Temple University and Opera Philadelphia have launched a new partnership aimed at expanding the reach of contemporary opera and providing students with hands-on professional experience in the arts.
The agreement, recently signed by both institutions, outlines a multifaceted collaboration that will focus on producing new opera recordings, fostering student entrepreneurship and creating educational opportunities.
Under the partnership, innovative operas that premiere in Philadelphia will be recorded and distributed to broader audiences through BCM&D Records, the label of Temple’s Boyer College of Music and Dance. The label has previously earned five Grammy Award nominations. Officials said the effort is intended to showcase new works and help expand the audience for contemporary opera.
The collaboration will also prioritize student engagement. Temple students from multiple schools, including the School of Theater, Film and Media Arts, will gain real-world experience in arts marketing, administration and content creation. Students will work on storytelling and audience engagement initiatives for Opera Philadelphia productions, while also interacting with visiting artists and industry professionals.
Temple President John Fry said the partnership aligns with the university’s broader strategic goals and will benefit students across its performing arts programs.
“We are delighted to partner with Opera Philadelphia as they are a renowned American opera company and a prime example of what a modern opera should aspire to be,” Fry said in a statement. “Through partnerships like this one, we are creating a connected educational and cultural landscape in Center City, which benefits not just the Temple and Opera Philadelphia communities but the City of Philadelphia as a whole.”
Anthony Roth Costanzo, general director and president of Opera Philadelphia, said the collaboration reflects a shared commitment to innovation and interdisciplinary training.
“This partnership generates synergies that support students and artists alike and simultaneously can build new audiences for the arts, by providing students real-world opportunities to engage with the creative process and learn alongside some of today’s most innovative performers and creators," Costanzo said.
The two organizations have already begun working together. They recently partnered to record the February world premiere of 'Complications in Sue,' an opera created by 10 composers with a libretto by Pulitzer and Tony Award-winning playwright Michael R. Jackson and starring MacArthur Genius and cabaret icon Justin Vivian Bond.
In April, they plan to record 'Sleepers Awake,' a dream-like rendering of the fairy tale 'Sleeping Beauty' by composer Gregory Spears, at the historic Academy of Music. Both recordings are expected to be released through BCM&D Records.
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