Opera Roanoke
Opera Roanoke is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit professional opera company founded in 1976 in Roanoke, Virginia, presenting mainstage opera productions, recitals, and education programs for the Roanoke Valley and western Virginia in its 51st season.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1976
- HeadquartersRoanoke, United States
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What Opera Roanoke does
Opera Roanoke is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit professional opera company founded in 1976 in Roanoke, Virginia, currently in its 51st operating season under its current name (adopted in 1991, having previously operated as the Southwest Virginia Opera Society). The company presents a season of mainstage operatic productions, recital events, and education programs serving the Roanoke Valley and western Virginia. Core programming includes fully staged mainstage operas, a Young Artist Program for emerging professionals, school residencies and in-school performances, and a Community Ticket Program designed to extend access to underserved audiences.
Its core product surface is curated live musical theater. Mainstage productions combine professional orchestral accompaniment, supertitles (projected English translations), and full scenic and lighting design. The repertoire spans canonical masterworks alongside contemporary commissions: the 51st season includes the world premiere of "Jefferson Lives!" (timed to America's 250th anniversary) and a recital by Renée Fleming ("Voice of Nature: The Anthropocene"). Production staff and guest artists carry international credentials (Carnegie Hall, La Scala, Bolshoi, Covent Garden, Salzburg Festival), unusual for a company of this regional scale.
Revenue is built on a hybrid earned-and-contributed model. Earned income comes from single tickets ($25–$135) and 3-show subscription packages ($50–$243); contributed income combines individual donations, corporate sponsorships (Anderson DeSimone, Blue Ridge Beverage, Brandon Oaks, Carilion Clinic, TCV Wealth, Think Innovative, Gentry Locke, Member One FCU, Apex Piano Showroom), and grants from the National Endowment for the Arts, the Virginia Commission for the Arts, the Roanoke Arts Commission, and the Community Foundation of Western Virginia. The Community Ticket Program is underwritten by Carilion Clinic, and philanthropy targets of roughly $380,000 support the annual operating budget.
Opera Roanoke firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Opera Roanoke
- Legal name
- Opera Roanoke
- Website
- https://operaroanoke.org
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1976
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- Opera Roanoke is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit professional opera company founded in 1976 in Roanoke, Virginia, presenting mainstage opera productions, recitals, and education programs for the Roanoke Valley and western Virginia in its 51st season.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Opera Roanoke industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Performing Arts
- NAICS
- Performing Arts Companies (7111), Theater Companies and Dinner Theaters (711110), Fine Arts Schools (61161)
- SIC
- Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Opera & Operetta (MPAGABAF)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Performing Arts Organizations (Theater, Dance, Opera, Music) (BPAGAHAB), Theater & Drama Education (Acting, Improvisation, Musical Theater) (EDAMAAAG), Theater, Musicals & Performing Arts (THAJAFAB)
Keywords
Where Opera Roanoke is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Roanoke
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices6 records
Markets served
Opera Roanoke business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others
Revenue model
- Ticket Sales: Single tickets and subscription packages for mainstage performances and special events. Single tickets range from $25-$135; subscription packages range from $50-$243. Student discounts available at 50% off.
- Individual Donations: Tax-deductible contributions from individual patrons supporting the annual budget. Donations can be made by mailed check, credit card via secure donation page, gifts of stock, or through the planned giving program (The Verdi Society).
- Corporate Sponsorships: Business sponsorships that underwrite major projects, mainstage productions, and education & engagement programs. Corporate sponsors receive recognition and benefits in exchange for their support.
- Community Ticket Program Sponsorship: Free community tickets sponsored by partners like Carilion Clinic, enabling access for low-income and underserved communities at no cost to attendees.
- Planned Giving (The Verdi Society): Legacy giving program where donors include Opera Roanoke as a beneficiary in their estate planning, supporting long-term sustainability.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Subscription | Annual | Rear Orchestra/Rear Balcony - $50 subscription / $25 single |
| Subscription | Annual | Side Orchestra/Side Balcony - $81 subscription / $45 single |
| Subscription | Annual | Center Orchestra - $135 subscription / $75 single |
| Subscription | Annual | 2nd Row Loge - $171 subscription / $95 single |
| Subscription | Annual | Front Balcony/First Row Loge - $243 subscription / $135 single |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Savor the Sound special event - $65 per person |
| Other | Pay-as-you-go | Student tickets - 50% off any ticket |
| Other | Pay-as-you-go | Community Ticket Program - Free |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels5 records
Marketing channels7 records
Opera Roanoke product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Opera Roanoke is a performing arts organization in Roanoke, Virginia that produces professional full-scale opera performances with live orchestral accompaniment, featuring soloists, chorus, and creative teams at partner venues such as Jefferson Center and Mill Mountain Theatre. The company operates education programs for K-12 and lifelong learners, a Young Artist Program for emerging professional singers, a community chorus, and a Community Ticket Program providing free access for underserved populations. Ticket prices range from $25 to $135 for single performances and $50 to $243 for season subscriptions.
Product overview
Opera Roanoke is a performing arts organization in Roanoke, Virginia, providing high-quality opera performances and educational programming for over 40 years. The company operates through multiple core offerings: mainstage opera productions at venues including Jefferson Center; the Young Artist Programs for developing professional singers; Education Programs for K-12 students and lifelong learners; the Opera Roanoke Chorus for community involvement; the Community Ticket Program providing free access to performances; and subscription ticket packages. The 2026-27 season (the company's 51st) features productions including La Traviata, Jefferson Lives! (America's 250th anniversary commission), and The Creation alongside the Savor the Sound series and special events like the Messiah Sing-Along and Renée Fleming recital.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Mainstage Opera Productions Professional full-scale opera productions presented at Jefferson Center, Mill Mountain Theatre, and partner locations, featuring orchestra, soloists, chorus, lighting, projections, and costume design.
- Education Programs Educational programming for K-12 students and lifelong learners including Opera 101 classroom curricula, masterclasses for choral and music theatre students, guest artist classroom visits, and student preview nights.
- Young Artist Programs Professional development program for early-career singers providing performance experience in mainstage and Savor the Sound productions, masterclasses with nationally recognized specialists, and one-on-one coaching sessions.
- Opera Roanoke Chorus Community chorus program performing in mainstage productions, concerts, and engagement events, with open auditions and Thursday evening rehearsals led by Chorus Master Dillon Swanson.
- Community Ticket Program Free community ticket initiative sponsored by Carilion Clinic providing opera access for low-income and underserved communities through partnerships with health and human service organizations.
- La Traviata Giuseppe Verdi's opera opening the 51st season on September 19-20, 2026 at Jefferson Center, conducted by Mathias Elmer and directed by Stefanos Koroneos.
- Savor the Sound Series Intimate opera performances at unique venues such as Stoney Brook Vineyards, featuring emerging talent from the Young Artist Program. The October 29, 2026 event features Gian Carlo Menotti's The Medium.
- Messiah Sing-Along Community sing-along event of Handel's Messiah on November 21, 2026 with Opera Roanoke Young Artists, chorus, and Roanoke Baroque chamber orchestra.
- Jefferson Lives! World premiere opera commissioned for America's 250th anniversary on February 27, 2027, examining the birth of the American Revolution through historical and contemporary perspectives, with music by Joshua Daniel Nichols and libretto by Stefanos Koroneos.
- The Creation Joseph Haydn's oratorio performed with orchestra and Opera Roanoke Young Artists as soloists at Raleigh Court Presbyterian Church on April 10, 2027.
- Voice of Nature: The Anthropocene Multimedia recital by Renée Fleming on April 25, 2027 featuring classical masterworks and newly commissioned works exploring humanity's relationship with nature, blending live performance with National Geographic Society imagery.
Quantifiable outcome
- Free opera access for underserved communities through Community Ticket Program sponsored by Carilion Clinic
- +1 more outcomes
Companies that use Opera Roanoke
Customer profileNamed customers6 records
Segments5 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
Opera Roanoke technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Opera Roanoke partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- Carilion CliniccoreMajor sponsor of the Community Ticket Program, providing free opera tickets to low-income and underserved communities throughout the Roanoke Valley.
- Opera AmericaminorNational service organization for opera companies providing resources, advocacy, and professional development.
- Jefferson CentercorePrimary performance venue for most Opera Roanoke mainstage productions, located at 541 Luck Ave. SW, Roanoke.
- Mill Mountain TheatrecorePerformance venue partner for select productions including Jefferson Lives! on the Waldron Stage.
- Raleigh Court Presbyterian ChurchcoreVenue partner for The Creation and Messiah Sing-Along performances; hosts weekly chorus rehearsals.
- Stoney Brook VineyardsminorEvent venue for Savor the Sound benefit performances featuring the Young Artist Program.
- 5 Points CreativeminorMedia partner providing marketing and creative services for Opera Roanoke.
- WVTFminorPublic radio station serving as media partner for Opera Roanoke coverage.
- Health and Human Service OrganizationscoreCommunity partner organizations that help distribute free tickets from the Community Ticket Program to low-income and underserved populations.
Scale indicators4 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Opera Roanoke competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Opera Carolina: Charlotte-based professional opera company producing a mainstage season plus community and education programs — a comparable regional opera peer in the Carolinas, slightly larger in reach.
- Dayton Opera: Mid-size U.S. regional opera company with a similar mainstage-plus-education structure and comparable annual budget tier to Opera Roanoke.
- Virginia Opera: Virginia's other professional opera company, based in Norfolk and serving the Commonwealth with a multi-venue mainstage season, education programs, and community outreach — directly comparable to Opera Roanoke in mission, repertoire, and nonprofit structure.
- Asheville Lyric Opera: Regional opera company serving western North Carolina with mainstage productions and education programming, similar in scale and Appalachian/Southeast regional footprint to Opera Roanoke.
- Knoxville Opera: Regional opera company in eastern Tennessee presenting mainstage opera with orchestra and offering community education, comparable to Opera Roanoke in regional scale and nonprofit opera model.
- Piedmont Opera: Regional opera company in Winston-Salem, NC, of comparable size to Opera Roanoke, presenting a mainstage season with orchestra and education/outreach components in a mid-size Southeastern market.
Regional players
- Mill Mountain Theatre: Roanoke-based regional theatre that is also a venue partner for Opera Roanoke's Jefferson Lives!; comparable as a peer regional performing-arts organization serving the same Roanoke Valley audience with overlapping live-performance programming.
- Roanoke Baroque: Roanoke-based early-music ensemble partnering with Opera Roanoke on the Messiah Sing-Along; comparable as a regional performing-arts peer serving the same western Virginia patron base with adjacent repertoire.
- Jefferson Center: Roanoke performing-arts venue and presenting organization that is Opera Roanoke's primary venue partner; comparable as a regional cultural institution sharing the same audience and mission of expanding live performing arts access in western Virginia.
Broad incumbents
- Opera Theatre of Saint Louis: Nationally recognized U.S. opera company with broader programming, larger budget, and a spring festival model; comparable as a higher-tier regional/national opera peer with deeper resources and artist rosters.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Opera Roanoke social profiles
Digital presenceOpera Roanoke financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Opera Roanoke leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles12 records
Opera Roanoke funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Opera Roanoke M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Opera Roanoke
What does Opera Roanoke do?
Opera Roanoke is a performing arts organization in Roanoke, Virginia that produces professional full-scale opera performances with live orchestral accompaniment, featuring soloists, chorus, and creative teams at partner venues such as Jefferson Center and Mill Mountain Theatre. The company operates education programs for K-12 and lifelong learners, a Young Artist Program for emerging professional singers, a community chorus, and a Community Ticket Program providing free access for underserved populations. Ticket prices range from $25 to $135 for single performances and $50 to $243 for season subscriptions.
Is Opera Roanoke a public or private company?
Opera Roanoke is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was Opera Roanoke founded?
Opera Roanoke was founded in 1976. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is Opera Roanoke based?
Opera Roanoke is headquartered in Roanoke, United States, in the North America region.
How does Opera Roanoke make money?
Five revenue lines are on record. Ticket Sales are the primary driver. The others are individual Donations, corporate Sponsorships, community Ticket Program Sponsorship and planned Giving (The Verdi Society).
Who are Opera Roanoke's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Opera Carolina, Dayton Opera, Virginia Opera, Asheville Lyric Opera, Knoxville Opera and Piedmont Opera. Regional players are Mill Mountain Theatre, Roanoke Baroque and Jefferson Center. Opera Theatre of Saint Louis is listed as a broad incumbent.
Does Opera Roanoke have an API?
No public API is recorded for Opera Roanoke.
What industry is Opera Roanoke in?
Opera Roanoke's product category is Performing Arts. Its primary akta.pro industry code is MPAGABAF, Opera & Operetta, with a secondary code of BPAGAHAB, Performing Arts Organizations (Theater, Dance, Opera, Music). Its NAICS code is 7111 and its SIC code is 7900.