MPP Laurie Scott (Haliburton-Kawartha Lakes-Brock) met with the Highlands Opera Studio (HOS) team last week to learn more about how their two-year, $92,100 Resilient Communities Fund grant from the Ontario Trillium Foundation (OTF) will support new and innovative ways to experience and raise awareness for opera. According to Scott, this investment will create “more opportunities for our community to get involved with the arts… and ensure that the Highlands Opera Studio is able to share the gift of experience and creativity, in person and virtually.”
Awarded this past summer, the grant will support the purchase of digital equipment to be used inside and outside the theatre, along with the hiring of specialized personnel to operate the equipment and train HOS staff in its use. The new resources will also streamline operations and give the community improved access to HOS programs and events.
“For some people, the pandemic has created a lasting apprehension to return to live events in confined spaces, and has also resulted in a serious lack of qualified professional theatre technical personnel, impacting the ability to prepare and present live staged events,” said Valerie Kuinka, General and Co-Artistic Director of Highlands Opera Studio. “Through the purchase of strategic digital equipment, this grant will enable HOS to streamline and upgrade all our activities and re-connect to our community not only through the unequalled experience of live performance in indoor venues, but also online, or even outside, therefore serving our community better.”
More information about Highland Opera Studio’s 2023 digital viewing options will be available in the weeks to come, including free, unlimited online streaming of past events for summer season ticket holders, Pay-What-You-Can singing lessons, and other special community events. Audiences are encouraged to check their website for updates and news.
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