Pensacola Opera: Dazzling Gulf Coast young and old. Community outreach and artistic excellence mark 42nd year
By Allison McCrory / Photo by Kate Treick Photography
It started 41 years ago when a group of Pensacola singers, parents, music teachers and businesspeople yearned to express their talents in the centuries-old vocal-theater fusion called opera.
“Sets were created in the founders’ workshops, sewing machines buzzed in homes to create the costumes, the orchestra and singers were hired and rehearsals staged,” explained Alex Hilkey, director of marketing and communications for the Pensacola Opera.
The volunteers created a grassroots opera company called Pensacola Chamber Opera. The fledgling group successfully produced Mozart’s “Così fan tutte,” in English.
Seven hundred people flocked to three shows and a new Pensacola art movement was born.
Fast forward to 2025. The opera works out of a downtown building and presents two elaborate mainstage productions each year at the historic Saenger Theatre. Professional principal artists bring their operatic talents to Pensacola from around the country. The Pensacola Symphony Orchestra brings the instrumental music to life. Costumes and makeup are professionally created.
TAKING IT TO THE STREETS
In addition to traditional mainstage productions, the opera is on a mission to introduce opera to the masses.
“Each season our Jan Miller Studio Artists perform at various outreach and education events to bring opera down off the stage and into the community. Part of our mission is to provide educational programs and other opera-related community events for people of all ages, interests and backgrounds,” Hilkey said.
Children’s operas wow more than 8,000 area school children and their families from September through March when the productions perform in Escambia and Santa Rosa schools.
“In addition to being in the schools, we also partner with Northwest Florida public libraries to bring this production to various branches throughout the year. These performances are free and open to the public,” Hilkey said.
Brown bag operas offer downtown Pensacola employees a free lunch break cultural treat at the opera center. Opera Al Fresco is a pop-up outdoor concert series that brings free live music to area parks and green spaces around Pensacola.
“The vision with Opera Al Fresco is to try to meet people where they are and bring amazing music to them. Our latest concert at the Big Lagoon State Park amphitheater this past summer was met with 120 in the audience,” Hilkey said.
And the list goes on with Pours & Encores, where opera artists combine happy hour at local bars and breweries with opera performance and the annual Opera After Dark. Singers perform at The Garden Club, Bayview Senior Center and Jackson’s Steakhouse. National anthems at an Ice Flyers game, Memorial Day celebrations and Visit Pensacola’s annual meeting just might be performed by an opera singer. The Opera donates tickets for charitable auctions and sets up booths at children’s events.
“You just never know when an opera singer might pop up,” Hilkey said.
WHAT’S OLD IS NEW
In bygone days, opera was considered entertainment for the silver-haired set. No more!
“Over the past two seasons, we’ve seen over 300 new subscriptions to the Opera and a renewed energy and interest in younger volunteers, ticket buyers and even donors,” Hilkey said.
The fresh, vibrant passion comes at the perfect time. The Pensacola Opera lost $70,000 in annual funding due to sweeping state cultural arts cuts. And while ticket sales cover about 40 percent of operational costs, an arts-loving community covers the majority.
While the trend is new, it’s not surprising. Opera is timeless, Hilkey said, tapping into universal emotions.
“Many people may not realize the similarities between opera, musical theater and other types of performance and pop culture. While ‘Rent,’ for example, is a familiar show that we would all enjoy to see on Broadway, many have never heard of ‘La Bohème.’ I use this as an example because ‘Rent’ is a rock opera based on the opera ‘La Bohème’ that premiered back in 1896,” she said.
“Whether you’re seeing a contemporary English-language piece or one of Mozart’s operas from the 18th century, you’ll be able to see at least parts of yourself in the story!”
“Each season our Jan Miller Studio Artists perform at various outreach and education events to bring opera down off the stage and into the community. Part of our mission is to provide educational programs and other opera-related community events for people of all ages, interests and backgrounds.”
— Alex Hilkey, director of marketing and communications for the Pensacola Opera
Mainstage Magic
It’s that season of the year when an art form tracing its roots to 1597 graces the stage of Pensacola’s jewel, the Saenger Theatre. Instrumental music, elaborate sets, exquisite costumes, a local opera ensemble and of course drama, comedy and soul-stirring vocals will fill the theater for two productions. Pensacola Opera searched far and wide for the best principal artists to wow patrons and is ready to present the fruit of its labor in upcoming months in two mainstage shows.
“The Marriage of Figaro” by Mozart | Jan. 24 and 26
It’s a comedy with some of opera’s favorite themes: philandering, cunning and hilarious twists of fate.
Figaro’s womanizing boss, Count Almaviva, attempts to throw a wrench in his employee’s upcoming wedding to Susanna, whom he hopes to seduce.
Yet Figaro has other ideas, enlisting the help of Susanna and the Countess to unravel Almaviva’s divisive plot.
Brilliant music and belly laughs ensue in this timeless comedy inspired by the sequel to “The Barber of Seville.”
“Pagliacci” by Leoncavallo | March 14 and 16
What’s more dramatic than a love triangle?
Featuring one of the most well-known arias of all time, “Vesti La
Giubba,” this opera tells the story of young thespians Canio and wife Nedda.
Canio becomes enraged when he discovers his wife’s affair. Preparing to go on stage, he pleads for her to disclose her lover’s name; she refuses, and their fellow comedy troupe member urges them to get into costume.
A very real tragedy ensues on stage.
