FGO Historic Timeline
1941
Arturo di Filippi, an
accomplished tenor
and voice teacher
at the University of
Miami, establishes
the Opera Guild
of Greater Miami
with performances
presented at the
Miami Senior High
School Auditorium.
1945
The Opera
Guild, Inc. of
Fort Lauderdale
is founded with
the mission
of presenting
performances of
Opera Guild of
Greater Miami
productions in
Fort Lauderdale at
the War Memorial
Auditorium.
12 | FLORIDA GRAND OPERA
1948
Regina Resnick
makes her company
debut as Cio-Cio
San in Madama
1951
Miami-Dade
County Auditorium
opens west of the
downtown area
and becomes the
Opera Guild of
Greater Miami’s
new mainstage
home.
1961
Renata Tebaldi
makes her
Greater Miami
Opera debut as
Maddalena in
Andrea Chénier.
1962
Richard Tucker
makes his
company
debut as
Alfredo in La
traviata, and
Birgit Nilsson
sings the lead
in Turandot.
1965
Greater Miami Opera presents
a production of Lucia di
Lammermoor with Dame Joan
Sutherland featuring a young
Italian tenor, Luciano Pavarotti,
making his American debut.
in South Florida.
1966
Tenor Franco
Corelli makes
his Greater
Miami Opera
debut as
Radamès in
Aida.
1973
Dr. di Filippi retires
and is succeeded by
Robert Herman, who
served as Assistant
General Manager at
the Metropolitan Opera
under Sir Rudolph
Bing. During Herman’s
administration, the
world’s leading opera
singers continue
to appear with
the company, and
production values are
dramatically elevated.
Greater Miami Opera
enters the ranks of
the country’s leading
opera companies and
establishes itself as one
of the premier cultural
institutions in the
southeastern
United States.
1975
Mr. Herman
begins the
tradition of
presenting
national and
international
casts for South
Florida audiences.
National casts
feature younger
singers and the
performances are
sung in English.
singers in the
world compose
the international
casts. OPERA
America,
opera’s service
organization,
holds its annual
conference in
Miami for the
1972
Renata Scotto
makes her
Greater Miami
Opera debut
as Mimì in
La bohème.
1976
Jon Vickers
sings the
title role of
Otello at
Miami-Dade
County
Auditorium.
1978
Luciano
Pavarotti
and Mirella
Freni sing
the lead
roles in
La bohème.
1982
Greater Miami
Opera presents the
world premiere of
Minutes till Midnight
by Robert Ward.
1968
Plácido
Domingo
makes his
company
debut as
Riccardo in
Un ballo in
maschera.
1985
Robert M. Heuer
is appointed
General Manager
when Herman
retires. During
Heuer’s tenure,
extensive
educational
and outreach
programs are
developed
throughout the
South Florida
community.
1991 conference.
The Broward
Center for the
Performing Arts
opens in Fort
Lauderdale
and becomes
the company’s
new mainstage
home in
Broward
County.
1986
Diana Soviero
makes her
company
debut singing
the role of
Nedda in
Pagliacci.
1993
OPERA America
returns to
Miami Beach
for its annual
1992
Greater Miami
Opera holds
the United
States premiere
of Cristoforo
Colombo by
Alberto Franchetti.
1984
Greater Miami
Opera establishes
its Studio
Artist Program.
Graduates of the
program who
have returned in
leading roles in
FGO productions
include Troy Cook,
Rachele Gilmore,
Leah Partridge,
Elizabeth
Caballero,
Jonathan Michie,
Andrew Bidlack,
Tom Corbeil, and
Hailey Clark.
1941-1972
Dr. di Filippi
regularly brings
leading artists from
the Metropolitan
Opera to South
Florida, presenting
them in the roles
for which they
garner worldwide
acclaim.
season