These are a few of the ways we’ve supported UNT Opera students over the last few years:
Making opera scores available
Our students need to buy or copy (when they’re in the public domain) scores. For an upcoming production these copies exceeded the page limit for them to be copied at UNT Student Services, at over 230 pages each, and most students needed two scores. The cost of printing and binding would have been prohibitive for many students, so a FAN made his office printer and binding equipment available for any who needed it. Problem solved!
House Concerts
A FAN has hosted regular concerts at her spacious and gracious home. This gives the students opportunities to perform chamber music, meet potential supporters, and socialize. It gives FANS opportunities to hear excellent music, meet the students, and network with other FANS. They’re always great fun!
Throwing cast parties
A FAN has made homecooked meals for the cast party for the cast and crew of every opera (except during the 2020-2021 season due to Covid precautions) since 2017. Another FAN provides beverages. These events offer the opportunity for students, faculty, staff, and FANS to build community.
The Community Cupboard
During the Covid lockdowns, most of our students lost their jobs overnight. Church jobs, teaching studios, summer gigs, gigs at events or parties - it all came to a crashing halt. One of the ways UNT Opera FANS helped out was by stocking a small cupboard of food, household items, and personal care products. Many, many people added items to the cupboard. It was a heartwarming bright spot in an otherwise dark year for all opera people around the world.
Covid Christmas
A FAN organized the entire (AMAZING!!!) Voice Faculty to cook a huge Christmas dinner for students who were stranded by Covid. Each dish was delivered to one house, where they were portioned out into large to-go meals. Students drove by for Covid-safe pick-up of their Christmas dinner.
These are a few of the ways we can offer support moving forward:
Material support!
Our divas need to have ‘character shoes’ in black and tan, plus boots if they’re a mezzo. Divos need stage shoes as well. Everyone needs a good set of stage makeup. These items add up for a student. If you feel you can offer help with these items, let us know and we’ll pair you with a student who needs them.
Dinner during Tech Week!
The last two weeks of rehearsal are exhausting. There is only an hour’s break between rehearsals in the evening, and while we’ve recently made a second microwave available, if 30 people are trying to heat up dinner that creates a jam. Many students have neither the transportation nor the extra cash to eat out every night that week. You can help in several ways:
1) Adopt a student and drop off packed meals for them, or order a delivery.
2) Provide a meal for the whole cast and crew on one of the weekend days before Opening Night (those are the nuttiest days!)
3) Provide a ‘snack basket’ to keep in the Opera Hallway for the last two weeks of rehearsal. Granola bars, bottled water, individual chip bags, apples, bananas, cookies … anything a hungry diva can grab between scenes.
Throw a party!
During a recent session we had with a few students to ask what they thought our group could offer, a request for more community-building social events was made. Consider hosting a BBQ at a local park, a pool party in your backyard pool, a dinner party, or a pizza night. Some students are far from home and hosting a small group for Thanksgiving is always a welcome offer.
Auditions!
We are planning to host ticketed events where the proceeds go towards sending a couple of students a year to go to NYC to audition. We’d also like to bring an agent in once a year. Students could have their CVs looked over and ask questions about the mechanics of a career in opera. Consider hosting, sponsoring, or attending these events.
Come to the opera - and bring friends!
The most important thing you can do is to come to the opera! Attend all the fun pre- or post-show events we plan. Bring your friends, especially the ones who have never been to the opera before. Hook them in with the offer of a pre-opera tailgate party and UNT Opera will do the rest by blowing their minds with the show. That’s how we make new opera fans.