The New York Opera Alliance (NYOA) will launch a five-borough opera series in New York City.

The inaugural event, NYOANext: The Bronx, will highlight the Bronx’s opera community with a public showcase on April 22, 2023. Local Bronx singers will perform alongside several opera companies from around the city, including Bronx Opera, International Brazilian Opera Company, and Opera Praktikos, NYC’s first disability-affirmative opera company, which will feature deaf actress Amelia Hensley in collaboration with mezzo-soprano Shanley Horvitz.

“We are thrilled to be launching this comprehensive borough-wide initiative that will encourage deeper exploration throughout the city’s diverse neighborhoods while supporting small opera companies and spotlighting local artists,” said Marianna Mott Newirth, president of NYOA, in an official statement. “Our aim is to bring this most complex of performing art forms to more and more people who never considered attending opera before. We are here to celebrate, rejuvenate and expand the very meaning of what opera is for all New Yorkers to discover.”

NYOANext occurs three times a year, cycling through all five boroughs. It serves as a platform for the opera community to showcase their skills, network, and connect with each other and their audiences. Each series begins with a general audition and showcase for local singers, followed by highlights of upcoming productions, and finishes with a community gathering featuring food, music, and resources.