Our mission is to build a vibrant creative community — through the creation and performance of original opera — that transcends differences and transforms the lives of children, families, and artists.
A Note From Our Founder
Dear Friends,
As we launch our 6th season, it gives me great joy to look back at all we accomplished in our 5th year as a company. It was, without a doubt, our most ambitious season to date. The operas our students created were hilarious, moving, and beautiful, and we launched new programs and new partnerships.
While it was a great year in the classroom, it was also the most personally challenging season our teaching team has yet faced. Over the course of the season, nearly everyone was hit by at least one major injury, illness, family emergency, or life change. Through it all, I was immensely proud of our team's collective resilience — the support the team showed for one another during the toughest moments of the year reminded me that the strength of Little Opera's team goes far beyond our partnerships in the classroom.
The feeling of community stretches beyond the classroom for our students too. One of my favorite moments from the year was the 3rd evening of Summer Camp (our first overnight camp ever), when my husband Jon (camp chef) and I were sitting around the campsite with six Little Opera middle school students. They had spent the last hour helping prepare a gourmet camping meal of roasted vegetables, salad, chicken skewers, and couscous, and as we all sat down together Ryan proposed a toast: "To family dinner! To the Little Opera family!"
When I look back at the mission of Little Opera and what we're trying to build — a community that transcends differences — it feels like we're starting to see real glimpses of that community in action. I see it in our students, as they form increasingly deep friendships with classmates from wildly different backgrounds than their own. I see it in our families as they help each other with transportation, food, and language translation. I see it in our teaching artists, as they launch artistic collaborations with each other in new and surprising ways. And I see it in you, our supporters, as you continue to spread the word about our work, and help us make this project possible.
Looking forward to sharing the next year with you,
Erin Bregman
Little Opera Founder and Director
As we launch our 6th season, it gives me great joy to look back at all we accomplished in our 5th year as a company. It was, without a doubt, our most ambitious season to date. The operas our students created were hilarious, moving, and beautiful, and we launched new programs and new partnerships.
While it was a great year in the classroom, it was also the most personally challenging season our teaching team has yet faced. Over the course of the season, nearly everyone was hit by at least one major injury, illness, family emergency, or life change. Through it all, I was immensely proud of our team's collective resilience — the support the team showed for one another during the toughest moments of the year reminded me that the strength of Little Opera's team goes far beyond our partnerships in the classroom.
The feeling of community stretches beyond the classroom for our students too. One of my favorite moments from the year was the 3rd evening of Summer Camp (our first overnight camp ever), when my husband Jon (camp chef) and I were sitting around the campsite with six Little Opera middle school students. They had spent the last hour helping prepare a gourmet camping meal of roasted vegetables, salad, chicken skewers, and couscous, and as we all sat down together Ryan proposed a toast: "To family dinner! To the Little Opera family!"
When I look back at the mission of Little Opera and what we're trying to build — a community that transcends differences — it feels like we're starting to see real glimpses of that community in action. I see it in our students, as they form increasingly deep friendships with classmates from wildly different backgrounds than their own. I see it in our families as they help each other with transportation, food, and language translation. I see it in our teaching artists, as they launch artistic collaborations with each other in new and surprising ways. And I see it in you, our supporters, as you continue to spread the word about our work, and help us make this project possible.
Looking forward to sharing the next year with you,
Erin Bregman
Little Opera Founder and Director