INSPIRING A LOVE OF OPERA

Soprano Rosa D'Imperio as Abigaille and tenor Benjamin Sloman as Ismaele during OTM's inaugural production, Verdi's Nabucco, in January 2015. Photo by Lianne Schoenwiesner.

Opera Theatre of Montclair was launched in January 2013 and acquired 501(c)(3) nonprofit status in 2014. The company enriches the cultural life of Montclair, New Jersey, and the surrounding area by offering fully-staged performances of opera featuring professional singers, instrumentalists, dancers and visual artists.

OTM keeps ticket prices low to encourage new audiences to attend, both young and those who already have an appreciation for the art form. Additionally, the company provides much-needed opportunities for professional singers.

The Opera Orchestra of Montclair is a vital part of OTM. Our multigenerational orchestra comprises highly-experienced musicians as well as advanced students. The mature artists serve as mentors to those less experienced. 

Educational outreach is a main mission of OTM.  The company has performed extensively in public and private schools, libraries and senior centers.  Supplementing dwindling music education programs is critical to building future audiences.

OTM opened to great critical acclaim in January 2015 with its inaugural production of Verdi’s Nabucco.  Beginning in March 2015, OTM began presenting touring outreach performances of an abridged version of Mozart's The Magic Flute as part of its education initiative.  This production has been frequently presented in schools, libraries, churches and senior centers on an ongoing basis. In February 2016, OTM presented its second full-scale production, Mozart's The Abduction from the Seraglio. Handel's Acis and Galatea done as theatre in-the-round followed in September 2016. In September 2017, OTM presented its fourth fully-staged production, Rossini's La Cenerentola (Cinderella), to sold-out houses. In September 2018, OTM presented Humperdinck's Hansel and Gretel.

As a proponent of collaboration, OTM often joins forces with Van Vleck House & Gardens, Little Falls Public Library, Montclair Public Library, Crane's Mill Retirement Community, Jazz House Kids, Montclair Film, The Montclair Orchestra, as well as students and alumni of The Cali School of Music of Montclair State University. OTM has received grants from The County of Essex, The Montclair Fund for Educational Excellence, The Investors Bank Foundation and The Montclair Foundation.

OTM was recently invited to join the prestigious New York Opera Alliance, the first non-New York City company to do so. In early 2018, OTM was the Winner of the JerseyArts.com People's Choice Award for New Jersey's Favorite Opera Company. In October 2018, OTM's General Director, Mia Riker-Norrie, received the first AC2 Award (Agent of Curiosity and Change) and was honored as part of Montclair Design Week.