Founded in 1946, Mobile Opera is Alabama's Oldest Performing Arts Organization and is recognized by OPERA America as the 15th opera company established in the United States. Mobile Opera began as the Mobile Opera Guild in the Fall of 1945, with two performances presented to enthusiastic sold-out audiences in April of 1946. This positive community response encouraged the young company and its founder, Madame Rose Palmai-Tenser.
An established European concert artist and native of Czechoslovakia, Mrs. Tenser fled the Nazi invasion with her family, immigrating to America and a new home in Alabama's port city of Mobile. For the next twenty-five years, Mrs. Tenser would lead the Mobile Opera as its General Director, guiding the company through consistent growth and artistic success.
The establishment of the Mobile Opera Guild Auxiliary (the eighth in the nation to be affiliated with the Metropolitan Opera Guild) provided an outlet for the countless volunteers whose support throughout the company's history has been so vital to its success. In addition to mainstage productions, programs of opera excerpts were presented throughout a five-state area, establishing the company's long-standing commitment to arts education in the schools and communities of Alabama and the Gulf Coast. Following the death of its founder in 1971, the leaders of Mobile Opera continued to kindle the operatic fire ignited by "Madame Rose", ennobling her efforts through the establishment of the vocal scholarship competition which bears her name and awards over $5,000 annually.
The emergence of Katherine Willson ensured the security of the company's future, overseeing the company's growth and expansion as the company's Production Coordinator and General Manager. During the company's 1995/1996 season, Mrs. Willson was elected the first female President of the Board, celebrating Mobile Opera's 50 th Anniversary Season and her own distinguished thirty-five year commitment to Mobile Opera. Under the guidance of Pelham "Pat" Pearce, Mobile Opera continued to earn notoriety for both the quality of its productions and its innovative programs dedicated to education and community outreach.
Mobile Opera's commitment to the encouragement of promising young American operatic talent has seen such outstanding artists as Christine Weidinger, Michael Devlin, Susan Quittmeyer, Anthony Laciura, Barry McCauley, Stella Zambalis, Linda Zoghby, Amy Johnson, Philip Webb, Hal France and Sylvia McNair leave the Mobile Opera stage for appearances with the Metropolitan Opera, New York City Opera, Chicago Lyric Opera, San Francisco Opera and the prestigious opera houses and festivals of Europe.
Under the direction of Executive Director Earl Jackson and Artistic Director Jerome Shannon, Mobile Opera's 2007/2008 season includes new productions of Giuseppe Verdi's La Traviata, Messiah Sing-In, Some Enchanted Valentine and Giordano’s Andrea Chenier. Mobile Opera continues its commitment to education and community outreach with presentations of I Sing America, Student Matinees, Teen Night At The Opera, Afternoon of Stars and discounted tickets for students.
In July of 2002, Mobile Opera relocated its offices to the Josephine Larkins Music Center, a newly renovated rehearsal and administrative facility located in the designated downtown arts district, which the company shares with the Mobile Symphony. This unique collaboration between Mobile's premiere performing arts organization has been hailed as a beacon for the redevelopment of the downtown area. With a 2,400 square foot rehearsal hall, seven private music studios, conference room, catering kitchen, patron ticketing services, landscaped courtyard and administrative offices, the Larkins Music Center is quickly becoming an important cultural and community asset.
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