Rogue Opera Receives a large Capacity Building Grant from Meyer Memorial Trust and Hires a Development and PR/Marketing Director

Medford, Oregon, November 6, 2008 – Rogue Opera has been awarded an $80,761 capacity building grant from Meyer Memorial Trust.  Executive Director Lorrie Hall explains, “This is an exciting time for the Rogue Opera.  This generous grant gives us the funds needed to increase community knowledge and involvement by funding a Development and PR/Marketing Director, board and staff training in the “Benevon” Model and ongoing board and staff Organizational Development. A full time Development and PR/Marketing Director will be crucial for the Rogue Opera's continued success and growth.  In addition, this grant will allow the Board of Directors and staff to receive valuable training in the Benevon Model (formerly Raising More Money model) and organizational development.” According to Hall the new Development and PR/Marketing Director’s role will be to promote awareness, develop relationships and increase corporate and private donations.  The Development Director position has been filled by Sarah Koca, formerly the Manager of Internal Communication, Events and Recognition at Harry & David.  “This grant is imperative,” said Hall, adding that the economic crisis and increasing competition for funding make this a particularly challenging year financially. 

Rogue Opera was founded in 1976 by a group of musicians affiliated with Southern Oregon University. The mission of Rogue Opera is to present high quality opera to regional audiences, to train young performers, and to direct its resources into the education and enrichment of our youth and community.  It is currently one of only four opera companies in Oregon and the only opera company between Eugene and Sacramento.  Since 1976, Rogue Opera has presented over 950 school and main stage performances, and added three singer training programs for professional singers and college students. After a lengthy review process, Rogue Opera was granted Professional Company Member Status in OPERA America in June of 2005.

Rogue Opera’s season activities center on an “Opera in the Schools Program” for grades K-12 that reaches 20,000 students in over 100 shows in four months and a “Main Stage Production” each May, Giacomo Puccini’s beautiful opera La Bohème with three shows in Medford and Grants Pass in May 2009.  A “Tickets for Youth Program” provides up to 250 free main stage and concert tickets a year for disadvantaged children and their families through their schools and community organizations.  Rogue Opera and Southern Oregon University (SOU) collaborate on three singer training programs (SOU provides rehearsal and performance space): 1) The “Complete Singer Training Series”, a weekend training program with a master class led by noted faculty from the best opera training programs in the country, 2) “Opera Workshop”, the nine-week long course that serves professional and pre-professional singers in the community and voice students from SOU and culminates with two “Voices from the Valley Opera Scenes Concerts”, and 3) “Behind the Scenes Youth Mentoring Program”, designed to build musical, dramatic and technical skills in area college and high school students that takes place during main stage productions. Participating SOU students may apply for college credit for the latter two. Willene Gunn has been Rogue Opera's Artistic Director and Stage Director for the last two years. Ms. Gunn was the Director of Opera programs at San Francisco Conservatory for 30 years prior to moving to the Rogue Valley. 

Meyer Memorial Trust was created by the personal philanthropy of Fred G. Meyer and is no way connected with Fred Meyer, Inc. For further information contact Rogue Opera at 608-6400 or e-mail office@voiceofopera.com.

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