Opera Orlando Receives a $120,000 Grant From Dr. Phillips Charities

Opera Orlando received big news this past week to the tune of $120,000. After a competitive grant review process, the Opera received a programming support grant from Dr. Phillips Charities underwriting the Opera’s upcoming production of Massenet’s Cendrillon, based on the Cinderella fairy tale and presented in the original French at Steinmetz Hall at Dr. Phillips Center while also being presented in the schools and in the community with a special English adaptation done by the Company. Dr. Phillips Charities, which is celebrating the 150th anniversary of its namesake and founder, has been a longtime supporter of the arts in Central Florida. The organization was especially pivotal in funding the Opera’s home venue of Steinmetz Hall at Dr. Phillips Center and in supporting the rebirth of opera in Orlando when Opera Orlando was launched in 2016.

This grant will enable Opera Orlando to continue its mission of better integrating the art form of opera into the community. Cendrillon is part of the Opera’s MainStage series at Steinmetz Hall this season and a shortened, English adaptation of the opera will also be presented in local schools, children’s hospitals including AdventHeatlh Children’s Hospital and Nemours Children’s Hospital, and community venues around the greater Orlando area. Funding from Dr. Phillips Charities helps underwrite the MainStage production in addition to all auxiliary and educational activities. A portion of the grant also helps support the Company’s annual fundraiser The Mozart Dinner presented on stage at Steinmetz Hall in between Cendrillon performances on February 8, 2025. 
 

“Words cannot express our gratitude to Dr. Phillips Charities for this amazing gift and their outstanding philanthropy to our community and to our organization over the years,” stated Opera Orlando general director Gabriel Preisser. “We all know the importance of arts and music education and the importance of introducing our youth to the arts at a young age, but Dr. Phillips Charities truly makes it happen with this type of support and by doing so, ensures a brighter future for us all.”

Today, the Dr. Phillips name is primarily associated with philanthropy. However, in the first half of the 20th century, Dr. Phillips was synonymous with the highest quality citrus products. The companies that bore Dr. Philip Phillips’ name produced fresh fruit and canned juice under various labels. The scope of his business empire was immense with 28 groves encompassing nine Florida counties, several citrus packing houses – including the largest in the world – and a cannery. The legacy left by entrepreneur and industrialist, Dr. Philip Phillips, and his family is the source of the wealth that continues to benefit our community today.

The Phillips family legacy spans several generations culminating in the establishment of Dr. Phillips Charities, composed of Dr. Phillips, Inc. and The Dr. P. Phillips Foundation. Building on this legacy, these two distinct funding organizations are well-known in Central Florida for their support of worthy capital projects and innovative non-profit programs that address critical Central Florida needs, demonstrate the potential for ongoing community support, and have a significant, lasting impact on the community.

Opera Orlando’s entire project is focused on arts and culture, a hallmark of Dr. Phillips Charities philanthropy. All activities and events planned within this project align very closely with several focus areas of Dr. Phillips Charities. The project focuses on family-friendly content for children and youth while involving partnerships with two of Central Florida’s local school systems, Orange County and Osceola County, as well as Nemours Children’s Health and AdventHealth Children’s Hospital.  This project is aimed at building educational activities that involve learning about music, history, and French culture via a partnership with Alliance Française of Greater Orlando. Furthermore, the MainStage production will also feature the Opera Orlando Youth Company as the chorus of fairies. This training program serves youth ages 8-18 who have a passion and aptitude for the performing arts.

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