A Vibrant History. A Meaningful Mission.

A Letter From the General Director & Principal Conductor

For seventy-one years, Opera Carolina has served this region with excellence in our Grand Opera performances, in our schools and throughout the community. Our commitment to enriching the lives of citizens from all walks of life is deeply rooted in the history of our company – and it’s a commitment we take seriously.

In the early decades of Opera Carolina (begun as the Charlotte Opera), volunteers designed the sets, built costumes, sang in the chorus, filled leading roles and, of course, sold tickets and held fundraisers to support the company.

Now a fully professional company with an international footprint that produces Opera performances and education programs at the highest level, we never forget the legacy of the original volunteers who made this company the outstanding community resource it has become today.

Opera Carolina is rooted in the Carolinas – 90% of our company live and work right here in our region, complementing the international artists who join the resident company to perform on our mainstage. This is our home, and we view our role in this community as a public trust that demands we be transformative, creative and committed to excellence – just as our first volunteers were.

– James Meena
General Director & Principal Conductor