Florentine Opera
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The Florentine Opera Company is Wisconsin's oldest fully professional performing arts organization and the sixth-oldest opera company in the United States.
The regional opera company presents three staged productions per season, with performances taking place at the Marcus Center for the Performing Arts in downtown Milwaukee, Wisconsin. The mission of the Florentine Opera is to present productions reflecting the highest musical and theatrical standards, while supporting community and educational programs and seeking to establish a significant presence in the cultural, educational and civic life of the state of Wisconsin and beyond. All programs of the Florentine Opera Company are driven by this mission and are designed to fulfill the Company’s vision to expand the experiences of patrons with memorable, outstanding and exciting performances. Audiences enjoy beautiful main stage productions that include first-rate vocal artistry brought to life by established and emerging international, national and local opera stars.
Notable performers at the Florentine Opera have included Diane Alexander, June Aderson, Angela Brown, Jose Carreras, James Courtney, Gilda Cruz-Romo, Tonio Di Paulo, Enrico di Giuseepi, Justino Diaz, Plácido Domingo, Mark S. Doss, Dale Duesing, Rosalind Elias, Ezio Flagello, Marisa Galvany, Anthony Dean Griffey, Jerome Hines, Georgia Jarman, Kristjan Johannsson, Spiro Malas, Adriana Maliponte, James McCracken, Morely Meredith, Erie Mills, Sherrill Milnes, MIchele Molese, Carol Neblett, Jan Peerce, Luciano Pavarotti, Paul Plishka, Ewa Podles, Louis Auilico, Florence Quivar, Samuel Ramey, Nell Rankin, Kenneth Riegel, Beverly Sills, Diana Soviero, Susanne Marsee, Maria Spacagna, Thomas Stewart, Erika Sunnegardh, RIchard Tucker, Theodore Uppman, Peter Volpe and Sandra Warfield.
In recent years, the Florentine has demonstrated a commitment to new American operas. It produced the American premiere of Lowell Liebermann's opera The Picture of Dorian Gray in 1999. In March 2009, the Florentine will present Robert Aldridge and Herschel Garfein's "Elmer Gantry". A world premiere of Don Davis' spanish language "Rio de Sangre" is scheduled to open in 2010.
William Florescu is the current General Director, with his duties beginning on May 1, 2005. Joseph Rescigno is the Principal Conductor & Artistic Advisor (1981-present). Scott S. Stewart has acted as the Chorus Master and Associate Conductor since 1978. The critically, nationally, and internationally acclaimed Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra serves as the orchestra in performances by the Florentine Opera.
With a foundation of fiscal responsibility, the company continues to grow its artistic and educational programs. Through its outreach and in-school educational programming, the Florentine provides vital arts education experiences for children, nurtures new audiences, and expands cultural horizons for the next generation. The Florentine Opera is a charter member organization of the United Performing Arts Fund and receives funds from the City of Milwaukee, Milwaukee County and the State of Wisconsin, as well as support from corporations, foundations and individuals. The Florentine Opera Company is a member of Opera America.
The Florentine Opera was founded in 1933 by John-David Anello. At that time, the group was called the Italian Opera Chorus, and it met at the Jackson Street Social Center. In 1942, the group became The Florentine Opera Chorus, remaining under the direction of John D. Anello. He explained that the change in name "was the honor the birthplace of opera as we know it. The craft originated in the Italian city of Florence, which has been known as a bustling center for the arts for many centuries." By this time, the chorus had grown to a group of 100 members of many nationalities, with a waiting list of over 100 more. In the program of the first "Opera Album" after the name change is written the Florentine Opera Chorus motto: "If our song has stopped one heart from aching, we have not lived in vain."
In 1950, the Florentine Opera Chorus extended its efforts from operatic choral performances to the production of complete operas and the company became a private venture, changing its name one final time to the Florentine Opera Company.
