Indianapolis Opera

It was clear that not only could Brown sing opera—she had a rare gift. Her upper register was high and melodic, and she commanded it with equal lightness or fullness. Her lower register was deep and mellow.

“If I had a dime for every time someone came up to me and said, ‘I’m composing an opera,’ I’d be rich,” says the Indianapolis Opera managing director. “But as soon as Richard said ‘Kurt Vonnegut,’ I sat up a little straighter.”

Cocktail hours! Hands-on shows! Cheap lobster! These are just some of the tools local arts groups are using to attract newer, often younger, crowds. Why this is a new survival skill for them—and what’s in store for you as a result.

Larry Legend loves opera? There’s a twist as unexpected as the one in Oedipus Rex. “Why not support the arts?” Bird says. “It’s important for the city and everyone who lives here.”

The Opera knows it won’t be giving up classic, grand operas—but avant-garde productions, operatic musicals, concerts, festivals, and other formats are all on the table to try.