About the Opera

After three years of planning, Piedmont Opera (previously known as Piedmont Opera Theatre) raised the curtain on its first production, Verdi’s Rigoletto, in September 1978. With support from the National Endowment for the Arts, this production and the four subsequent years were produced in conjunction with other regional opera companies. In 1983, Piedmont Opera Theatre was able to produce Puccini’s La Boheme on its own.

Founded by the late Norman Johnson (1928-1996), Piedmont Opera is now entering the 31st year of continuous operation. The company strives to remain a nationally recognized and acclaimed regional opera company and a leader in the classical arts community.

Piedmont Opera produces the highest quality opera productions possible by using international, national, regional and local professional singers and technicians. Piedmont Opera currently attracts patrons from 7 states and more than 300 communities throughout North and South Carolina. Since 1978, Piedmont Opera has performed over 48 different productions to an audience of over 135,000 people. In addition to two regularly scheduled productions each year, Piedmont Opera also conducts a wide variety of educational and outreach programs. As the second largest opera company in the state of North Carolina, Piedmont Opera has a current operation budget of $800,000 and operates with an administrative staff of four.