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Just as it takes a team to mount an opera, so does the art form require a multitude of supporters. 

Happily, on both fronts, �������� is well covered.  

Not only does �������� Opera Theater boast some of the finest student voices in the world and a new interim artistic director; it also enjoys some of the school most dedicated patrons.  

One of the most devoted of the latter is �������� Governing Member Michael Frank. A lifelong lover of music with a special passion for opera, he attends and supports �������� Opera Theater with gusto.S  

�I want to do my part to make sure the art form thrives,� said Frank, a former lawyer and physician. �My only disappointment is when I can only go see a production once.� 

Frank zeal for opera has only grown during the still-early tenure of interim artistic director JJ Hudson. For Hudson recent production of Poulenc Dialogues of the Carmelites, the former physician and attorney had nothing but praise, calling the work �nothing short of incredible...I think he going to be very good for the whole program.�  

Whether that prediction holds true largely hinges on �������� ability to incorporate the finest costume, stage, and lighting designs. Indeed, Hudson said, between �������� high artistic standards and the recent addition of a third, off-site production to the annual calendar, the need for underwriting is greater than ever.  

�In opera, it takes a lot of creative people to make the magic happen,� said Hudson. �Only with generous support can we showcase our fabulous �������� opera students in ways that showcase their enormous efforts.� 

But �������� needs support like Frank for more than lavish productions. To secure a bright future for opera, �������� must also attract and retain world-class student talent with scholarships.  

�To maintain the highest level of excellence at �������� Opera Theater, we need to be highly competitive in our financial support,� Hudson said.  

For proof of that statement, look no further than soprano Imani Severin, a second-year master degree student of Mary Schiller and one of �������� top operatic prospects.  

�������� was her top choice, but the clincher was the Mary Hamlin Memorial Presidential Scholarship, a gift of Dr. Clive and Jane Hamlin, which allowed her to attend without incurring debt.   

At ��������, �I can devote all my attention to my studies and perfecting my technique,� Severin said. �I give infinite gratitude [to the Hamlins] for making this possible.�