Contact:
Ashley Mirakian
Chief of Marketing and Audience Development
470-427-2236
amirakian@atlantaopera.org
THE ATLANTA OPERA CREATES NEW COMMUNITY PROGRAM - ATLANTA OPERA SINGING TELEGRAMS
Virtual "love notes" connect The Atlanta Opera Studio Artists with at-risk populations during COVID-19 pandemic
ATLANTA – April 16, 2020 – The Atlanta Opera announced today a new community program meant to create personal connections for those who are lonely, at-risk or just feeling the need for human interaction during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The concept is fairly simple. Using a cell phone or another recording device, Atlanta Opera Studio Artists and members of The Atlanta Opera Chorus will film themselves singing or playing piano and share the video with senior living communities, hospitals, or other individuals in need of emotional support during this challenging time. By sharing a short aria or a recipient’s favorite song, the singers hope to make a small, positive impact on someone’s day. The program recently piloted with residents at Lenbrook [Independent Senior Living] in Atlanta, and in the coming weeks the initiative will expand to reach front-line healthcare workers and other individuals in the Atlanta community. Among those expected to receive the recorded telegrams are doctors, nurses, and other healthcare providers at Grady Health System who are actively combatting the COVID-19 pandemic. The Atlanta Opera costume shop is already working with Grady to sew mask covers to extend the life of N95 respirators, as well as hospital gowns.
“The Atlanta Opera Studio Artists were looking for ways to continue to use their voices to uplift during this tough time,” said task force chair and Director of Community Engagement & Education, Jessica Kiger. “We’re excited about these micro-victories that create community and connect to our mission. It’s a very hopeful, personal program that should bring a little joy during a period of anxiety.”
“During this time of crisis, we are continuously amazed at the outpouring of kindness for our staff. The Atlanta Opera Singing Telegrams are a wonderful gift that will truly lift the spirits of those on the frontline of the COVID pandemic,” said Lindsay Caulfield, Chief Experience Officer, Grady Health System.
Bernie Goldstein, a Lenbrook resident and chair of the senior community's Friends of the Arts Committee, expressed his appreciation for the messages saying, “The telegrams provided these lovely, potent sounds, like hearing a rainbow! Listening to The Atlanta Opera Studio Artists takes your troubles away, even if just for a little while. It fills you with hope and good feelings.”
Atlanta Opera Singing Telegrams was the brainchild of the organization’s new Community Service Taskforce, a group of opera employees representing every area of the company—from stage production to marketing.
