Voices For Change at Pensacola Opera
Can a voice change a life? It’s proven that exposure to the arts, especially at a young age, provides meaningful life skills and enhances a child’s social-emotional development. At Pensacola Opera, we believe in providing quality opera experiences for our community, but are also focusing on how to use our art for good. VOICES FOR CHANGE is a program that brings opera into non-profit community organizations that don’t otherwise have an outlet to experience the arts.
In its 39th Season, Pensacola Opera teamed up with Pace Center for Girls for a meaningful experience which sought to bring arts exposure to this group of young women, and provide some of them a VIP experience. Our partnership began in January with a private Opera 101 and Q&A session with our Artists in Residence. The girls then were treated to a private pop-up shopping event at their school, in which they all received new outfits, shoes and accessories to wear to the opera. The main event took place on Sunday, January 28th, 2022. Twenty hand-selected girls arrived at Volume One Salon for a day of pampering. They all received washes, blow-outs and hair styling, professional makeup, lunch and a professional photo shoot. From there, they went to the historic Saenger Theatre for a VIP reception including desserts and “mocktails” and to take in the sights and sounds of The Magic Flute.
“Donating our time for great causes and maintaining touch points with the community is something that is very important to Volume One. We had a fantastic Sunday teaming up with Pensacola Opera to give the girls with the Pace Center for Girls a day of pampering and art.”
Volume One Salon, via Instagram
The 2022 VOICES FOR CHANGE program ended in February with a special mini-concert at the Pace Center for Girls where the Artists in Residence performed for the whole student body, faculty, and staff. The young women were eager and excited to have this experience; they asked a myriad of questions about opera, music, education, foreign languages, and about the lives of opera singers.
As we move forward, Pensacola Opera plans to expand VOICES FOR CHANGE and explore other organizations and opportunities; we can’t wait to see what the power of voices can do.
Program Sponsors: Synovus Bank, Volume One, Jo Rich Beauty, Dillard’s
Event Sponsors: Lydia and Jeff Abram, Michael Riesberg, Clair and Bob Montgomery, Karen Burke
Special Thanks To: Aida Coleman, Bride Guide Pros, Cassie Stokes, Carol Stoot, David & Lyndi Kessler, Deb Gerhard, Dr. John and Theresa Brannan, Elite Services Quality Clean, Gina Boyleston, Hurst Butts, Jacey J. Cosentino, Jessica Bosley, Jo Rich, Karen Burke, Katherine Velez, Kimberly Thompson, Lydia Abram, Mark VanBuren, Marte Picker, Mary Stone, Meg Burke, Meighan Hobbs, Michael Riesberg, Michele Carter, Pam Schwartz, Paula Turner, Rhonda Ford, Robert Robinson, Robert Sidoti, Sandra J. Houston, Shelby Hamilton, Sooz Cobb, Tasha Bronson, Victoria Lancaster, Vivian Kerr-Luce, and Wendy Grubbs.
