NEW! Celebrate Operatober Initiative
World Opera Day is celebrated each year on October 25.
But one day of celebration isn’t long enough! The US and Canada has a flourishing operatic music community. We’re proud to share the amazing events our members have planned for you during the whole month of October.
Join in the fun as OVI hosts weekly activities for everyone to enjoy, online and in-person: from online scavenger hunts to Opera Craft Night, to Masquerade Movie Nights and Backstage Tours of upcoming productions, there’s something for everyone.
Starting October 1, OVI will share a fun daily opera-themed social media post. Follow us on Facebook, Insta, and LinkedIn to share and participate! Puzzles, trivia prizes, opera-themed recipes to try, book suggestions, and more await.
Click the Calendar Pages below to view the events in store!
September 27- October 4 Events
Aria Ready to Celebrate?
Invite your community to join the celebration! Here are some simple strategies to inspire, engage, and grow community interest to make Operatober an annual tradition for your region.
- Cross-Post: Collaborate with your local organizations to share each other’s events on social media and websites. Most guilds or organizations have a Contact Us form on their websites. Simply write a few lines inviting them to come join and help celebrate Operatober. Include your contact info to stay in touch.
- Get Creative: Opera-themed cocktail parties, fashion shows, art exhibits, yoga or dance classes… opera can be enjoyed both on and offstage!
- Opera Memes: with the power of Canva, Photoshop, Krita, and other online software, you can make Operatober-themed memes to garner interest in your community. Use eye-catching graphics (old paintings and meme bases work well), have some cute puns or witty one-liners, and let your creativity go wild.
- Post Online Opera Puzzles: does your organization have some posters or photos from past or current productions/events? Turn them into puzzles to share with your community online via social media! There are many free puzzle makers online; here’s the one we used: https://im-a-puzzle.com/make-puzzle
- Opera Watch Parties: whether it’s a screening of a local production, or a timeless production with masters found free on YouTube, an opera watch party is an easy way to enjoy opera together. In-person, virtual over Zoom, a hybrid of the two: the possibilities are endless.
- Opera Bingo: Host an Opera Game Night by making custom Bingo cards online for free. There are options on Canva, as well as various free websites, which can be shared digitally for virtual games, or printed off for in-person.
- Proclamations: Contact local, county, or state government to request a proclamation for Operatober. Share it on social media, and/or at local opera events planned in your community: an official proclamation brings interest and uniqueness to your celebration!
The Initiative to Celebrate Opera was launched in 2008 by the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) in collaboration with OPERA America. Inspired by Opera America, the Erwin H. Johnson Memorial Fund, Inc. for Opera, based in Buffalo/Niagara, have been the main sponsor and promoter in their area for Celebrate Opera WNY Week, Day, and Opera-tober for the past 14 years.
A special thanks to Danielle Di Stefano, soprano, EHJ’s Artistic Director, and the creator/organizer of the Opera-tober initiative.