$34 million Opera theater opens near Eureka Springs
by June 3, 2025 1:52 pm 1,179 views
Eureka Springs-based nonprofit Opera in the Ozarks recently opened its new $34 million theater and will kick off its 2025 summer season in June, according to a news release.
Opera in the Ozarks, which is marking its 75th anniversary this year, offers a summer music festival and an opera training program. The new season will include dozens of opera performances and other musical events at venues across Northwest Arkansas.
A $34 million grant from the Walton Family Foundation supported the construction of a new 300-seat theater at 16311 U.S. Highway 62 West. Alongside it are new facilities, including an expanded rehearsal hall, production shops, practice rooms and faculty housing.
Crossland Construction was the general contractor. Polk Stanley Wilcox was the architect. Schuler Shook handled theater design, and Jaffe Holden was responsible for acoustic design.
“For 75 years, Opera in the Ozarks has been a beacon for aspiring opera artists,” said Nancy Preis, Opera in the Ozarks general director. “The opening of this new theater is a transformative moment for our organization, providing artists with a stage that reflects the caliber of their talents and offering audiences an immersive operatic experience like never before.”
The 2025 season runs from June 27 to July 25 at Opera in the Ozarks’ mountainside venue, Inspiration Point Center for the Arts, overlooking Beaver Lake and five miles west of Eureka Springs. It will feature about 40 singers and professional instrumentalists from across the country.
“We have assembled a company of many wonderful singers from across the nation who will convene on our mountain this summer, and the always wonderful orchestra will be at full strength with 25-plus instrumentalists, ready to thrill you with their beautiful music making,” Preis said. “Together they will take part in 21 fully staged and costumed opera performances, including three Sunday matinees.”