Our History

Support – Inspire – Applaud

UNL Opera – Making Believers Here and Abroad

 

University of Nebraska-Lincoln Opera has been lauded by audiences at home in Nebraska and honored by the National Opera Association and at the International Festival of Light Opera in Waterford, Ireland.

International Festival of Light Opera

In 2002 and 2007 UNL Opera competed in the Waterford, Ireland International Festival of
Light Opera.

    • The 2002 production of Balfe’s The Bohemian Girl won awards for Best Operetta, Best Chorus, Best Male Singer and Best Female Singer
    • The 2007 production of Frank Loesser’s The Most Happy Fella won the coveted first
      place International Trophy, marking the first time in the Festival’s 49 year history an
      American production was so honored. UNL also won awards for:

      • Best Set
      • Best Choral Presentation
      • Best Musical Direction
      • Best Male Singer
      • Best Female Singer

      Both shows were co-directed by Ariel Bybee and James Ford and conducted by Tyler White.

National Opera Association

University of Nebraska-Lincoln Opera has been honored by the National Opera Association with a BEST PRODUCTION award for having the best opera production in the nation in its budget category.

  • 1998 for Mozart’s Cosi fan Tutte (William Shomos, Director)
  • 2001 for Kurt Weill’s Street Scene (William Shomos, Director)
  • 2008 for Jake Heggie’s Dead Man Walking (William Shomos, Director)
  • 2013 for Leonard Bernstein’s Cadide (Alisa Belflower, Director)

All four shows were conducted by UNL Orchestra Conductor Tyler White.