Adopt-a-Diva!
You can adopt a UNT Opera student for a show (there are three Mainstage Operas each year), a semester, or an entire year!
What will you need to do? Well, we only have two requirements - that you build a supportive relationship with your student and you show up and cheer for their performances!
Each student at UNT Opera has unique needs for support, and there are some places where other institutions can’t fill those needs. Our plan is to have plenty of events where students and FANS can socialize. Students who who request an ‘adopter’ can meet with with FANS who can meet their specific needs. Some common needs have been:
A fan club
Some students have no available family to cheer them on. These students need friendly faces in the audience, a beautiful bouquet on opening night, and thunderous applause after the performance. Consider joining The Claque Clique and filling a section of seats with your friends to cheer on your student.
Material Support
Material support. Most of our students work one or several jobs as well as attending university full time in order to survive. There are unavoidably some costs associated with participating in the Opera Program. Students need ‘character shoes’ or dress shoes - these are special shoes that are comfortable and safe for performing in and they don’t make a lot of noise on the stage. These average around $70 per pair. Students need a stage makeup kit. These cost around $50. They need to provide their own scores (borrowing scores can set them back professionally as an opera singer will keep notes in a score for decades and through multiple performances.) These can run from $40 for a score they can copy and bind themselves to $150 or more for printed ones.
Home away from home
Many of our students are international students. Even the ones who come from nearby may have church job commitments which mean they spend holidays here in Denton. UNT Opera students have a proud tradition of peer support and there are many Friendsgiving gatherings every year. Hosting a student, or a student and a few friends for a holiday or birthday meal is a common need.
A friendly ear
A friendly ear and a home base. Our students work long hours, and they are under the unique pressure of having their body be their instrument and career. They are stressed out! Meeting a student at a coffee shop or having them over for tea and just listening to them for an hour can make the difference between coping and not coping. Bonus points if you have a dog to walk or a cat to pet! Strong communities are a great first line of defense against emotional overwhelm.
“Diva” is the Latin word for a goddess. It has often been used to refer to a celebrated woman of outstanding talent in the world of opera, theatre, cinema, fashion and popular music.
“Divo” is the male word, often used for outstanding operatic tenors in particular.