Americolor Opera Overview

Americolor Opera Alliance was founded by composer Sharon J. Willis in 1999 in order to present her first opera, The Opera Singer in 2000, Atlanta, Georgia.  This opera included more than 50 singers, a complement of dancers, actors and a sixteen-piece chamber orchestra with piano, organ and percussion accompaniment.  Afterwards, the impact of the opera’s success motivated the founder to write more original works while also presenting portrait versions of mainstream opera such as Mozart’s The Magic Flute; Bizet’s Carmen; concert version of Gershwin’s Porgy and Bess (excerpts); and Mozart’s Cosi fan tutte. 

Since its premiere performance of The Opera Singer in April 2000, the Company has continued to provide performance opportunities for many of Atlanta’s talented classically trained singers, dancers, and actors; to provide educational productions for several urban elementary schools, and several production projects for many Greater Atlanta churches.  Now, nearly 21 years later, the Company has established itself as a unique opera company that presents stage works based upon American and Afro-centric heritage.  In addition to the original operas composed by Dr. Willis, the Company, under the name AOA Theater Arts, presents plays, also written by Willis, that have put forth many issues pertaining to women’s rights, medical topics, and social matters: Unspoken (AIDS); Rev. Sistuh! (women’s rights); This Flag (social-civil controversy); Victorian Secrets (personal right issues), and Connect 3 (autism and Alzheimer’s awareness). See Performance Record

Vision Statement

Our vision is to become one of the nation’s premiere specialty opera and theater arts companies.

Mission Statement

Americolor Opera celebrates American music and culture by presenting lyric dramas, theater, and historical narratives based upon American and Afro-centric culture. It offers performance experiences and opportunities for classically trained professional and amateur artists; particularly, but not exclusively, from the Greater Atlanta area.