Florida Grand Opera Receives Anonymous Donation Saving 2015-16 Season

Despite falling short of its fundraising goal by approxmiately $15,000, Florida Grand Opera (FGO) has announced that, thanks to the generosity of an anonymous donor, the organization will be able to bring its 2015-16 Season performances to the Broward Center of the Performing Arts next year.

FGO General Director and CEO Susan T. Danis commented, "Thanks to the incredible generosity of our anonymous donor, we are pleased to will be able to continue to perform in Broward County for another year."

On January 7, 2015, the Opera announced that support over the past decade in Broward County has significantly declined, resulting in a loss of $125,000 on its 2013-14 BCPA productions and another loss that has been projected for the current season. Due to the company's financial challenges, a fundraising goal of $600,000 was established. If this goal was not reached by January 31, which marked the date that the Opera was required to inform the BCPA whether or not it was going to the use the performance dates reserved for the company, FGO would be unable to bring any of its 2015-16 performances to the BCPA.

On January 19, 2015, it was announced that an anonymous donor would match all contributions, dollar for dollar, in hopes of encouraging Broward donors and patrons to contribute to FGO's fundraising efforts. On February 1, 2015, the BCPA informed FGO that it extended the deadline for an additional two weeks in order to help FGO make its goal.

Unfortunately this goal was not met, falling just shy of the goal by $15,620, but the same anonymous donor has agreed to donate the remaining funds needed to keep the organization in Broward for another season. The good news is that more than 68 new donors stepped up and supported the efforts.

"We are extremely glad to be bringing both The Barber of Seville and Norma to the BCPA next season. We are disappointed that we were unable to meet this attainable fundraising goal, but we are thrilled to welcome so many new donors to our family," says Danis. "We hope to bring a full season of opera to the BCPA in the future, but the fundraising need will be great and we hope to be able to count on the growing support of the community to keep opera in Broward."

Earlier this month, FGO announced it's 2015-16 Season, which included Rossini's The Barber of Seville, Bellini's Norma, Weinberg's The Passenger, and Donizetti's Don Pasquale. FGO is pleased to bring The Barber of Seville and Norma to the Broward Center for the performing arts for a total of four performances throughout its 2015-16 Season. For patrons wishing to attend all four operas of the season, FGO will be providing a free shuttle service from Broward County to the Adrienne Arsht Center for the Performing Arts for a few, specified The Passenger and Don Pasquale performances.

Subscription renewals will be mailed to subscribers beginning the week of February 16th, 2015. FGO's Box Office is located at the Doral Center on 8390 NW 25 Street, Miami, FL 33122, and is open from 10am to 4pm, Monday through Friday during the season. Season tickets may also be purchased by phone at (800) 741-1010. Online subscription renewal will be available starting February 23.

Casting information for the full season will be released in the near future.

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