Our Mission
THE GRACE CITY OPERA THEATRE IS A 501(C)3 NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATION ESTABLISHED TO PRESERVE, PROMOTE, EDUCATE AND PERFORM THE MASTER WORKS OF AFRICAN AMERICAN AND AFRICAN DESCENT CLASSICAL COMPOSERS. FURTHER, TO KEEP THE MASTER WORKS OF AFRICAN AMERICAN AND AFRICAN DESCENT
CLASSICAL COMPOSERS IN THE MAINSTREAM OF CLASSICAL MUSIC.
IT IS THE GOAL OF THE OPERA THEATRE TO DEVELOP, EDUCATE AND PROVIDE OPPORTUNITIES FOR AFRICAN AMERICAN ARTISTS, VOCALISTS, INSTRUMENTALISTS, COMPOSERS, LIBRETTISTS, AND DIRECTORS TO PRESENT THEIR WORK AS WELL AS PERFORM THE MASTER WORKS OF THE FOUNDING AFRICAN AMERICAN AND
AFRICAN DESCENT CLASSICAL COMPOSERS OF EARLIER CENTURIES.
THE GRACE CITY OPERA THEATRE IS COMMITTED TO EDUCATING THE COMMUNITY AT LARGE ABOUT CLASSICAL MUSIC AND IT’S ORIGINS IN AFRICAN CULTURE, WHILE MAKING OPERA ACCESSIBLE TO ALL.
Our Story
SINCE OUR FOUNDING IN 2016, GRACE CITY OPERA THEATRE HAS MADE HISTORY IN THE STATE OF MICHIGAN AND THE STATE OF NEVADA, BY BECOMING THE FIRST AFRICAN AMERICAN WOMAN FOUNDED OPERA THEATRE VESTED THROUGH OUR MISSION, IN PRESERVING, PROMOTING, EDUCATING AND SHOWCASING THE
LITTLE KNOWN AND RARELY STAGED MASTER WORKS OF AFRICAN AMERICAN AND AFRICAN DESCENT CLASSICAL COMPOSERS.
GRACE CITY OPERA THEATRE BRINGS TO LIGHT THESE MASTER WORKS THROUGH OPERA, SYMPHONIC WORKS, ORATORIO AND THE AFRICAN AMERICAN SPIRITUAL.
WE ARE DEDICATED TO MAKING OPERA ACCESSIBLE TO EVERYONE, WHILE TELLING THE STORIES OF THE SIGNIFICANT
CONTRIBUTIONS TO CLASSICAL MUSIC AND IT’S ORIGINS FROM THE TIME OF CREATION.
IN 2023 GRACE CITY OPERA THEATRE OPENED A STUDIO IN HENDERSON, NV MAKING THE OPERA COMPANY THE FIRST OF IT’S KIND IN THE HISTORY OF THE STATE OF NEVADA.
OUR DEBUT PERFORMANCE IN MARCH WAS MET WITH MUCH PRAISE. WE HAVE SINCE THAT TIME, PARTNERED WITH THE CLARK COUNTY LIBRARY DISTRICT, THE NEVADA STATE MUSEUM, JUNETEENTH NEVADA, AND THE MARTIN LUTHER KING JR. SENIORCENTER .
OUR PARTNERSHIPS IN MICHIGAN INCLUDE, BAGS TO BUTTERFLIES, THE OAKLAND AVENUE URBAN FARM, ST. MATTHEW’S ST. JOSEPH’S EPISCOPAL CHURCH.
IN ADDITION TO THE ABOVE WE HAVE ALSO PARTNERED WITH THE NATIONAL OPERA HOUSE IN PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA. THIS PARTNERSHIP ALLOWS US TO FURTHER CARRY OUT OUR MISSION RECOGNIZING THE SIGNIFICANT CONTRIBUTIONS OF AFRICAN AMERICANS IN CLASSICAL MUSIC. THE DREAM OF IT’S FOUNDER MARY CARDWELL DAWSON TO CREATE A VENUE, WHICH TODAY REMAINS THE FIRST AND ONLY AFRICAN AMERICAN OPERA HOUSE IN THE NATION IN WHICH AFRICAN AMERICANS COULD PRESENT THEIR WORK , WHEN OTHER VENUES OF OPERATIC LITERATURE REFUSED TO ALLOW THEM TO PERFORM. STAY TUNED FOR OUR
PERFORMANCES IN FRONT OF THE OPERA HOUSE AS WE WORK TOGETHER TO THIS DREAM OF COMPLETE RESTORATION TO THE HISTORIC BUILDING INTO FRUITION.
WE HAVE ALSO TAKEN TO THE ROAD PERFORMING IN WASHINGTON, D.C., VIRGINIA, MARYLAND, AND UTAH.
THROUGH OUR MANY PROGRAMS GRACE CITY OPERA THEATRE IS ABLE TO OPEN THE WORLD OF OPERA TO THE COMMUNITY AT LARGE WITHOUT BOUNDARIES. SOME SAY THAT OPERA IS A DYING ART AND NO LONGER RELEVANT. HOWEVER WE AT GRACE CITY OPERA THEATRE BELIEVE THAT NOTHING COULD BE FURTHER FROM THE
TRUTH. THE FACT IS THAT THROUGHOUT THE COUNTRY, THE DEMOGRAPHIC OF PEOPLE WHO ENJOY THE MUSIC IS QUITE LARGE.
HOWEVER, FOR MANY OPERA HAS BEEN OUT OF REACH DUE TO COST, LACK OF UNDERSTANDING AND EDUCATION ABOUT CLASSICAL MUSIC. WE BELIEVE THAT THIS BEAUTIFUL MUSIC SHOULD BE AVAILABLE WHEREVER PEOPLE ARE WITHOUT ANY
BARRIERS TO ACCESS.