La Boheme - Opera Guild of Rochester

We need your help!
Community response has exceeded our expectations, as more people have seen live
professional opera here than in a long time. Opera productions are very expensive (think
sets, costumes, singers, orchestra, theatre, stage hands….the list goes on and on.) Your
ticket price covers less than half of our costs. We need your help to continue to make
the vision of Mercury Opera Rochester a reality. If you enjoy our performance and agree
with our goals, please support our future. Consider a donation to continue professional
opera performances and to reach out to future opera lovers in Rochester. Tax-deductible
donations are gratefully accepted by Mercury Opera Rochester, 26 Gibbs Street, Rochester,
NY, 14604, and on our website at www.mercuryoperarocester.org.
Planned Giving & Bequests
Please consider leaving Mercury Opera Rochester in your estate plans, whether by will,
trust, insurance, life income arrangement, or through current income gifts. Your concern
and appreciation for Mercury Opera Rochester will extend far beyond your own lifetime.
Opera Connection! and Opera Education
Our future audiences are in the classrooms of local schools. Since its inception, Mercury
Opera Rochester has invited high school students in the 5-county area to attend dress
rehearsals of our performances, accompanied by their music teachers. We have also
hosted several master classes for high school students (with student performers) given
by internationally recognized singers who are here to perform in our mainstage productions.
We have solicited and been successful in gaining participation of local high school
vocalists in our productions as chorus members.
Recently Mercury Opera Rochester began a program in high schools called Opera Connection!
The program, initially funded by the New York State Music Fund, is a series of
lecture/workshops given by teaching artists which compare and contrast the hit Broadway
musical Rent with the opera on which it was based, Puccini’s La Bohème. Professionals
who had sung the roles on Broadway and in professional opera companies performed
in the classrooms and spoke with students. The program culminated in a performance
by the students for other participating schools, and it was a tremendous success, eliciting
moving reactions from students and teachers, and remarkable interest in opera and
Mercury’s future productions. We hope to receive funding to repeat the program in
spring 2008 and in future seasons with other opera/show pairs. Please call the office at
585-473-6567 if you are interested in helping with this exciting new education project.
Our extensive adult education program is run primarily by the Guild of Mercury Opera
Rochester, and includes regular lectures at several local libraries, video showings and
trips to regional opera productions. For more information about the Guild programs,
check our website at www.mercuryoperarochester.org (where you can also find the
handouts for all the lectures) or call the office at 585-473-6567.
26 Gibbs Street, Rochester, NY 14604 • 585-473-6567
www.mercuryoperarochester.org