BENTONVILLE, Ark. (KNWA/KFTA) — A $34 million grant from the Walton Family Foundation will fund a new theater building for Opera in the Ozarks.
The grant will fund the design and construction of a new facility that the program hopes will attract a new generation of singers and musicians.
“For seven decades, artists have traveled to Opera in the Ozarks on their music education journey,” said Jim and Lynne Walton in a release from the foundation. “A new theater continues this legacy by offering generations of future musicians and singers a new stage to showcase their talents.”
The new theater is set to seat 300 people and promises an intimate audience experience.
“A new theater will be transformational for our artists and audiences,” said Nancy J. Preis, general director of Opera in the Ozarks. “It will offer artists a stage worthy of their talents. Our new home will also be a welcoming space for audiences to enjoy an intimate and high-quality performance.”
The new theater, located in Eureka Springs, will feature a lobby for guests, an expanded costume shop and new housing for faculty.
Construction begins this month and should be completed by 2025.
