Butler Opera Center
Butler Opera Center
The Butler Opera Center ranks among the top opera programs in the United States. Under the direction of Tamar Sanikidze, the program prepares emerging vocalists, vocal coaches and opera stage directors for careers in music. Each year, while pursuing academic classes, graduate students participate in at least three fully-produced mainstage operas accompanied by a full orchestra. With a curriculum based in both the traditional operatic repertory and progressive contemporary works, the program attracts students and faculty from a diverse background. Enrollment for each degree is limited to ensure personalized, intensive performance and training opportunities for each student.
2024-2025 Season
Butler Opera Center
Music by Giuseppe Verdi
Libretto by Francesco Maria Piave after the play by Alexandre Dumas fils
Aimée Minjeong Kim, director
Douglas Kinney Frost, conductor
Sung in Italian with English supertitles.
The Shards of Love
Tamar Sanikidze, music director & producer
Aimée Minjeong Kim, stage director
Connor Behrmann, baritone
Taiwon Kim and Joseph Oparamanuike, tenors
Kara Covey and Yuxin Liu, sopranos
Ludwig van Beethoven
An die ferne Geliebte, Op. 98
Modest Mussorgsky
Detskaya
Benjamin Britten
The Holy Sonnets of John Donne, Op. 35
+ more...
Butler Opera Center
Audition Fever
Music by Tzu-Chin Hsu
Libretto by Camden Boyle
Tzu Kuang Tan, conductor
Sung in English
L’enfant et les sortilèges
Music by Maurice Ravel
Libretto by Colette
Douglas Kinney Frost, conductor
Garnett Bruce, director
Sung in French
Butler Opera Center
Music by John Corigliano
Libretto by William M. Hoffman
Madison Jackson, director
Douglas Kinney Frost, conductor
New Music Ensemble
Sung in English with supertitles.
Butler Opera Center
Music by W.A. Mozart
Libretto by Lorenzo Da Ponte after Beaumarchais
Garnett Bruce, director
Douglas Kinney Frost, conductor
Sung in Italian with English supertitles.
BOC In Action
Watch
Follow Helen Sohyun Park, a second year DMA student in opera directing, as she directs Georges Bizet's "Carmen." Under the guidance of Butler Opera Center's outstanding faculty, students at the doctoral level have the opportunity to direct their own major productions, providing them with invaluable first-hand experience.
Watch
We go behind the scenes to see how the Butler Opera Center's resident designer, Aaron Kubacak, creates costumes for shows. He designed all costumes for a recent production of "Elixir of Love," and will do the same for all of BOC's productions this season. Working closely with the show's director, Kubacak begins with research and drawings, then brings them to life.
Baritone Seunghee Lee at Butler Opera International
Mezzo-soprano Jill Morgan in the dressing room before a performance
Soprano Aarianna Longino during a masterclass with Maestro James Conlon
Soprano Chantal Freeman and Tenor Taiwon Kim in a coaching with Dr. Sanikidze
Soprano Yuxin Zhou in recital
Directing student Matthew Schulz behind the scenes during a performance