On November 24, Opera Carolina announced the launch of the Classical Artists Fund, a new philanthropic initiative designed to provide vital support to the artists and creative professionals who bring opera to life.
The fund will make its public debut at Bella Notte: A New Year’s Eve Masquerade Gala, held at The Ballantyne Hotel in Charlotte, NC and is inspired by Mozart’s enchanting The Magic Flute.
The Black Wall Street Times spoke with Dr. Shanté Williams, General Director of Opera Carolina about what attendees can expect at NYE.
“I’m originally from Charlotte, and I was impacted by a singer who was singing while I was shopping for groceries, and she had such a beautiful voice, and so I commented, ‘Oh, are you singer?’ And she responded, ‘Well, I would like to be, but I have to pay the bills.'”
Dr. Williams continued, “That really stuck with me, and it really made me consider all of the normal life challenges that someone has while they’re building a family, trying to grow their career, and really highlighting how difficult it might be to go to auditions, afford hotel rooms, and have to travel to promote your talent.”
Fund aims to support performing arts professionals
Created during a period of uncertainty for performing arts professionals, the Classical Artists Fund will offer financial assistance across a spectrum of needs—from auditions, training, and professional development to emergency support and compensation for lost contracts. Importantly, the fund extends beyond singers to encompass the full ecosystem of opera: stagehands, union crews, costume and set designers, directors, choreographers, musicians, and more.
“If you play an instrument, if you’re an opera singer, even if you’re a stagehand, the workers are doing a lot of that work that we’re enjoying,” Dr. Williams affirmed.
“People tend to think about opera as a very rich, expensive thing. And a lot of people think that translates to every performer on the stage. For me it was about shining a light on these artists, whether they are new or established having to spend quite a bit of money promoting themselves, and sometimes they need extra support outside of that one paycheck.”
“I like to listen to people’s stories”
“Whether I’m backstage or I’m talking to the costume designer, I like to listen to people’s stories. I get the privilege of going internationally in the summers with Opera Carolina, and listening to the young people talk about what it took for them to get to Italy, or what it took for them to go to Conservatory, or listening to someone who never got to go to Conservatory because it was, frankly, too expensive,” Dr. Williams explained.
“Anytime you’re looking at a full grand opera, you’re looking at 250 different professions on that stage that made it happen. And when we talk about supporting the classic arts, that means we have to also support the people who make it happen, those who get the set scenery built and painted, and made hyper realistic, also the lighting designers. That’s everybody involved in that process,” stated Dr. Williams.
“And that’s 250 different careers that we get to touch and intersect anytime we put on the show and that’s what we want to make sure doesn’t fall by the wayside when people are thinking about the classical arts.”
“It’s not about me, it’s about we”
“I let our artists know that we do care as an opera company. It’s not just us thinking about how to make Opera Carolina better or bigger. I tell my team internally, it’s not about me, it’s about we, and that’s we as in all of us, because we all have to live in this community,” Dr. Williams affirmed.
Asked what are some of the most common misconceptions about the opera, Dr. Williams replied, “the cost of the ticket covers the cost of the production of a show, with opera, and this is almost universal, the cost of the ticket, whether you’re sitting in a box or in the orchestra or even in the balcony, those ticket prices actually don’t cover the entire cost of the show.”
“This is why we have to take on these sponsorship opportunities and work with brands to try to band together, because if we try to charge the audience what it costs to put on the shows to make sure we broke even, the prices would be even higher.”
Opera Carolina to bring in the new year with a bang
To celebrate the launch, Opera Carolina invites the community to an unforgettable evening at Bella Notte. Guests will enjoy live music, dancing, and an air of masquerade, featuring Charlotte’s premier party band InfiniteSoul and Opera Carolina’s celebrated Resident Company, highlighted by the exhilarating “Queen of the Night” aria. The night concludes with a midnight champagne toast to welcome 2026.
“It’s going to be a lot of fun, Dr. Williams said. “And one of the things we wanted to make sure people know is that we can party with a purpose. We’re encouraging everyone to donate and be generous before they come into those doors, because after that, when we get into that space, you’re going to get a wonderful night of entertainment and dancing.”
Dr. Williams continued, “When we think about opera, it’s a combination of every other classical form. So you’ve got the symphony and the strings, you’ve got the vocals, you’ve got even musical theater wrapped up into opera. You’ve got dance, you’ve got costumes and all of those things, all of those components are going to be in the night as the early entertainment. And then we have a live band that’s going to get everybody up on the dance floor to really help us bring in the new year.”
For tickets and additional information, please visit here.