Opera New Brunswick's mission is to be a vehicle for the production and performance of live opera showcasing New Brunswick artists from home and abroad and to enrich the cultural community of New Brunswick.
Organization History
In 2010 Opera New Brunswick (ONB) celebrates its 15th Anniversary. During the past fifteen years, ONB has brought the highest quality productions and concerts to the people of New Brunswick.
Opera New Brunswick is a provincial arts organization that showcases New Brunswick talent. Created in 1995 by a core group of twelve volunteers, Opera New Brunswick developed a mandate that reflected the interests of the Province of New Brunswick and has since created a niche within the Atlantic Canada artistic community. Opera New Brunswick remains the only company bringing professional opera productions to the region east of Quebec.
Since its inception, Opera New Brunswick has performed eight operas: Le Nozze di Figaro (1996), La Bohème (1998), Carmen (2000), The Marco Polo (World Premiere, 2001), Amahl and the Night Visitors (2004), Tosca (2005), La Traviata (2007) and The Magic Flute in Concert (2008). We have also presented popular concerts of opera and operetta highlights.
In addition to our performances, Opera New Brunswick maintains a vocal scholarship fund through the New Brunswick Competitive Festival of Music. Each year, ONB sponsors a master class and a scholarship of $1,000 outstanding performance in the opera category of the Music Festival.
In 2006, Opera New Brunswick reached another critical milestone in its development with the hiring of its first full-time professional administrator. Christopher Lane, a Saint John native who had been working in the arts administration field in Ontario for seven years, was hired as the company's Executive Director. Mr. Lane is striving to increase the profile of Opera New Brunswick within the community at large.
Opera New Brunswick is the only professional opera company east of Quebec City. In February 2007, the organization was recognized as a Professional Company Member with Opera.ca, Canada's national service body for opera companies.*
*ONB is identified as a professional company due to its paid engagement of singers, retention of a full-time manager, maintaining an operating budget of at least $100,000 and receiving funding from the Canada Council for the Arts.
Organizational Reach
As Atlantic Canada's only professional opera company, our activities are regional. We perform throughout New Brunswick. We present fully-staged productions in Saint John, as the Imperial Theatre is the only facility in NB with the required infrastructure. We take concert operas and recitals on the road throughout the province. But our reach for major events extends into Nova Scotia, since there is no professionally produced live opera available in that market.
Opera New Brunswick Vision Statement
By 2011, Opera New Brunswick is nationally recognized as a thriving regional opera company. We take pride in our diverse and loyal audiences, artistic excellence, innovative educational programming and emotionally engaging performances.