittsburgh Opera, Inc.
Pittsburgh, PA
$25,000
To support a production of I Capuleti e i Montecchi by Vincenzo Bellini. The company will develop community outreach programs and written support materials.

Pittsburgh Opera, Inc. (Consortium)
Pittsburgh, PA
$25,000
To support the creation of a new production of Saint-Saens' Samson and Delilah. Co-produced with Minnesota Opera, the project will draw upon the shared expertise of both companies and will provide a creative opportunity that will strengthen both organizations.

Portland Opera Association Inc.
Portland, OR
$10,000
To support the Portland Opera Studio Artists (POSA) and the POSA Chamber Opera. The training program provides education and performance opportunities for young artists while the chamber ensemble presents more intimate chamber operas.

San Diego Opera Association
San Diego, CA
$25,000
To support a new production of Tannhauser by Richard Wagner. Activities designed around the production will include a student dress rehearsal for youth from San Diego County and Tijuana, Mexico; pre-performance lectures; and an Artists' Roundtable, where the public will have an opportunity to meet the singers, conductor, and director.

San Francisco Opera Association
San Francisco, CA
$100,000
To support the world premiere of The Bonesetter's Daughter by composer Stewart Wallace and librettist Amy Tan. Education and outreach programs will include a panel discussion with members of the cast and the creative team, preview lectures at Bay Area locations, pre-performance lectures, and a dress rehearsal for Bay Area middle and high school students.

Santa Fe Opera
Santa Fe, NM
$70,000
To support the American premiere of Adriana Mater, by Finnish composer Kaija Saariaho and librettist Amin Maalouf and directed by Peter Sellars. Education and outreach programs will include free public lectures about the opera and a symposium involving the composer, librettist, and director.

Sarasota Opera Association, Inc.
Sarasota, FL
$15,000
To support the commissioning of a two-act, one-hour opera, written for the young voices (ages 10 to 18) of the Sarasota Youth Opera Chorus. The new opera will be composed by Ned Rorem with a libretto by J.D. McClatchy.

Seattle Opera
Seattle, WA
$45,000
To support a production of Bellini's I Puritani. Performances of the opera will be accompanied by preview talks, lectures, and radio broadcasts.

Shreveport Opera
Shreveport, LA
$10,000
To support the production and tour of Shreveport Opera Xpress. Community performances will be accompanied by educational residencies in eight cities and underserved areas in Louisiana, Mississippi, Arkansas, and East Texas.

Skylight Opera Theatre
Milwaukee, WI
$12,500
To support the commissioning and premiere of Central Park West by composer Michael Torke and librettist A.R. Gurney.

Syracuse Opera Company, Inc.
Syracuse, NY
$10,000
To support performances of Donizetti's Don Pasquale. In addition to the mainstage production included in the company's subscription season, there will be a student matinee accompanied by a study guide.

Tacoma Opera Association
Tacoma, WA
$10,000
To support performances of Rossini's Il Barbiere di Siviglia (The Barber of Seville). Educational outreach to the community includes teacher workshops and Student Night at the Opera.

Taconic Opera, Inc.
Peekskill, NY
$7,500
To support a new production of Verdi's Otello. A free performance will be offered to students in the seventh grade through college from Yonkers, Greensburgh, and Peekskill, New York.

Treble Chorus of New England, Inc.
North Andover, MA
$7,500
To support the annual Opera Workshop Program. The summer workshop provides training and educational opportunities for young singers ages nine to 18.

Tulsa Opera, Inc.
Tulsa, OK
$15,000
To support a production of Lakme by Leo Delibes. Community outreach activities will be scheduled to coincide with the presentation including previews in bookstores and churches, pre-curtain lectures, and school programs.

Union Avenue Opera Theatre
St. Louis, MO
$7,500
To support productions of Donizetti's L'Elisir d'Amore, Bizet's Carmen, Puccini's Il Tabarro, and Gilbert and Sullivan's The Sorcerer. The first two works will be fully staged and orchestrated operas, and the latter two works will be minimally staged with piano accompaniment.

Virginia Opera Association, Inc.
Norfolk, VA
$12,500
To support a new production of Tchaikovsky's Eugene Onegin to be part of Virginia Celebrates Russia, an initiative to encourage collaborative programming state-wide during an event celebrating the 200th anniversary of the establishment of U.S.-Russia relations.

Washington National Opera
Washington, DC
$50,000
To support a new production of Handel's Tamerlano. Recognized as one of the composer's masterpieces, the opera is rarely performed as a fully staged production.

National Endowment for the Arts · an independent federal agency
1100 Pennsylvania Avenue NW
Washington, DC 20506

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