A die-hard opera fan n
and trained singer, Lisi already had built an
opera company in Connecticut Co
with Maestro Anton Coppola when
she was recruited to o assume as
the helm at The Straz in 1992. “When
I saw Morsani Hall, I thought,th
‘Oh my gosh, it’s a perfect opera
house.’ I spoke to the board of directors about building an opera
company at The Straz, and they said if I could solve the de cit, I
could have an opera company. So, I spent three years getting the
business out of debt then started building Opera Tampa.”
Lisi called on her friend Maestro Coppola to recreate their success,
and he jumped on board as artistic director for the burgeoning
endeavor. Strategically, Lisi paired the rst big operas with
Broadway musicals running on the same season, so the rst opera
was Madama Butter y to play in harmony with Miss Saigon, and
year two brought La Boheme to run alongside RENT.
Soon, Opera Tampa found its legs. The impressive perfection of the
productions drew an ardent crowd of opera lovers; many of whom
still support Opera Tampa as subscribers and donors. The once-ayear
production evolved into a full-scale opera season.
Today, Opera Tampa includes extensive outreach programs, mostly
by the Opera Tampa Singers, a group of phenomenal local voices
who also perform in the season productions. The years have also
introduced The Anton Coppola Excellence in the Arts Award,
endowed during the Grand Gala upon a recipient who embodies
both artistic accomplishment and a dedication to furthering the art
form. In November 2019, Opera Tampa held the inaugural D’Angelo
Young Artist Vocal Competition, helping to establish Opera Tampa
as an entity in the eld that not only produces great opera but also
cultivates the next generation of opera performers.
“What an extraordinary achievement for this region to be able to
claim such dedication to this magni cent art form,” Lisi says.
“We have a lot of celebrate. This season, we also announced the
appointment of managing director Robin Stamper as our next
artistic director. We’re thrilled Robin will serve as managing and
artistic director to shape the future of the company. So, we can be
proud of the successes of the past 25 years and also be excited for
what’s ahead for Opera Tampa.”
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