Advertising with North Carolina Opera
Now booking for the 2024/25 season! Email Angela Grant to discuss advertising and sponsorship opportunities with North Carolina Opera.
ABOUT NORTH CAROLINA OPERA
North Carolina Opera was formed in 2010 from the merger of The Opera Company of North Carolina and Capital Opera Raleigh. The mission of North Carolina Opera is to enhance the cultural life of North Carolina by presenting artistically significant opera productions of the highest quality, strengthening and expanding audiences for opera in the region, and providing regional artists opportunities to participate in operatic productions and events.
During its first decade, NCO produced fully staged opera productions from the standard repertory and performed works of Wagner, Dvořák, Tchaikovsky, and Bellini in concert and semi-staged formats. The company’s acclaimed Wagner series has included a semi-staged production of the complete Das Rheingold as well as acts in concert from Die Walküre, Tristan und Isolde, and Siegfried. NCO was part of the consortium of opera companies that commissioned Jennifer Higdon and Gene Scheer’s opera Cold Mountain based on the novel by Charles Frazier. NCO presented the opera’s Southern U.S. premiere in collaboration with Carolina Performing Arts at the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill.
In 2022, NCO produced the world stage premiere of Sanctuary Road by Paul Moravec and Mark Campbell to sold-out houses. Other contemporary offerings include Philip Glass’s Les Enfants Terribles, John Supko’s All Souls, D.J. Sparr’s Approaching Ali (with libretto by Mark Campbell and Davis Miller), Patrick Morganelli’s Hercules vs. Vampires, and Daniel Thomas Davis’s Family Secrets. Please see our production archive for information on our past seasons.
The company also has presented concerts and vocal recitals by Metropolitan Opera singers such as Michael Fabiano, Lawrence Brownlee, Anthony Roth Costanzo, and Leah Crocetto. NCO’s educational programs bring opera to schools across Wake County and surrounding counties.
HOW WE PROMOTE OUR SHOWS
North Carolina Opera develops fully integrated marketing communications and advertising strategies to reach prospective patrons in the Triangle region. Typical campaigns include a media mix with an array of traditional (TV, print, radio, direct mail, etc.) and highly targeted digital advertising (social + display). Some of the places where you can expect to see our shows advertised include WUNC, PBS NC, Raleigh Magazine, WALTER magazine, and Curtis Media stations including KIX. A target audience demographic for each opera and the season as a whole is created, and we tailor each marketing campaign to reach audiences with the right message at the right time.
BENEFITS OF ADVERTISING WITH NORTH CAROLINA OPERA
By purchasing an ad in our playbill you are investing in the continued growth of North Carolina Opera and the arts in Raleigh, as well as the growth of your business. You’ll gain access to thousands of opera patrons across a season of world-class performances. This is your opportunity to be a part of downtown Raleigh’s exciting arts scene while supporting the arts and arts workers in your community!
WHO ARE OUR PATRONS
North Carolina Opera ticket buyers, whether they purchase a season package or individual show tickets, are generally well educated, high net worth individuals, residing within 35 miles of downtown Raleigh, NC. They typically rank higher on the discretionary income index, making them the perfect audience to get your products and services in front of.
AUDIENCE DEMOGRAPHICS
2024/25 SHOWS
Verdi // ERNANI in Concert
November 10, 2024 | Meymandi Concert Hall
A riveting tale of love, betrayal, and vengeance set in 16th-century Spain. The bandit Ernani seeks to rescue his beloved Elvira, but she is being wooed by both the young King Charles, and the older nobleman Silva. Political intrigue, personal vendettas, and passionate music much like Il Trovatore deliver an exhilarating opera experience that will leave you on the edge of your seat!
Simon/Seaton // THE PASSION OF MARY CARDWELL DAWSON
December 13-15, 2024 | AJ Fletcher Opera Theater
A new play with music starring acclaimed mezzo-soprano Denyce Graves! North Carolina-born trailblazer Mary Cardwell Dawson founded the National Negro Opera Company in the mid-20th century, creating unprecedented opportunities for Black artists and audiences across America. One evening in 1943, the company is scheduled to perform Carmen on a floating barge on the Potomac River. When inclement weather threatens to force the performance into a segregated hall, Mary must navigate the raging storms to ensure the show goes on.
Catán // FLORENCIA EN EL AMAZONAS
January 31 & February 2, 2025 | Raleigh Memorial Auditorium
North Carolina Opera’s first ever Spanish language opera! Embark on a magical and mysterious journey along the mighty Amazon. Glamorous opera legend Florencia Grimaldi is traveling incognito by steamboat through the enchanted rainforest in hopes of finding her long lost love. Wracked by storms and a cholera outbreak, she and her fellow passengers are drawn deeper into the Amazon, where fantasy and reality intertwine, and their hopes and dreams are tested.
Mozart // THE MARRIAGE OF FIGARO
April 4 & 6, 2025 | Raleigh Memorial Auditorium
Comedic capers and uproarious antics take center stage as Mozart’s classic opera battle of the sexes and the classes returns to NCO. Follow Figaro, the cunning confidant, and Susanna, the sly servant, as they navigate a maze of matrimonial mayhem and mischief. With hilarious hijinks and a sensational score, the “greatest opera ever written” will have you rolling in the aisles!
RATES
Prices per insertion. Premium positions are sold for the entire season only unless otherwise noted.
AD SPECS
DEADLINES
ADDITIONAL ADVERTISING AND SPONSORSHIP OPPORTUNITIES
Additional advertising placements are available through North Carolina Opera’s owned digital channels, including Meta (Facebook, Instagram) and e-mail lists (e-newsletters, pre- or post-show informational emails). Corporate sponsorships can include a variety of promotional opportunities in addition to print and digital advertising, such as show tickets, invitations to VIP receptions and parties, logo placement and branding of performances or programs, and more. We’d love to create a custom sponsorship proposal to help you reach your goals.
North Carolina Opera, Inc., is a 501(c)(3), not-for-profit organization; Tax ID #31-1486222.