ABOUT THE OPERA FOUNDATION
The above video is a 30 minute film created during the coronavirus pandemic in December 2020 by Ruth Tromboukis for our 35th annual “Virtual Opera Gala”. It highlights the Opera Foundation’s programs in Berlin, Munich, Torino and Amsterdam including testimonials from our former singers, opera directors and academics.
Celebrating 30 years of supporting young American opera singers abroad.
The purpose of the Opera Foundation is to support young American singers abroad and build cross-cultural bridges between the United States and other important opera supporting countries. The Foundation provides professional scholarships and study grants to qualified young American singers between the ages of 18 and 30. Since 1987, highly competitive auditions have been held annually to award these scholarships to pre-selected applicants. Currently up to five emerging young artists are chosen every year and placed with our overseas partners: Deutsche Oper Berlin, Teatro Regio di Torino, Die Bayerische Staatsoper in Munich, the Dutch National Opera in Amsterdam and the Wiener Staatsoper in Vienna.
Over the years, the Foundation's supporters have expanded to include individuals and corporations from all over the world, drawing from the rich cultural and corporate diversity of New York City and its environment. It is the Opera Foundation's goal to continue expanding its scholarship activities where it believes it can make a difference in the development of young opera talent, in the spirit of cultural exchange between the United States and beyond.
The above video is a short film about the first 25 years of Opera Foundation's programs at Deutsche Oper Berlin and Teatro Regio Torino since our founding in 1986. The film follows scholarship winners John Paul Huckle, Nathan De'Shon Myers and James J. Kee during their 10 month programs and includes testimonies from Maestro Gianandrea Noseda and one of our Founders, Soprano Karan Armstrong. The film by Tina Flemmerer is available from the Foundation by request.
CURRENT OFFICERS AND BOARD OF DIRECTORS
PRESIDENT
Bernhard Koepp
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
Elizabeth Walbröl
TREASURER
Sherif Lotfi
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Cecilia Dupire, Bernhard Koepp, Sherif Lotfi, Dr. Daniel Mahler, Santiago Trigo, Ashley von Perfall, Elizabeth Walbröl
PAST OFFICERS
PAST PRESIDENTS
Bernd-A. von Maltzan
1986 to 1990
Dr. Stephan Hess
1990 to 1991
Alexander T. Ercklentz
1991 to 2006
PAST TREASURERS
Joachim Graf von Arnim
1990 to 1991
Christoph Marx
1991
Hans-Konrad Graf Finck von Finkenstein
1991 to 1993
Bernhard Köpp
1993 to 2006
PAST EXECUTIVE DIRECTORS
Christa (Dixy) Drechsler
1986 to 1994
PAST SECRETARIES
George Berlstein
1986 to 2005
Stephanie Denkowicz
2005 to 2013
FOUNDERS
K Karan Armstrong, Dr. Bernd-A. von Maltzan, Joseph Bennett, Maria McRae, George Berlstein, Dr. Heinrich Pelke, Christa (Dixy) Drechsler, Dr. Alard von Rohr, Professor Götz Friedrich, Albert B. Shepard, Princess Tassilo von Fürstenberg, Amy Sperling, Dr. Jesús López-Cobos, Elizabeth A. Voight