About Fletcher Opera

A.J. Fletcher Opera Institute

About Fletcher Opera

Named for businessman and arts advocate Alfred Johnston Fletcher (1887-1979), the A.J. Fletcher Foundation has supported the growth of opera in America for over 50 years, first through the creation of the Grassroots Opera Company in 1948 and subsequently through the productions and educational outreach of the National Opera Company.

A.J. Fletcher

In order to strengthen and perpetuate Mr. Fletcher’s vision for opera, the Foundation took the unprecedented step in the spring of 2000 of committing $10 million to establish an Opera Institute at the University of North Carolina School of the Arts. In September 2001, the A.J. Fletcher Foundation merged its National Opera Company with the University of North Carolina School of the Arts School of Music’s graduate opera program, in collaboration with the University of North Carolina School of the Arts School of Design and Production, to create the A.J. Fletcher Opera Institute.

Regional Opera Companies

The Fletcher Opera Institute is centrally located within a ring of opera companies, including The Washington National Opera, Virginia Opera, Pittsburgh Opera, Cincinnati Opera, Kentucky Opera, Nashville Opera, The Atlanta Opera and The Spoleto Festival. Additionally, in North Carolina itself, there are four vibrant opera companies that offer opportunities and access to young artists. Students at The AJ Fletcher Opera Institute can enjoy the work at these and numerous other innovative and critically acclaimed companies to further enhance their education.

Performance & Production Facilities

Stevens Center
Stevens Center
Downtown Winston-Salem
Located in downtown Winston-Salem, the magnificently restored 1,380-seat Stevens Center serves as a major performance center for UNCSA.

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Fletcher Opera Theater
Fletcher Opera Theatre
Raleigh, NC
The 600-seat theater is located on the east side of the Duke Energy Center for the Performing Arts and is designed for opera, dance and theatrical productions.

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Freedman
Gerald Freedman Theatre
UNCSA Campus
The Gerald Freedman Theatre is a proscenium thrust theatre located on the upper ground level of Alex Ewing Performance Place.

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de Mille
Agnes de Mille Theatre
UNCSA Campus
The Agnes de Mille Theatre is an intimate 188 seat proscenium stage with orchestra pit used for performances of opera scenes and chamber opera.

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Design and Production
School of Design & Production
UNCSA Campus
The School of Design and Production works in conjunction with Fletcher Opera and other UNCSA schools to mount their productions and projects.

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