Program areas at Palm Beach Opera
Pbo's core programs are fully staged world-class Opera productions featuring a professional orchestra, internationally acclaimed soloists, conductors, directors, and scenic designers, as well as local chorus and stage crew. Pbo attracts a diverse audience of over 25,000 Opera lovers and makes a significant contribution to the economic health and social vitality of Palm Beach county. In the company's celebrated 60th anniversary season, while still recovering from the pandemic, the Opera produced three main stage operas: carmen, the elixir of love, and the merry widow, and one semi-staged Opera: dido and aeneas. The annual fundraising gala featured the internationally renowned soprano and Palm Beach Opera alumnus, nadine sierra. Past galas have showcased singers such as diana damrau, michael fabiano, matthew polenzani, and renee fleming.
Pbo's education and community engagement programs are delivered to a broad segment of the community through free or low-cost presentations and activities designed to broaden awareness and enthusiasm for the art to people of all ages. Programs like concerts in the classroom, pbo studio, storytime series, Opera rehearsal 101, Opera discovery series, anima, and lunch & learn, provide a deeper appreciation of the Opera art form to over 13,000 individuals annually. Pbo serves over 7,000 local young people through our education programs, providing supplementary educational materials for educators that fit state academic standards.
Pbo offers two artist training programs for emerging post-graduate singers selected from national auditions. The benenson young artists cover lead roles and sing smaller roles for the mainstage productions, sing lead roles in our Opera discovery series, and sing in orchestral concerts. The bailey apprentice artists perform in the company's education and community engagement programs (see below), and sing in the chorus throughout the season to gain stage experience. All receive vocal, musical and dramatic training in masterclasses and coaching. Pbo currently provides training for 18 singers during their 5 month residency.