RALEIGH -- Two local opera companies announced Tuesday that they are joining forces to become a single organization called North Carolina Opera, in large part to help survive the recession.
The merger brings together the larger Opera Company of North Carolina, which has been around for 13 years and presents full opera productions with established singers from around the country, with the smaller Capital Opera, which began in 2003 and has drawn on local talent to stage opera and education programs.
"The new company will do both," said Fran Acquaviva, the merged company's acting general director. "Usually opera companies do one or the other, but we're going to try to do both."
Tim Myers, conductor for Opera Company of North Carolina, will serve as artistic director for the new company. North Carolina Opera will also seek a permanent general director after the first of the year.
"We want to do it right," Acquaviva said. "We want a good person in here, somebody experienced in opera as well as management."
The merger should be in place in time for a premiere gala in April. A new Web site will be launched in the coming weeks at to accompany what Acquaviva said will be a substantial fundraising effort to finance the 2010-11 season.
Finances are a major reason behind the merger. The slowing economy has hit arts organizations hard, including both opera companies.
"We've both had to cut back our seasons and take measures to keep going," Acquaviva said. "The economy isn't the primary driver behind this merger, but it makes sense because of economics of scale. This is happening all over the place. Opera and theater companies and orchestras all over the country are doing this kind of thing to stay afloat."
There is one other company, Long Leaf Opera Theatre, which performs only works written in English during its summer-only season.
