World class opera right here in Bozeman, Montana! Quality productions, professional guest artists, and great community outreach programs make Intermountain top notch!
This first-rate opera company is an amazing phenomon in Montana - grand opera for over 37 years, bringing the best young and upcoming opera singers from the Lyric Opera in Chicago, the Met and San Francisco Opera to Montana. The committment is to always have Grand opera in Montana - backed up by a phenomenal local music talent scene - and it works. Cosi fan Tutti and Romeo & Juliet were worthy of any city in the USA, over-the top productions that strived for excellence, and got there.
As Artistic Director, I have been so pleased with the quality of our productions. When I travel around the country, attending operas and researching potential cast members it is clear that we have grown into one of the finest regional companies. Our Board, Volunteers and support staff are clearly committed to the production of opera in our beautiful mountain setting. Guest artists come to us from around the country while chorus and smaller roles are performed by our excellent regional artists. Our orchestra is made up of talented local and regional players who enjoy the experience of working with guest conductors. Our educational outreach has grown to include programs for all 5th grade students in the Bozeman area, the choir students at Bozeman High School and the Jr. High Schools as well as students attending the School of Music at Montana State University. I am thrilled to be a part of this fabulous organization.
As a volunteer for this organization I was impressed with their organization, dedication and hard work. I felt like part of the family. I found out how many volunteer opportunities there were and was excited to be a part of this group. I was able to see the show and had goose bumps as I listened to these talented artists. What a great organization! Jan
I had the privilege of serving on the board of this organization several years ago. I'm so pleased that the company has continued to grow and that the operas presented have been wonderful. The staging and talent, including principals, chorus and orchestra, are just amazing.
Intermountain Opera was my first introduction to opera as a child, and is a fantastic resource in a place where culture and the arts often feel out of reach. We have no Broadway shows, no great theatres and few big concerts, but the IOB produces professional shows every year. They won me over through outreach to the local schools' choir programs, and I love volunteering as a way to both help out and see the shows for free!
The artistic quality that this little company manages to achieve on a consistent basis is nothing short of miraculous, given the resources they have to work with. Professional-grade singers and performances are not what you expect to find way out in Bozeman, but I've never regretted a single ticket purchase. If you care about art and culture, nurture this wonderful institution with whatever support you can!
For a town the size of Bozeman, we have a very rare phenomenon that is not seen anywhere else in the state. I have been playing in the orchestra with Intermountain Opera Association for well over 22 years, and for the last ten have also been the contractor for the orchestra. It has, by far, been the best musical experience of my adult life. There simply isn't an organization out there that has more energy and excitement for opera. And because it has a limited budget (what musical organization doesn't?) they manage to pull off fantastic full productions in a matter of weeks. The singers are brought in from all over the country, and sometimes the world, where they have sung with the Metropolitan Opera, San Francisco, and and Santa Fe to mention only a few. Our conductors have conducted at La Scala, New York City Opera and LA Opera and serve us up a healthy dose of professionalism and excellence. Our sets and costumes are often from Italy. Our directors are seasoned professionals who often travel long distances to direct our productions. Our community knows how very lucky we are to have this organization!
I have been a board member of IOB for just over a year, but have been a devoted opera lover since I saw my first IOB production, Madama Butterfly. The performances were exquisite and far exceeded my expectations. The fact that this little organization in a small Montana town can get world-class artists, conductors and directors -- literally stars from around the globe -- to produce such phenomenal operas made me fall in love with this community all over again. As the mother of young children, I also have tremendous appreciation and admiration for the way that IOB is exposing young kids to opera and creating a whole new generation of opera lovers. I look at this organization as a remarkable reflection of this community and the way we value art and culture.
Since moving to Bozeman from Canada in 1988 I have enjoyed the Intermountain Opera as one of the cultural icons in this gorgeous state. Playing principal clarinet with the opera for the last 26 years has been one of my most satisfying professional experiences. The conductors, soloists, stage directors, chorus masters/choristers, fellow musicians and board members have produced a top-notch product year after year, and thanks to wonderful donors, there is no end in sight. Bravi Tutti!
I have been a Board Member with Intermountain Opera Bozeman for several years. I am an Opera Singer and am extremely passionate about Opera. Being a singer myself, I have experienced many companies over the years. Intermountain Opera is extraordinary! Bozeman is such a small town, and yet we have a world class Opera company. The Board and the Volunteers for this organization are intensely devoted and generous with their time and resources. It has been such a pleasure to sing, promote, brainstorm, watch and interact with this organization. They have grown on so many levels in recent years. One thing that I find particularly wonderful is that they are willing to change and adjust. They take intentional steps to thank and include their volunteers, they try to watch trends to make sure that their product will be well received and profitable. What a fantastic Opera company……may it have a long and prosperous life!!!
I first experienced Intermountain Opera from the chorus in a production of Madama Butterfly. I had recently moved to Bozeman for the quality of life and to raise a family, having left a professional acting career behind in Chicago. Working with IOB was such a nice reminder of being in a professional performance environment. Rehearsals were run and scheduled with care and respect for everybody's time. The pros that are flown in for the leads are always top notch singers, and the production values are of the highest order. It's been a joy working with Intermountain Opera and a pleasure watching other productions from the audience. I highly recommend this company to singers or audience members.