With the highest attended opera in 25 years and third highest grossing box office (for “Pirates of Penzance”), coupled with a 62% increase in 2024 mainstage attendance over the prior year, Knoxville Opera is seeing the harvest of an intense period of sowing post-Covid. The statistics validate the vision and hard work of General Director and CEO Jason Hardy and his team as they prepare for the annual Opera Ball that raises funds for education and outreach programming. Equally important is the diversity of new audiences lining up to experience opera in Knoxville. It’s a testament to the company’s thriving community engagement that is garnering national attention.
Q. Tell us about your OPERA America Board invitation.
A. I was invited to join the OPERA America Board this summer, which means Knoxville Opera now has a seat at the table for important industry conversations. This is big news for a smaller market company that was not on the national radar a few years ago. We’ve been recognized for demonstrating and messaging how a regional company successfully adapts to impact the community. We attribute it, in part, to my team’s network within the opera community, the company’s increasing brand awareness, and our audience expansion efforts throughout East Tennessee. This season, for instance, we have large-scale performances in Maryville and Oak Ridge. Although Knoxville lives in our name, we seek to serve all of East Tennessee.
OPERA America acknowledged that they were underrepresented in the South and with companies in the $1-$3 million budget size. The first company that came to mind was Knoxville Opera because of our activity and presence. Seeing the opera industry pay attention to us is an honor. It gives credence to our reimagining of what it means to be a vibrant and viable opera company today. This national endorsement says something very special is happening in Knoxville.
Q. How is the company’s vision changing?
A. Since taking the reins in the fall of 2022, I’ve been approaching it as a start-up company 46 years in the making. The pace of change in recent years has been astonishing. Our ability to adapt and redefine our priorities in this environment has been critical to our success.
When it wasn’t possible to perform indoors, we took our performances beyond the walls of the theater. Under the new Opera for All umbrella, we employed a handful of artists and performed in public outdoor spaces. We even put on a “regatta,” performing at people’s docks along the river. Over those two years, we presented over 200 free public performances. Opera for All has become the moniker for our free public access performances – from our new Children’s Choir (20+ Knox County schools), Gospel Choir, and Young Audiences Tours to the extended two-day Rossini Festival.
Our messaging promotes the quality of our work, particularly the impressive caliber of talent on our stages. We bring in world-class artists for principal roles, but local musicians are the heart of our company. We’re fortunate to have a high-caliber orchestra like the Knoxville Symphony Orchestra in our pit. Our chorus comprises an experienced ensemble of local artists and University of Tennessee graduate students. In fact, we invest heavily in our partnership with UT. The more talent we can help UT recruit, the more professional opportunities we can provide the students on our stage.
Q. Where do you find the support of the future?
A. We acknowledge that, as a 501c3 nonprofit organization, we must serve the public good. I firmly believe that expanding access to our programs and performances not only increases our impact and reach, but also strengthens our case for support. Expanding access isn’t just the right thing to do, it is the wise thing to do.
In addition to presenting an exciting, premier artistic product on stage, the KO team has done a terrific job building awareness, advocacy, and support for our programs. Looking at recent performances, you will also see the most diverse audiences we’ve ever had, including almost 500 students at “Pirates of Penzance.” Removing barriers to these theatrical experiences builds the audience of tomorrow and opens up new avenues of potential support.
Our brand tagline is Giving voice to stories that connect us. Every time we raise the curtain, we gather people to experience a universally human story they can relate to, sitting next to someone who may not think, look, or live quite like they do. This type of connection is a powerfully meaningful experience for everyone. This is our “why” and will be the key to our success.
Jason Hardy
Knoxville Opera General Director & CEO
Before moving into advancement and management roles at Memphis Opera and Delaware Opera, Jason performed as a principal artist for such classical music presenters as the New York City Opera, Carnegie Hall, The Kennedy Center, Los Angeles Philharmonic, and the National Symphony Orchestra.
As the leader of Knoxville Opera, Jason is already realizing several goals from his five-year vision statement, having already launched a Children’s Choir in 2023 and preparing to launch a Military Chorus this spring composed of active and veteran service personnel from all branches.
“The presence of a military ensemble performing at key East Tennessee public events will be an important part of our programming mix. There’s an emotional resonance when service members perform together – the emotional impact can surpass even the most powerful opera singers. The communal and creative act of singing has a healing effect on challenges such as PTSD. While it will build a connection between these men and women who have served our country, it will also create an incredibly moving shared experience for our audiences.”
To learn more, visit Knoxilleopera.org or email info@Knoxvilleopera.org