About BLO | Boston Lyric Opera

OUR MISSION

Boston Lyric Opera inspires, entertains, and connects communities through compelling opera performances, programs, and gatherings.

OUR VISION

To create operatic moments that enrich everyday life.

OUR VALUES

Boldness
We tell evocative stories through music and drama on a large scale and in unexpected settings.  We celebrate the rich history of opera and promote adventurousness, which advances the art form, accesses our imaginations, and inspires new thinking.

Collaboration
Opera is deeply interconnected storytelling, music, and design on an ambitious level that requires many people’s artistry, technical skill, passion, participation, and support. We nurture creative people and partnerships that are diverse in thinking and experiences, and we provide structure and support for everyone to thrive.

Connection
We nurture a vital ecosystem of relationships and exchanges that elevate the human experience and impact people.  These connections are the force that strengthens us and our communities.

Learning
We seek opportunities to learn new ideas and expand our minds, which drives progress. We create time and space to listen, engage and grow together.

Belonging
We are committed to storytelling that reflects a wide variety of perspectives and identities and invites everyone to participate. We create welcoming and accessible spaces that celebrate the uniqueness of our communities.

“In its creativity and resilience at a time of crisis, BLO has been setting the bar for the city’s midsize arts organizations.”

— Jeremy Eichler, The Boston Globe

“By bringing in new voices and perspectives, confronting the inherent biases in the industry and making the art form as accessible as possible to everyone, BLO is creating an opera company for the modern world.”

— Celina Colby, The Bay State Banner

“Boston Lyric Opera could be setting the stage for the future of opera…cracking open [the] notions of what opera can be…”

— Jared Bowen, GBH

Midway Artist Studios

Now in its 48th Season, Boston Lyric Opera is dedicated to creating compelling operatic experiences throughout the greater Boston area that welcome new audiences, break new ground, and enrich community life. Since its founding in 1976, Boston Lyric Opera has produced world and US premieres, Pulitzer Prize-winning operas, and notable commissions and coproductions, ranging from live stage shows to films streamed worldwide.

BLO has partnered with organizations such as Covent Garden, San Francisco Opera, Detroit Opera, and more, and continues to be a destination for leading artists, conductors, directors, and designers from around the world. Each season, BLO invests in Jane & Steven Akin Emerging Artists to hone their craft and prepare for the next step in their careers. Alongside its mainstage season, BLO presents wide-reaching community and educational public programs and performances year-round, some at its Midway Artist Studios headquarters, others in partnership with the Boston Public Library, Boston Public Schools, and cultural organizations across New England.

BLO launched a new five-year strategic plan in 2022, prioritizing four strategic pillars: Programming, Community, Space, and Leadership, along with a renewed commitment to Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Accessibility. BLO employs over 500 artists and creative professionals annually — vocalists, instrumentalists, artisans, stagehands, costumers, scenic designers, administrators, and beyond. The Company is proud to play a significant and meaningful role in Boston’s vibrant arts community.