Sep 3, 2024 | Throwback Thursday, Tulsa Opera History
When people think of opera, they often imagine grand solo performances by leading sopranos and tenors. But true opera lovers know that some of the most stirring, emotional moments on stage are created by the chorus—a collective of voices that breathe life into every...
Aug 27, 2024 | Throwback Thursday, Tulsa Opera History
This week, take a nostalgic journey through Tulsa Opera’s rich history as we spotlight The Tulsa Opera Chronicles, a book co-authored by Laven Sowell and Jack A. Williams, two pivotal figures in our company’s story. This book is more than just a collection of facts;...
Aug 20, 2024 | Throwback Thursday, Tulsa Opera History
On November 19 and 21, 1953, Tulsa Opera reached a significant milestone in its history with the presentation of Puccini’s Madama Butterfly. For this landmark performance, Tulsa Opera engaged an impressive roster of imported talent. The role of the Japanese...
Aug 5, 2024 | Throwback Thursday, Tulsa Opera History
In the spring of 1978, Beverly Sills, the superstar soprano crowned by Time Magazine as “America’s Queen of Opera,” was contracted to return to Tulsa Opera to perform the title role of Donizetti’s Anna Bolena on the TO stage. The popular diva had previously appeared...
Jul 29, 2024 | Throwback Thursday, Tulsa Opera History
In the fall of 1982, Tulsans were privileged to hear two native Oklahomans starring in Giuseppi Verdi’s Il Trovatore at Tulsa Opera. Leona Mitchell (Enid, OK) and William Johns (Tulsa, OK) were Metropolitan Opera stars of the day. Mitchell had recently won a Grammy...
Jul 22, 2024 | Throwback Thursday, Tulsa Opera History
When Tulsa became the “oil capital of the world,” a booming expansion occurred that inspired many forms of art to entertain its new population. Tulsa Opera was here from the beginning, pre-existing the oil boom, as a necessary art form, even before the roads were...