Virginia Opera
Scope and Contents - Series Descriptions - Access - Container Listing
Historical Sketch
The Virginia Opera began in 1974 under the direction of founding president Edythe C. Harrison. Its early productions were staged at the Norfolk Center Theater, a concrete-block structure near the Chrysler museum that served as a USO for armed forces personnel during World War II. Beginning in 1977 Virginia Opera added a second venue located in Richmond: the historic Landmark Theater. Previously known as the Mosque, it was the Acca Temple Shrine from 1926 until it was bought by The City of Richmond in the 1040s and renovated in the early 1990s. Virginia Opera also later added a third venue. The George Mason University Center for the Arts in Fairfax is located on the GMU campus and offers everything from ballet performances to music concerts. The Opera’s Norfolk home, the Norfolk Center Theater underwent a major renovation in 1993 and was renamed the Edythe C. and Stanley L. Harrison Opera House. It now seats over 1,600 and is now one of Norfolk’s landmark attractions.
Virginia Opera partners with schools in Virginia through its innovative Education and Outreach Program. Each year thousands of students visit venues across the Commonwealth to be entertained and enriched through the Virginia Opera’s productions. Virginia Opera educational outreach programs bring opera into the community by offering admission free performances in the community. With its three venues and countless other programs, the Virginia Opera is a great place to be educated and entertained.
In March of 1994, by unanimous vote of the Virginia General Assembly, Virginia Opera was named The Official Opera Company of the Commonwealth of Virginia in recognition of the organization's contribution to the Commonwealth, and to the world of opera
Scope and Contents
The majority of this collection consists of opera programs, guides, newspaper clippings, magazine articles. Also included in this collection are organizational documents, correspondence, audio-visual materials, bumper stickers, pins, aprons, and posters.
Series Descriptions
The collection is broken down into the following series: I opera programs from 1975-07. II guides to the opera. III news documents. IV clubs of the Virginia opera association. V documents of Eleanor j Bader. VI media. VII artifacts.
Series One: Opera Programs From 1975-07
This series contains programs from 1975 to 2007 in chronological order.
Series Two: Opera Guides
Sub-Series A. Teachers Guide
Teacher guides were designed to assist teachers in preparing for the opera before taking students on field trips to view performances.
Sub-Series B. Student Guides
Student guides were prepared for students wanting to learn more about opera. They contain facts about particular compositions including historical setting and plot summaries.
Sub-Series C. Opera Guides
Opera guides are more detailed that the teacher and student guides above, with information about the history of particular operas and their composers. Some guides also include scripts in the composition’s native language.
Series Three: News Documents
Sub-Series A. Newspaper Clippings
Various clippings about Virginia Opera productions, activities and venues.
Sub-Series B. Magazine Articles about Virginia Opera
Magazine articles relating to Virginia Opera. In chronological order for the period 1979 to 1994.
Sub-Series C. Virginia Opera News
A typed newsletter sent out by the Virginia Opera. In chronological order
Sub-Series D. Opera Voice
An informational newsletter about different operas from a behind the scenes view. In chronological order
Sub-Series E. Invitations and Programs (Galas and Balls)
Various programs and invitations from 1975 to 2006
Sub-Series F. Harrison Opera House Documents
This sub series contains materials related to the building of the Harrison opera house. Also in this sub-series are documents tour guides used to prepare for tours of the Harrison Opera House.
Series Four: Clubs of the Virginia Opera Association Virginia Opera Guild and the Opera Club
Sub-Series A. Virginia Opera Guild Information
Information about Virginia Opera Guild membership and activities. This sub-series also includes various Guild newsletters.
Sub-Series B. The Opera Club Information
Series Five: Eleanor J. Bader’s teaching Career
Sub-Series A. Educational Documents
Eleanor J. Bader’s information on field trips to the Virginia Opera House. Newspaper clippings, opera games, behavioral guidelines for children. Information about the history of opera.Sub-Series B. Notes
Notes Mrs. Bader wrote about the opera, her classes, and activities in clubs she worked with. Various notes about operas she attended.
Sub-Series C. Letters
Letters from various individuals to Mrs. Bader regarding the Virginia Opera. .
Sub-Series D. History
History of the Virginia Opera along with chronology and fact sheets.
Sub-Series E. Miscellaneous
Series Six: Media
Sub-Series A. Videotapes
Videos of Virginia Opera performances, vocal training and other material related to Virginia Opera in alphabetical order
Sub-Series B. Cassette Tapes
Music from Virginia Opera performances in alphabetical order
Sub-Series C. Compact Disks
Series Seven: Artifacts
Various physical artifacts related to Virginia Opera.
Provenance
Gift from Eleanor J. Bader, April 2006
Access
Open to researchers without restrictions. Questions on literary property rights should be directed to the special collections coordinator
Size
14 Hollinger boxes
Container Listing
Series I: opera programs from 1975-2007
Box One
Folder 1: seasons 1975-78
Folder 2: seasons 1981-83
Folder 3: seasons 1983-86
Folder 4: seasons 1986-87
Folder 5: seasons 1987-88
Folder 6: seasons 1988-89
Folder 7: seasons 1989-90
Folder 8: seasons 1990-91
Folder 9: seasons 1991-92
Folder 10: seasons 1992-93
Folder 11: seasons 1993-94
Box Two
Folder 12: seasons 1994-95
Folder 13: seasons 1995-96
Folder 14: seasons 1996-97
Folder 15: seasons 1997-98
Folder 16: seasons 1998-99
Folder 17: seasons 1999-00 (I)
Folder 18: seasons 1999-00(II)
Folder 19: seasons 2000-01(I)
Folder 20: seasons 2000-01(II)
Box Three
Folder 21: seasons 2001-02(I)
Folder 22: seasons 2001-02(II)
Folder 23: seasons 2002-03(I)
Folder 24: seasons 2002-03(II)
Folder 25: seasons 2003-04
Folder 26: seasons 2004-05
Folder 27: seasons 2005-06
Folder 28: seasons 2006-07
Box Four
Series Two: Guides to the opera
Sub-Series A: Opera guides
Folder 29: opera guides 1935-84
Folder 30: opera guides 1991-95
Folder 31: opera guides 1995-96
Folder 32: opera guides 1998-01
Folder 33: opera guides 2001-03
Folder 34: opera guides A-L
Folder 35: opera guides L-T
Folder 36: opera guides T-Z
Box Five
Sub-Series B: Teachers Guides
Folder 37: Teacher’s guides 1979-80
Folder 38: Teacher’s guides 1980-81
Folder 39: Teacher’s guides 1982
Folder 40: Teacher’s guides 1998-02
Folder 41: Teacher’s guides A-Z
Sub- Series C: Study guides
Folder 42: study guides 1959-70
Folder 43: study guides 1979-90
Folder 44: study guides 1990
Folder 45: study guides 1991-03
Folder 46: study guides 1993-94
Box Six
Folder 47: study guides 1996-98
Folder 48: study guides 1999-05
Folder 49: study guides A-L
Folder 50: study guides L-Z
Series 3: News Documents
Sub-Series A: Newspaper clippings
Folder 51: newspaper clippings 1979-88
Folder 52: Newspaper clippings 1990-95
Folder 53: Newspaper clippings 1995-05
Sub-Series B: Magazine Articles
Folder 54: magazine articles 1975-78
Folder 55: magazine articles 1978-88
Folder 56: magazine articles 1988
Folder 57: magazine articles 1989-1993
Box Seven
Folder 58: magazine articles 1994 and non-dated
Revised: 7/11/08