Toledo, OH, August 22, 2024: Toledo Opera has been approved for a $15,000 Ignite Grant award from Ohio Humanities to support 2024-2025 content of the Opera Out of the Box series. The content produced in the 2024-2025 season will pertain to Toledo Opera’s mainstage season of “Love and War.” The funds awarded will support Toledo Opera in producing and developing deeply researched, engaging, and immersive podcast episodes which will enrich the productions of Tosca and South Pacific for a wide variety of audiences. The support will be pivotal in aiding Toledo Opera in its goal to grow and diversify its audience base and return to pre-pandemic audience and program participation numbers. Toledo Opera’s project is among an almost $120,000 sum awarded to various organizations across the state of Ohio.
“This podcast project is a natural extension of our efforts to connect with the community and reach people who might not usually have access to opera,” shared Toledo Opera Development Officer Leah Whitaker. “Through this podcast, we’ll share stories that resonate with real-life experiences, diving into history, culture, and art in a relevant and engaging way. By bringing in experts to explore the themes from our season of Love and War, we aim to tell a richer, more meaningful story that truly connects with our audience.”
“Opera has been a charter interest of WGTE since the radio station [was] formed in 1976. We’re thrilled to expand our partnership with Toledo Opera, and to give listeners a deeper understanding of the many contributions that the performing arts have made, both to our local community and to the genre of opera in general,” shared WGTE Public Media Radio Station Manager Brad Cresswell. “Personally, with my background in opera (both as a singer and on the radio), I’m very excited to see where the program will continue to take us and what other avenues we’ll explore in the future.”
About Opera Out of the Box: Began in the 2023-2024 season with six episodes, Opera Out of the Box aims to demystify the genre of opera, as well as to provide information about Toledo Opera’s mainstage productions, educational programs, community engagement programs, Resident Artist program, and much more. Hosted by WGTE Public Media’s Radio Station Manager, Brad Cresswell, each episode features experts in both Toledo Opera and opera overall.
About the Love & War Series: Each podcast episode will delve into a specific theme or topic drawn from Tosca or South Pacific and will feature an expert in the respective field. Topics will range from the history of the Napoleonic Wars and the cultural significance of the opera diva to American imperialism in the Pacific and the legacy of Tiki culture. Additionally, Toledo Opera will honor the humanity of love and war by profiling and celebrating local veterans of America’s wars through our marketing and social media channels.
About WGTE: WGTE Public Media, licensed and operated by The Public Broadcasting Foundation of Northwest Ohio, is a non-profit, noncommercial, educational TV and radio broadcaster and center of learning for northwest Ohio and Southeast Michigan. WGTE is proud to be a PBS and NPR member station. It was founded as a low-power educational television broadcaster in 1953. Education remains at the heart of what they do every day. From their entertaining, informative and educational programs that air on WGTE TV, FM 91, and www.knowledgestream.org to their professional opportunities for K-12 teachers and preschool daycare providers and community engagement activities, WGTE makes northwest Ohio and southeast Michigan a better place to live. For more information, visit www.wgte.org.
About Ohio Humanities: Ohio Humanities is a nonprofit organization that shares stories to spark conversations and inspire ideas. They host programs and award grants that support storytellers statewide, from museums to journalists to documentary filmmakers. The humanities tell the stories of our shared human experience, strengthen communities, and help bridge divides. Ohio Humanities seeks to connect Ohioans in ways that help them better understand each other and more thoughtfully engage with the world around them.
For more information on Ohio Humanities grant awards, visit ohiohumanities.org/grants/. To learn more about Toledo Opera’s season, visit toledoopera.org.