Black singers historically have not had an easy path to acceptance in opera. It wasn't until 1955 that the Metropolitan Opera featured its first Black singer in a leading role in Marian Anderson. Before that, Black singers had only been featured in supplementary roles or in the chorus on the Met stage. Other legends, like Jessye Norman and Leontyne Price, were among the first Black opera singers to achieve international acclaim, and are also considered trailblazers in this genre, which has taken a long time to embrace Black voices.

Over 16 seasons, Vegas City Opera has grown its audience base by doing things a little differently.

For 25 years, Nevada Conservatory Theatre has served as UNLV’s “lab” for theater arts. Executive Director Kirsten Brandt says the original mission of the training program was to create an intersection for research and professional practice.

The Henderson Symphony Orchestra is performing a free concert at Lake Las Vegas on October 24th. Taras Krysa , Music Advisor Henderson Symphony and Director of Orchestras at UNLV joined us with the details.