The Knoxville Opera Guild (formerly East Tennessee Opera Guild) is a non-profit, volunteer organization created in 1992 to support Knoxville Opera Company and to provide a means of fellowship for opera lovers. Through fund-raising and educational activities, the Guild makes opera accessible to an increasingly diverse audience and enhances the quality of life in our community.

Knoxville Opera Guild - A Very Special Organization

WE LOVE OPERA!
We are a volunteer organization of people who enthusiastically promote the appreciation of
that magical combination of voice and music called opera. Now in its second decade and with
a membership in the range of 400, the Knoxville Opera Guild (formerly East Tennessee
Opera Guild) is stronger and more active than ever before.

WE RAISE MONEY FOR KNOXVILLE OPERA. In fulfilling our mission statement, the Opera Guild is the largest single contributor to Knoxville Opera. Each year we raise in excess of $100,000 for the Opera Company by presenting several fund raising events. The most anticipated and profitable of these is our Annual Opera Ball that is an enchanted evening of merriment complete with bountiful libations, delicious foods, live and silent auctions, and dancing to a live band until midnight.  Our other major fund raising events are our Annual
Martini Party complete with performances from the UT Opera Theater students, and our old fashion Croquet Tournament which sports an all white or vintage costume dress contest, champagne tea with strawberries and cream, a full "picnic," and some friendly competition of the mallet variety. An unavoidable consequence of being involved in these fundraising
activities is that we have fun and enjoy the camaraderie of other arts minded people.

WE FOSTER YOUNG TALENT. We work with regional and national organizations to encourage and support aspiring, young operatic talent.  We host regional Met Auditions
as part of the annual Metropolitan Opera National Council District Auditions program and we actively support the University of Tennessee’s School of Music Opera Theater program. 
Also, in keeping with our mission to make opera accessible to an increasingly diverse
audience and enhances the quality of life in our community, we work with the professional
staff of Knoxville Opera to provide grass roots educational programs in area schools,
libraries, and community centers.  These programs are designed to stimulate and nurture
an interest in and appreciation of this beautiful art form.

WE MEET WITH OTHER OPERA LOVERS. We organize and arrange a series of social events, which collectively provide a “means of fellowship for opera lovers" and opportunities
for opera lovers to mix and mingle.  Examples of such events are: Cast Parties where we welcome to town visiting opera professionals who perform in Knoxville Opera productions,
Pre-opera Dinners before the Friday evening opera performances, and Monday Night
Dinners at local restaurants with UT Opera Theater students performing some of the
best opera arias.

WE LOVE MAKING NEW FRIENDS. If you like opera, we want to meet you.  Many wonderful friendships have begun at our social events. Carolyn Townsend, Founder and
first President of the East Tennessee Opera Guild once wrote, "I cherish the friends I would probably have never met if it were not for the Opera Guild."