Artist Statement

The goal of small opera is to bring pop-up opera to the community and make the classic art form fresh, fun, and accessible for all! We are a no-frills opera company bringing compact shows & pop-up events around the southeast US. We use intimate casts, minimal costumes, stripped sets, simply Nomadic Vocal Drama! Our events are our chance to bring opera to YOU by singing in unconventional spaces and environments, having modern interpretations of classic repertoire, and encouraging audience participation. We are sure you have not experienced opera like this before!

 

Artist Bio

3:45 p.m. on October 7, 2017

Melanie Burbules is a Chicago-raised, Atlanta-based mezzo-soprano and is emerging as an exciting operatic young artist. She has performed with Atlanta Opera, Knoxville Opera, small opera atlanta, the Janiec Opera Company, Marble City Opera, the University of Tennessee Opera Theater, Harrower Opera Workshop, and the Boston University Opera Institute. As an avid proponent of bringing opera to the community, Melanie directs and sings with small opera atlanta (SMOPATL) and also is a co-director of Opera on Tap Atlanta.

Tenor Daniel Weisman has been with small opera since its conception in 2016 and staged their inaugural production of Mozart’s Così fan tutte. Daniel has performed with Atlanta Opera, Capitol City Opera, Georgia State University, Harrower Summer Opera Workshop, Red River Lyric Opera, and the Kent State Theatre. He is a co-director of Atlanta’s Opera on Tap and small opera atlanta (SMOPATL).

Mezzo-soprano Katherine Oates Small has performed leading roles to much acclaim with the Ash Lawn Opera Young Artists (now Charlottesville Opera), Capitol City Opera Company, the Atlanta Opera Studio Tour, Peach State Opera, Georgia State University, Opera Breve, Harrower Summer Opera Workshop, and Florida State University.  During her time in Atlanta, Katie served as a director of the Atlanta chapter of Opera on Tap and founded small opera, her compact company bringing nomadic vocal drama and pop-up opera around the southeast! Katie currently resides in Charleston, SC and has launched the small opera Charleston chapter (SMOPSC)!