Pennsylvania Opera Theater
| Company type | Opera company |
|---|---|
| Industry | Performing arts |
| Founded | 1975 |
| Founder | Barbara Silverstein |
| Defunct | 1993 |
| Headquarters | Philadelphia , United States |
Key people | Barbara Silverstein (Artistic Director) |
| Products | Opera performances |
The Pennsylvania Opera Theater (POT) was a Philadelphia-based American opera company located in Pennsylvania. Established in 1975 by Barbara Silverstein, who remained the Artistic Director for the entirety of its 18-year existence, the organization specialized in performing operas that were either newly composed or seldom staged, all presented in English. The majority of its productions were held at the Merriam Theater. Financial difficulties led to the company's closure in 1993.
The company's debut performance was Otto Nicolai's The Merry Wives of Windsor, which premiered on May 22, 1976. POT showcased significant contemporary works such as Margaret Garwood's Rappacini's Daughter (1983), Vincent Persichetti's The Sibyl (1985), and The Secret Garden (1991) by David Ives and Greg Pliska. In 1982, the company presented the U.S. debut of Haydn's Orlando paladino, featuring tenor John Gilmore.
Among other uncommon productions were Argento's Postcard from Morocco (1977), Britten's adaptation of The Beggar's Opera (1978), Cavalli's Ormindo (1979), Offenbach's La belle Hélène (1980), Bucci's Sweet Betsy From Pike (1980), Amram's Twelfth Night (1981), Rossini's Le comte Ory (1981), Donizetti's Il furioso all'isola di San Domingo (1982), Weil's The Threepenny Opera (1984), Britten's The Turn of the Screw (1987), Purcell's The Fairy-Queen (1988), and Ward's The Crucible (1989). The final production staged by the company was Mozart's Così fan tutte, performed on May 14, 1993 at the Merriam Theater.