April 2023
This time of year bridges the conclusion of one season to the promises of the next. We want to take this opportunity to thank all our Mastersigner donors, whose significant financial support and interest have provided much-needed stability for New Orleans Opera productions, programs, activities, and events during the past year. Founded in 1981, the Mastersigners are upper-level contributors who donate at least $5,000 annually. The program has become a cornerstone of individual support, and patrons are granted special access and privileges for their annual gifts. These include access to final rehearsals such as the Sitzprobe (when the principal artists and chorus rehearse with the orchestra for the first time) and Student Night Out; free parking at Mahalia Jackson Theater productions, champagne receptions at the theater, and other interactive events where Mastersigners meet the cast and creative teams of each production in more social settings.
The name “Mastersigner” is a New Orleans Opera twist on “Mastersinger” or “Meistersinger,” members of artisanal guilds in the 14th, 15th, and 16th centuries in the principal cities of Germany for the cultivation of the arts of poetry and music. Rest assured, there are no artisanal, artistic, or academic prerequisites to be a Mastersigner. However, you will find plenty of supporters who have a genuine passion for opera as an art form, who believe in the cultural future of New Orleans, and who want to promote the talents of artists and artisans affiliated with seasonal productions.
To learn more about becoming a Mastersigner, please read the Individual Giving information on our Ways To Support New Orleans Opera web post or contact the Development Department (nooagiving@neworleansopera.org | (504) 267-9526.
Photo: Mary and Doug Albert, Co-Chairs of the Mastersigners