Opera San José has been awarded $22,000 by the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) for Grants for Arts Projects.

The grant will support diverse audience access and opportunities for the Bay Area premiere of “Florencia en el Amazonas” presented by Opera San José.  The company will put the funds from the grant towards the South Bay company’s community outreach for the first Spanish-language opera to be presented on its mainstage.

In a statement, National Endowment for the Arts Chair Maria Rosario Jackson, PhD said, “The NEA is delighted to announce this grant to Opera San José, which is helping contribute to the strength and well-being of the arts sector and local community. We are pleased to be able to support this community and help create an environment where all people have the opportunity to live artful lives.”

Opera San José General Director/CEO Shawna Lucey added, “We are grateful to the National Endowment for the Arts for its generous grant, that will support our ongoing efforts to welcome new audiences to opera, particularly as we present the Bay Area premiere of Daniel Catan’s mesmerizing opera Florencia en el Amazonas. This production marks Opera San José’s first presentation of a Spanish-language opera on its mainstage, and the support of the NEA will enable us to uplift more artists of San Jose, expose more young people to their first operagoing experience, host a public concert series, and more.”

“Florencia en el Amazonas” will be presented between April 20 and May 5, 2024, at the California Theatre.