Home

The award-winning Crane Opera Ensemble is a significant source for opera and music theatre in the North Country region of New York State. The ensemble provides exciting opportunities for students to experience all facets of opera performance and production through rehearsals, coachings and classes related to performance practices and production techniques. Two fully-staged productions are produced each year (one with orchestra and one with a chamber instrumental group or piano). In addition, when appropriate, an Opera Scenes Workshop provides students the opportunity to study a partial role and perform it in an informal venue. The ensemble enjoys a collaborative relationship with the Department of Theatre & Dance, producing a musical theatre production every three years. The Crane Opera Ensemble is proud of its opera education outreach program. North Country school children experience opera and engage in post-performance workshops with cast members, students and faculty. To date, over 4,000 children have participated, many experiencing opera for the first time.

The ensemble’s 2011 production of Amahl & the Night Visitors was the 1st place winner of The American Prize In Operatic Performance and 2nd place in the National Opera Association’s annual Collegiate Production Competition (Division 3). The 2010 production of L’Enfant et les Sortilèges was also the 1st place winner of the American Prize. The 2009 production of L’Egisto and the 2003 production of The Mikado were winners of the NOA competition in their respective categories.