Opera Box Arts, a Philadelphia based educational arts organization, was born in 2010 as Children’s Opera Box, with the goal of removing the barriers that often prevent young people from fully enjoying classical music and opera in particular. Using original new translations, we produced abridged versions of mainstream operas in which professional opera singers shared the stage with elementary and middle school children. We brought our productions to schools and community organizations and shared our love for this art form with countless children, families and communities. The results were wonderful and heartwarming. And then, we started to see our young participants coming back, eventually growing older in age and more experienced in music. And so, our program grew as well. In 2019, our first production geared towards advanced students came to life. An unabridged staged version of H. Purcell’s Dido and Aeneas, performed by a professional cast and a chorus of 20 high school singers, who also performed some of the smaller roles.

Now, as Opera Box Arts, we continue with our mission of expanding access to opera and classical music to young singers of all ages and anybody who feels that opera is too complicated, too expensive or too elite. All our programs have an educational foundation, as we believe that everybody has the right to experience and share this beautiful art form.