Did you know that Winston-Salem is home to a nationally recognized opera company?

Piedmont Opera is a leader in the classical arts community and the second largest opera company in the state. The company currently attracts patrons from 20 states as well as professional performers and technicians from all over the world. They strive to create operatic productions of the highest artistic quality to enrich the Winston-Salem community and to advance the art form; their goal is to become the finest opera company in the nation of its size.

Now if I’m being honest, up until recently the mention of “opera” invoked images of busty women with braids and viking hats. (If you’re being honest you know you can relate.) But what I have learned through my partnership with Piedmont Opera, and have since fallen in love with is the complexity of this performance art. If you follow the blog, you probably know I’m passionate about personal stories that tap into the basic human emotions that unite us. I’m moved by art that helps us see, hear, and feel the world differently. And that is exactly what opera does my friends – in a big, powerful, captivating way. It truly is the most communicative art form in existence. Opera combines the visual, musical, dramatic and verbal to tell thrilling stories that explore the big themes in human life.

Each year under the well-respected general and artistic direction of James Allbritten, Piedmont Opera presents two coveted performances and hosts regular educational and outreach programs to connect the community with this centuries-old artistic expression. The 2016-2017 season will be one of strong women with Puccini’s Tosca in October and Rossini’s The Italian Girl in Algiers in March. Each show is your opportunity to see up-and-coming and seasoned international talent who choose to perform in Winston-Salem because of its strong reputation and University of North Carolina School of the Arts ties. I hope you’ll join me this season to discover the drama of opera. If you’re an established fan, please consider becoming a donor; a mere 25% of Piedmont Opera’s expenses are covered by ticket sales.