Following Hurricane Milton, Opera Naples’s executive director has released a statement.

Executive director Melanie Kalnins said, “It is our sincere hope that you are safe and managing the impact of Hurricane Milton. I am also writing to provide an update regarding the Wang Opera Center (WOC) following the storm. We are grateful that the WOC managed the storm well. While a minimal amount of water made its way into the WOC, sandbags and other preparations helped to prevent a more serious event, as we saw with Hurricane Ian.”

She continued, “Power at the WOC is intermittent and there are downed power wires next to the building. There is significant flooding on Linwood Avenue and many of our neighbors have experienced major damage. As such, Opera Naples staff will continue to work remotely until the downed power wires are repaired and the street flooding has subsided. Many thanks to the Opera Naples staff and volunteers who worked tirelessly to prepare the WOC and mitigate the impact. Our thoughts are with the community as we recover from this latest storm. If our team can do anything to help support you in the coming weeks, please let us know. Despite the recent events, we look forward to fostering a sense of hope and renewal in our community this season through the healing power of music.”

Hurricane Milton made landfall on Wednesday, affecting many areas of Florida, including Naples. About 3 million people were left without power and many tornadoes touched down leaving destruction.

Additionally, the company rescheduled an event at the Larimart Gallery that was set to featuring a painting my Mary LaGarde honoring Luciano Pavarotti. The event is now set for Oct. 19, 2024 and the painting will be available for viewing until Dec. 5, 2025.