Opera has long been part of the musical culture of New Orleans, Louisiana. Operas have regularly been performed in the city since the 1790s, and since the early 19th century, New Orleans has had a resident company regularly performing opera in addition to theaters hosting traveling performers and companies.
Earlier opera houses
Operas were staged at a variety of theaters in the city, the first documented was André Grétry's Sylvain at the Theatre de la Rue Saint Pierre on May 22, 1796. On January 30, 1808, the Théâtre St. Philippe was opened with the U.S. premiere of Étienne Méhul's Une folie. The U.S. premiere of Luigi Cherubini's Les deux journées took place at this theater on March 12, 1811. The city's most famous opera venue between 1819 and 1859 was the Théâtre d'Orléans. That theater was succeeded in 1859 by the French Opera House, located on Bourbon Street in the French Quarter. Living in a cosmopolitan city, New Orleans' inhabitants, whether high in status or low, imported or indigenous, constituted a highly receptive audience.
The French Opera House burned down in 1919, causing severe disruption to opera in the city. When attempts to arrange financing for rebuilding failed, the company disbanded. For a generation, most opera in New Orleans was presented by touring companies at various local theaters.
The modern era
In 1943, the New Orleans Opera Association was formed, and succeeded in securing a resident company in the city. Over the years, many noted singers have appeared with the company (see List of opera singers).
In 1992, New York-based Opera Quotannis brought their production of New Orleans-born composer Louise LaBruyère's Everyman to the Crescent City, with Mitchell in the title role.
Hurricane Katrina, in 2005, flooded the Theatre for the Performing Arts and the season was cancelled, but the New Orleans Opera has since returned.
Harry Robert Lyall, conductor and administrator, died on January 5, 2024, at the age of 75.[2]
On January 18, 2024, The New Orleans Opera Association announced Librettist and Director Lila Palmer as their new Artistic and General Director. She replaces Clare Burovac, who previously led the company for three years.[3]
On January 21, 2024, Palmer issued an apology for using the term “Anglo-American". In a statement via Facebook, Palmer said,
“On Thursday morning, I was announced as the incoming General & Artistic Director of New Orleans Opera. In the announcement, I was described as Anglo-American: someone who is both English and American. As someone raised in England with an American parent, this is how I describe myself in England not understanding how hurtful it would be in a different environment. As the incoming leader of a cultural institution of a majority-Black city in America, it was a huge misstep.”[4]