OperaNET tours for three weeks to 30 schools and reaches over 10,000 students. The Opera develops a regional tour to area schools and dubs it OperaNET. In Fall Nashville Opera celebrates its 15th anniversary season announcing three productions and its first season subscription series. Lori Eubank remains with the staff as Financial Director. New Executive Director, Carol Penterman, hires John Hoomes as Artistic Director and Cara Schneider as Company Manager. Henry Howerton, hires Carol Penterman as Executive Director beginning January 1995. In fall the Search Committee, chaired by Dr. President William Whetsell fills the role of acting Executive Director in the interim. In May, Kyle Ridout leaves the company and a national search begins for a new Director. Mary Cortner Ragland is honored at the performance of Bizet’s Carmen as “Founder and Guiding Star of the Nashville Opera Association 1980 – 1991.”

Nashville Opera Guild holds its first Gala Supper before the performance. Nashville Opera hires its first full-time General Director, Kyle Ridout. The Tennessee Opera Theater is founded by Daniel Killman. Nashville Opera Guild holds it first fund raiser, a fashion show which is repeated every two years. Nashville Opera Guild takes over the Metropolitan Opera National Auditions. The Nashville Opera Guild remains as a volunteer organization to raise money and assist the newly chartered Nashville Opera Association.Įd Fish is the first chair of the Nashville Opera Association and Marguerite Fish is the first Guild President. transfers its charter to the Nashville Opera Association. separates from the Nashville Symphony and becomes its own 501 (c) 3 organization. Madama Butterfly performs at TPAC produced by the Nashville Opera Guild, Inc.

is chartered by Mary Cortner Ragland and Ellen Hoffstead to solicit contributions to subsidize the production of Madama Butterfly at the Tennessee Performing Arts Center. Maestro Michael Cherry, successor to Thor Johnson, recruits Mary Cortner Ragland to produce Madama Butterfly.

Maestro Thor Johnson, Music Director for The Nashville Symphony bequeaths a sum of money to the Tennessee Performing Arts Center for the production of opera. “Nashville Opera has secured for itself a place among important regional companies.”

Opera house hotel nashville