North Carolina Opera to Launch Youth Ambassadors Program

RALEIGH, N.C. - North Carolina Opera connects with local high school students through a new NCO Ambassadors Program, launching this fall with the 2015/16 performance season. In partnership with area high schools, this educational program will provide a creative opportunity for youth representatives to take part in audience development as well as help create a new way for opera audience members to interact with the organization and connect to the opera productions.

The NCO Ambassador Program looks to explore more interactive models of gaining audience feedback, get to know our audiences better and contribute to a richer and more creative opera-going experience for patrons of opera performances. NCO Ambassadors will be on hand before performances (and during intermission) to provide insight and interesting information connected to the productions, gain general feedback from patrons, elicit written and recorded audience responses and to brainstorm, create and execute new and innovative ways to engage the NCO audience going forward.

"Education and working within the local community are two very important aspects of the North Carolina Opera mission" says Eric Mitchko, NCO General Director. "We are excited to provide this opportunity to those area high-schoolers who are passionate about performing arts and/or interested in developing their communication/marketing skills. It will also bring some youthful energy and a new level of audience interaction for the organization. I can't wait to see what these students do with the program in its inaugural year!"

North Carolina Opera is currently accepting applications for local high school students who would like to develop their skills in communications and to also gain professional level experience with a local performing arts organization through this program. Interested students should be enthusiastic about the arts, self-motivated, responsible and work well on teams. NCO will provide an orientation to the program, any required training, materials needed, as well as free admission to full dress rehearsals of all productions. Interested students need to fill out a program application form (found online at www.ncopera.org/nco-ambassadors-program) and submit to NC Opera by October 14, 2015.

ABOUT NORTH CAROLINA OPERA

North Carolina Opera was formed in 2010 from the merger of The Opera Company of North Carolina and Capital Opera Raleigh. It is dedicated to presenting operatic performances at the highest level throughout the Triangle. We also have a robust education program that brings opera to schools across Wake County and surrounding counties. North Carolina Opera brings international level artists to Raleigh, Durham and Chapel Hill, and also engages the best in local Triangle talent. Follow us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/NorthCarolinaOpera or on Twitter at www.twitter.com/ncoperafor up to date information on events in the community, news and more.

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