Florida Grand Opera Celebrates Receiving the Largest Gift in its History

Florida Grand Opera (FGO) announced today that it will hold a Ribbon Cutting Ceremony and Media Tour to commemorate the largest gift received in the history of the company. General Director and CEO Susan Danis said, "We are speechless. This generosity exceeds anything we could have imagined."

In January of 2016, FGO sold its headquarters in Doral to improve its financial condition. The friendly buyers gave the opera a most favorable leasing rate. The opera expected to start exploring alternative locations for its 35,000 square feet location in Doral. The building houses production functions, rehearsal space, and its administrative offices. This summer, Ms. Danis was informed by the new owner of the Doral property that they were "giving" the building to the opera, free and clear. "This is a gift worth $6.8 million to Florida Grand Opera. It substantially changes the future of the company and significantly improves the balance sheet. It is a game changer." Danis continued.

Although the "friendly buyers" remain anonymous, their impact on the cultural life of South Florida will be felt for many generations to come.

WHO: South Florida Press

WHAT: Ribbon cutting ceremony and media tour

WHEN: Friday, October 14, 2016 at 12 PM

WHERE: Florida Grand Opera Offices at the Doral Center
8390 NW 25th Street, Miami, FL 33122

Florida Grand Opera (FGO), the oldest performing arts organization in Florida, celebrates its 76th year of continuously producing grand opera during the 2016-17 Season. The mainstage operas of the season include: Georges Bizet's Carmen, November 12-December 3, 2016; Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky's Eugene Onegin, January 28-February 11, 2017; Jorge Martín's Before Night Falls, March 18-25, 2017; and Giuseppe Verdi's A Masked Ball (Un Ballo in Maschera), April 29 - May 13, 2017.

FGO is currently accepting subscription renewals, new subscriptions, and single ticket purchases online or at FGO's offices. FGO's Box Office is located at the Doral Center on 8390 NW 25 Street, Miami, FL 33122, and is open from 10am to 4pm, Monday through Friday during the season. Season tickets may also be purchased by phone at (800) 741-1010. For more information on supporting our work through donation, or to make a pledge, please contact Individual Giving Officer Carlton Ford at 305.403.3320 or cford@fgo.org.

Founded in 1941 as Greater Miami Opera and later merging with The Opera Guild Inc. in 1994, FGO presents a mixture of standard repertoire and contemporary works as well as commissions and new productions - all featuring projected translations in English and Spanish. FGO is recognized for funding by the State of Florida, Department of State, Division of Cultural Affairs, the Florida Arts Council, and the National Endowment for the Arts. Funding is also provided, in part, by the Broward County Board of County Commissioners as recommended by the Broward Cultural Council and the Greater Fort Lauderdale Convention & Visitors Bureau, the Miami-Dade County Department of Cultural Affairs, Cultural Affairs Council, the Mayor and the Miami-Dade County Board of County Commissioners and the Miami-Dade County Tourist Development Council. Program support is provided by the City of Miami Beach, Cultural Affairs Program, and the Cultural Arts Council. Florida Grand Opera is a Resident Company of the Adrienne Arsht Center for the Performing Arts of Miami-Dade County and a member company of OPERA America. Intercontinental Miami is the Official Hotel and Steinway & Sons is the Official Piano of Florida Grand Opera.

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