Miami Lyric Opera Shutters After 22 Years of Producing Italian Opera

South Florida Classical Review reports that Raffaele Cardone, founder and general and artistic director of Miami Lyric Opera has announced the closure of the opera company after 22 years of producing Italian operas and nurturing talent.

The company's last performance was a double bill of Mascagni’s Cavalleria Rusticana and Puccini’s Suor Angelica in November.

The decision to close MLO is attributed to financial challenges, including increased costs for venue, labor, musicians, and artists, which have made it unsustainable to continue producing quality opera productions. 

Over the years, MLO has been a crucial platform for emerging opera talent, particularly from the local area, helping launch the careers of artists such as baritone Nelson Martinez and tenor Mario Chang, who have both performed at the Metropolitan Opera in New York.

Miami Lyric Opera has been recognized by critics and the public at large for the quality of its productions and its contribution to the arts to the community.

To this date, MLO has produced 23 opera titles, more than 220 operatic performances and nurtured the talents of dozens of young artists now performing on National and International stages.