Opera for Everyone: Park City Opera and the Value of Community

Who do you picture in the audience of an average opera? How are they dressed? How many of them are using those little monocles? Perhaps they’re discussing the talent of the tenor who sang the cadenza at the end of the aria, or maybe they’re commenting on how well the sweet sound of the continuo complemented the end of the third act. I don’t know about you, but I would feel out of place. I didn’t know that a cadenza is the moment the orchestra goes quiet to let a singer put on an improvised vocal display, or that continuo refers to an accompaniment in the orchestra that provides a bassline and adds harmony.

Opera can seem complicated and above thee, but it doesn’t have to be. This is something Park City Opera is working to change. Although still in their florescence, they are changing the scene and working to make opera an art form that anyone can enjoy. Park City Opera got their start in March 2024 with a summer concert season. Their very first performance of any kind was held at the Park City Library.

“Pretty much every event that we produce is done in partnership with another community organization.”

Their second (and first full) season included a year-round concert series and inaugural large-scale operatic production, Gioachino Rossini’s The Barber of Seville. For the upcoming summer 2026 season, the troupe is planning two main stage operas: Aaron Copland’s The Tender Land, which co-founder and Artistic Director Benjamin Beckman calls “the classic Americana opera,” and another classic, Charles Gounod’s Roméo et Juliette. The season also includes a “very packed” concert series put on in partnership with Mountain Town Music, a Park City nonprofit that often presents live music.

Park City Opera has worked with “more than a dozen different community organizations,” according to co-founder and Executive Director Lena Goldstein. “Pretty much every event that we produce is done in partnership with another community organization,” she says. Working with these organizations allows the troupe to utilize a variety of venues. Goldstein points out the greenhouse at Park City Gardens as a favorite: “It’s a beautiful glass greenhouse filled with plants. We sort of turned the aisles into seating. We do prosecco and present a full concert of songs and arias.” co-founder and Development Director Lisl Wangermann recalls the Park City Library as an impactful venue for the troupe. “We see a lot of kids there, and that’s really, really exciting to see the next generation of performers and audience members discovering something new,” she says.

“You can’t really do opera by just yourself … It just provides a lot of opportunity to meet other creatives and other organizations.”

Working with the local community is a core tenet of Park City Opera as the organization works to break down opera’s highbrow reputation. Things like offering free events and giving opportunities to Utah-based artists are all a part of that effort. Goldstein describes this as “extremely important” to the organization and an “impetus for founding Park City Opera to begin with.” As Wangermann says, “You can’t really do opera by just yourself … It just provides a lot of opportunity to meet other creatives and other organizations.” She says opera forces a “meeting of the minds” because so many people are involved in each production.

“Making everything around the performance … just as fun for an audience member as the performance itself.”

The troupe also prioritizes producing “audience-centered” opera. They want to put on shows that everyone can enjoy. “You go and hear a world-class performance, but the chairs are uncomfortable, it’s hard to find parking and there are no concessions … that’s not fun, especially if you’re not someone who’s familiar with opera,” Beckman says. Park City Opera is trying to “counteract” that experience, he says, “by making everything around the performance … just as fun for an audience member as the performance itself.”

If the idea of accessible opera piques your interest, or maybe you just want to get acquainted with the art form, Park City Opera is the troupe for you! “We just want to see you at our shows. We will make sure you feel comfortable and welcome and that you have all the information you need to fully enjoy the show,” Wangermann says. To learn more about Park City Opera and their upcoming season, visit parkcityopera.org.

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