New Chapter: Introducing Opera Montana

On April 29, 2024, we officially took the step of changing our name from

Intermountain Opera Bozeman to Opera Montana. We’re excited to be

taking this next step forward as an organization.

Expanding Our Reach

As Montana’s first professional opera company, the

name Opera Montana communicates more clearly and strongly that we are

here to serve the entire state. It signals our recent and future intentions to

share the art form with audiences statewide. Wheels of Harmony, our

school tour sharing Indigenous music and culture, including opera, is just

the first step on that journey. In the past two years, Wheels of Harmony has

visited twelve towns and over twenty schools outside of Bozeman.

‍

Throughout this change, our mission of creating and inspiring community

and collaboration through world class opera, musical theatre, and

educational engagement remains the same.

Preserving Our History

In addition, we’re preserving and honoring our past by partnering with

the Montana State University Library. Thanks to the bequest of Fred

Santilli, the generosity of Suzy Day, and the diligence of Jackie Vick, the

“John Frederick Santilli and Suzanne Day Intermountain Opera Bozeman

Collection” is now available to the public. Visit

www.arc.lib.montana.edu/intermountain-opera/ to access all of our

organization’s performance programs. Have you or a loved one participated

in an Intermountain Opera production in the past? Search for your or their

name, and you can scroll through each and every program going back to

our inception in 1979. Archived audio and video to some productions will

soon be available to the public upon request.

We hope you’re just as excited as we are.

Acknowledgments

We are grateful to the many singers, designers, instrumentalists,

conductors, and directors who have shared their artistic excellence with our

local community. We are especially grateful to our predecessors: the

founders including Pablo Elvira, Mrs. Robert W. Martin, Jr (Ginny), and

Verity Bostick; the previous staff, including Emeritus Artistic Director Linda

Curtis and retired Executive Director Jackie Vick; and the many board

members who have continued to grow this organization since 1979. Special

mention goes to former board presidents Jane Hodges, Richard Wolff, and

PO Box 37 Bozeman, MT 59771 * 406-587-2889

Dr. Dennis Wentz who oversaw a combined total of twenty-three

productions, and who all continue to be active members of our boards.

‍

Looking Forward

We can’t wait to continue to share Opera Montana with the whole state.

‍

PS - We’re grateful to the talented folks at Slanted Creative for our new

logo and website. Check out their other work here.

‍

Here’s to the future!

‍

Susan Miller,

General Director, Opera Montana