"[2] After attending the 1992 Fall Festival, Denver Post critic Jeff Bradley wrote that "this quiet prairie city on the Missouri River is becoming one of the most exciting operatic meccas in the country."
Since its founding, singers such as Beverly Sills, Tatiana Troyanos, Samuel Ramey, Frederica von Stade, Catherine Malfitano and Richard Tucker have performed in this company's productions.
In September 1989, the company presented a concert at the Ak-Sar-Ben (arena) by Placido Domingo, drawing 6,231 people, according to a local press account.
Opera Omaha is known for commissioning a number of modern American works: Eric Hermannson's Soul, based on a short story by Pulitzer Prize-winning author Willa Cather.
[4] Wakonda's Dream in 2003, a work that had its premiere in 2007 and was inspired by events that took place in Nebraska in the late 19th century, including the trial of Ponca Chief Standing Bear.
Pulitzer Prize–winning musician Paul Moravec composed the work, which was performed under the direction of then-Opera Omaha Music Director Stewart Robertson.
"[10] The New York Times called it "an unclassifiable collaboration by Angelina Reaux and Michael Sokol, singers; Ricky Ian Gordon, composer and pianist; and Keith Warner as director.
"[11] 1992: The company presented the world premiere of the 1959 Hugo Weisgall work The Gardens of Adonis, based on the eponymous poem by William Shakespeare.
"[13] 1994: The company staged the world premiere of Andrew Lloyd Webber's Requiem Variations under the baton of Lionel Friend, who for 13 years was chief conductor of the English National Opera.
[14] 2004: The company staged the world premiere of the locally written "Bloodlines," a work whose music and libretto were composed by Deborah Fischer Teason.
Kaneko was a founder of Omaha's Bemis Center for Contemporary Arts, a residency program that has been called the "largest urban artists' colony in the world.
Fellows serve as ambassadors of the company, developing relationships with community leaders to co-design and implement unique projects that combine artistry and musicianship, leadership, advocacy, and citizenship.