David Hyde Pierce Welcomes All to National Opera Week 2015, Oct 23-Nov 1

Opera companies, schools and organizations across North America will celebrate the seventh annual NATIONAL OPERA WEEK from Friday, October 23 through Sunday, November 1, 2015, with over 140 opera activities and announcements in their communities.

A new addition to the program this year is OPERA ADVOCACY DAY (October 29), which empowers individuals to take action to support the art form. National Opera Week and Opera Advocacy Day are coordinated by OPERA America, the national service organization for opera.

OPERA America is delighted to announce that renowned actor DAVID HYDE PIERCE is serving as the Honorary Chairman of National Opera Week 2015, encouraging audiences to explore opera.

Mr. Pierce stated: "Opera is life at its happiest, at its craziest, at its most heartbreaking and at its most beautiful. Opera transports you to a different world, and changes your world in the process. If you've never been to an opera, National Opera Week is the time to give it a try. Opera companies all over the country are opening their doors and creating special events, backstage tours, kid- and family-friendly performances, you name it. If you're already an opera lover, bring a friend; parents, bring your kids. You'll discover a world of gods and heroes, of barbers and bird catchers, of slapstick and spectacle and magic, and, above all, music -- beautiful, passionate, soul-stirring music. You won't believe your ears."

Mr. Pierce welcomes audiences to National Opera Week in a video message, viewable below and at operaamerica.org/OperaWeek!

National Opera Week celebrates the vibrancy of opera in America today and conveys the excitement and importance of opera to a national audience.

The strength and diversity of established opera companies, community opera ensembles, opera training programs, and opera-related learning and social groups across North America will be on display through the wide array of events offered. These activities include performances, family activities, lectures, social events, tours, trivia contests and announcements of year-round community impact.

"Opera is thriving across the United States and Canada," stated OPERA America President/CEO Marc A. Scorca. "Cities large and small are home to vibrant opera organizations that serve the public inside the opera house with inspiring productions and, in the community, with events for families, demonstrations and performances in alternative venues. National Opera Week demonstrates and celebrates the diversity of our art form today that promises an exciting future for opera across the country."

On Thursday, October 29, Opera Advocacy Day provides an opportunity for individuals who work in or love opera to show their commitment to the art form by urging lawmakers and community leaders to support arts education and other policies and legislation that promote opera and the performing arts. Facts, talking points and other resources are available on the National Opera Week website (operaamerica.org/OperaWeek) and through the Performing Arts Alliance, of which OPERA America is a founding member.

"Nothing makes a bigger difference than when policymakers and community leaders hear from their constituents," stated Brandon Gryde, director of government affairs at OPERA America. "Whether the issue most important to you is arts education in our schools, funding for the National Endowment for the Arts or tax policy for nonprofits, change won't happen if we don't raise our voices. Opera Advocacy Day is a great opportunity for opera companies, artists and lovers of the art form to share how opera and the performing arts make our communities healthier and more vibrant."

Visit operaamerica.org/OperaWeek for a full listing of National Opera Week activities, a welcome video from Honorary Chairman David Hyde Pierce and Opera Advocacy Day resources.

On Twitter, join @OPERAAmerica in the National Opera Week conversation with #OperaWeek.

Learn more about OPERA America and its services at operaamerica.org.