The Dallas Opera Fans

Dallas Opera History
A fifty-year tradition of artistic excellence and community service has made The Dallas Opera a major contributor to the national and international reputation of Dallas and a major factor in the economic impact of the arts in North Texas. The Dallas Opera has presented many international stars in their American debuts, including Dame Joan Sutherland, Montserrat Caballé, Jon Vickers, and Plácido Domingo, and designer/director Franco Zeffirelli. A champion of new work, The Dallas Opera has also presented the American premieres of five operas and two world premiere operas.
In 1957, Dallas leadership worked diligently to found the opera company, including Mr. and Mrs. Henry S. Miller, Jr., Dallas Morning News critic John Rosenfield, and William A. McKenzie. Meanwhile, Lawrence Kelly, formerly associated with Chicago's Lyric Theater, developed an interest in establishing an opera company in Dallas and came to the city in February 1957. These individuals chartered the Dallas Civic Opera in March 1957, and Mr. Kelly's long-time associate, Maestro Nicola Rescigno, became artistic director. The Dallas Civic Opera opened with a performance by legendary Greek soprano Maria Callas.
Plato Karayanis assumed the position of General Director in 1977. During Mr. Karayanis' tenure, the Opera developed a state-of-the-art Rehearsal Production Center, funded entirely by the private sector. The 69,000-square -foot Center employs the finest soundproofing and acoustical design and consolidates under one roof all of the rehearsal and staging needs of The Dallas Opera. The facility is also made available to smaller local arts groups through a partnership with the City of Dallas.
Anthony Whitworth-Jones succeeded the retiring Plato Karayanis as General Director in June 2000. Mr. Whitworth-Jones was General Director of the prestigious Glyndebourne Productions, Ltd., from 1989 to 1998. During Mr. Whitworth-Jones' two-year tenure, The Dallas Opera's $11.8 million budget provided opera of the highest quality to tens of thousands of patrons, including more than 30,000 children.
On May 6, 2003, the Opera announced the appointment of Mr. Whitworth-Jones's successor, Karen Stone, as the fifth General Director of the company. Having collaborated with the Opera's Music Director, Mr. Graeme Jenkins, at the Cologne Opera in Germany, where Ms. Stone served as deputy director and later as director of opera from 1995-2000, Ms. Stone has first-hand knowledge of the business, rising from singer to director to administrator. She came to Dallas from Graz, Austria, where she had been the general manager of the Theaters of Graz since 2000. During her 25-year professional career, Ms. Stone has worked with many of opera's most famous singers, directors and conductors. The Dallas Opera is delighted to have her leadership as the company prepares for its move to the Margot and Bill Winspear Opera House.
The Dallas Opera's youth education programs have garnered numerous awards over the years. Pre-kindergarten through third grade students are introduced to opera through children's touring productions, fourth- through eighth-graders attend special performances of fully-staged operas, and hundreds of teachers receive training in the use of the Opera's successful integrated curriculum materials. The Dallas Opera was selected as one of four American opera companies to participate in a pilot program through Young Audiences, Inc. Supported by the U.S. Department of Education and the National Endowment of the arts, this project will give teachers access to the best practices in opera education through CD-ROM and the Internet.
The Dallas Opera is now positioning itself to move into a world-class lyric theater designed by the Pritzker Prize-winning architect Lord Foster. The Opera's new venue at the Dallas Center for the Performing Arts will be made possible by a history-making $42-million gift from Margot and Bill Winspear, for whom the opera house will be named. The Opera anticipates beginning performances in the Winspear Opera House during 2009.