Created in 1995, Opera New Brunswick is a provincial arts organization originally intended to be a showcase for New Brunswick talent.  Opera New Brunswick remains the only producing company bringing professional opera to Atlantic Canada. In February 2007, Opera New Brunswick was accepted as a Professional Company Member with Opera.ca, a national service organization supporting Canada’s opera companies.

Beginning with a core group of twelve volunteers, Opera New Brunswick developed a mandate that reflected the interests of the Province of New Brunswick and has since created a niche within the Atlantic Canada artistic community that is without peer. Today, more than two hundred volunteers from around the province lend their time, talent and support to each production.

The Board of Directors is composed of community and business leaders, each dedicated to the mission, vision and goals of Opera New Brunswick. The International Advisory Council represents a unique and prestigious body of well known individuals who are involved with various aspects of the opera world and whose support and advice is invaluable. In addition, Opera New Brunswick is working to create regional committees in Saint John, Fredericton, Moncton, Bathurst and Edmundston to ensure that interests from around the province are represented in our program planning. Opera New Brunswick’s Education Committee works year-round with music educators and administrators to develop opera based course materials which have been incorporated into the main curriculum of the public school system.

In October 2006, Opera New Brunswick reached another critical point in its development with the creation of its first full-time administrative position. Christopher Lane, a Saint John native who has been working in arts administration for seven years, was hired as the company’s Executive Director. Having worked with Orchestra London since the beginning of his career, Mr. Lane is responsible for audience development, fund development and the creation of long term plans for the addition of new programs, productions and initiatives for Opera New Brunswick.

Since its inception, Opera New Brunswick has performed five operas and one folk opera: Le Nozze di Figaro (1996), La Bohème (1998), Carmen (2000), The Marco Polo (2002), Amahl and the Night Visitors (2004), Tosca (2005), La Traviata (2007) and The Magic Flute in Concert (2008). During alternate years, Opera New Brunswick has presented operatic concerts, recitals and workshops throughout the province, many in association with other New Brunswick arts organizations located in Fredericton, Moncton, Saint John, Bathurst, Shediac and St. Andrews.

Opera New Brunswick presents its productions using professional singers and musicians in all leading roles and supplementing, as necessary, with local amateur talent in bit parts and chorus roles.

In addition to the performances, Opera New Brunswick maintains a vocal scholarship fund through the New Brunswick Competitive Festival of Music. Each year, $1,000 is awarded for further music studies in voice and opera to a young performer for the most outstanding performance in the Opera class of the Music Festival.

Updated August 2009