Our mission is to encourage and promote opera in the Greater Dayton area and to support Dayton Opera through fundraising, marketing and education activities. The Opera Guild of Dayton was founded in 1963.
Diversity Policy
The Guild respects and values unique attributes, characteristics and perspectives of individuals and believes that a diverse membership strengthens its ability to meet and exceed its objectives.
Opera Guild of Dayton was incorporated on November 21, 1963.
- 1964 — Began providing transfers to and from airport for opera cast.
- 1965 — Hosted first Opera Ball.
- 1967 — Hosted first Fashion Show.
- In the ’70’s hosted popular After-Opera suppers.
- In the ’60’s and ’70’s helped in ticketing, advertising, hosted teas and a myriad of other activities and events.
IN-KIND donations through time and effort numbered in the thousands of dollars per year during those early years. Guild membership swelled to 500 in 1978.
- 1981 — Opera Guild was incorporated as a separate entity.
- 1981-1985 — The Guild provided 819 nights of home hospitality for the incoming opera stars and this avenue of tremendous savings continues today.
A conservative estimate of this valuable in-kind contribution from 1963 to 1999 is $500,000 in savings to Dayton Opera. In the first 36 years (1963 to 1999) the funding and in-kind contributions were well in excess of a million dollars.
Financial pledges and yearly commitments to Dayton Opera
- 1985 — Began providing funds for English surtitles. First production to implement this was Tosca. The Guild has been underwriting the surtitles or providing operating support ever since.
- In the ’90’s the Guild also began sponsoring one of the opera productions each year in addition to continued operating support.
- The Guild has contributed significantly to every special campaign and fund drive, in addition to their yearly pledge to operating support and sponsoring an opera production.
- Support of Dayton Opera’s Artist-in-Residence began in 2012.
To date, a total of over $2,000,000 is direct financial support to Dayton Opera for 2000 to 2020.
Some Background on The Opera Guild of Dayton
Friend of the Year Award
The Opera Guild of Dayton Friend of the Year is an award that can be given annually by the Guild to an individual, company or institution that has made a significant contribution to the activities of the Guild. These activities may be relative to the educational, promotional or fundraising involvements of the Guild. The award recognizes long-standing and highly significant support.
1996 – NCR Corporation
1997 – Dayton Marriott
1998 – General Motors Corp.
1999 – Kettering Medical Center
2000 – Houser Asphalt & Concrete
2001 – Ross Motors Mercedes
2002 – Miller-Valentine Group
2003 – Fifth/Third Bank
2005 – St. Paul’s Episcopal Church
2006 – Lovetta Blanke*
2007 – Heidelberg Distributing Co.
2008 – Nancy Neil, arts image
2009 – Dayton Daily News
2010 – John & Jane Mitakides
2011 – Lutheran Church of Our Savior
2012 – Walter Schaller, Events Mgr., Dayton Country Club
2013 – The Siebenthaler Company
2014 – David Criner & Diane Morgan of Pillar Advisory Group of Raymond James
2015 – LaVonna Blake, Catering Director of Moraine Country Club
2016 — Jeff Martin’s Florist
2017 – Furst Florist
2018 – Jenell Ross
2019 – Yolanda Newsome, Sinclair Events Director
2020 – Lee Monnin
BRAVO! Award
During the 1986-1987 season the Opera Guild initiated a special award (BRAVO! AWARD) to be given to a Guild member for outstanding service and devotion over a period of time. Winners are announced at the Annual Meeting.
1987 – Flo Glander*
1988 – Maggie Fitzgibbons*
1989 – M’Benenah Twyman*
1990 – Marie Kelly*
1991 – Jayne Cuthbertson*, Evelyn Lewis* & Carole Simpson*
1992 – Anne Taylor
1993 – June Hix*
1994 – Georgette Belden*
1995 – Jackie Lockwood*
1996 – Nina Woods*
1997 – Erma Catterton*
1998 – Patti Demirjian
1999 – JoAnn Gentry* & Mary Lou Heitkamp
2000 – Sandra Ingberg
2001 – Kathy Brown
2002 – Linda Menz
2003 – Lynn Hunter
2004 – Helena Strauch*
2005 – Peggy Conner
2006 – Dana Kane
2007 – Betty Pitts
2008 – Lois Thomas
2009 – Paul Anderson & Norma J. Ross*
2010 – Lois Sutherland
2011 – Rosalie Jennings
2012 – Kelly Haluschak
2013 – Lee Monnin
2014 – Nora Stang
2015 – Suzanne & Patrick Crippen
2016 – Jane Reynolds
2017 – Linda Rountree
2018 – Pam Eyink
2019 – Pat Ferguson & Cindy Hoffsis
2020 – Barbara Bostick
Past Presidents
Nin Yonts, Jr. 1963/1966
Pat Landis* 1966/1968
Phyllis Rossiter 6/68-11/68
Joan Bowers* 1968/1970
Jeanne Philbrick 1970/1972
Lorrie Quinlivan* 1972/1974
Penny Walters* 1974/1976
Shelia Shelton 1976/1977
Delores Saada 1977/1979
Jackie Lockwood* 1979/1981
Rita Boord 1981/1983
Carole Woehrmyer* 1983/1985
Dolores Winkler Wagner* 1985/1987
Kay Gray* 1987/1989
Karen Medford 1989/1991
Helen Vawter 1991/1993
Lorrie Quinlivan* 1993/1995
Carlene (Sam) Bennett 1995/1997
Sally Ten Eyck* 1997/1999
Janet Goulet 1999/2001
Peggy Magill 2001/2003
Sue Falter 2003/2005
Dolores Anderson 2005/2007
Teresa Franklin 2007/2008
Michelle Jones-Johnson 2008/2009
Laura Fike 2009/2011
Toni Winger 2011/2013
Betty Holton 2013/2015
Penny Wolff 2015/2017
Nancy Farkas 2017-2019
*Deceased