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Anchorage Civic Opera records

Guide to the Anchorage Civic Opera Association records
1962-1984

Collection number: HMC-0049.
Creator: Anchorage Civic Opera Association.
Title: Anchorage Civic Opera Association records.
Dates: 1962-1984.
Volume of collection: 8.74  cubic feet.
Language of materials: Collection materials are in English.
Collection summary: Records of a nonprofit opera organization in Anchorage.

Organizational history:
The Anchorage Civic Opera Association (ACO) is a nonprofit organization devoted to bringing opera to Anchorage and to Alaska. The ACO began in 1962, but was dormant from December 1965 to April 1975. While ACO was officially inactive, the opera company became the Anchorage Lyric Opera and an affiliate of Anchorage Community College. In 1975, the Anchorage Civic Opera was reactivated by dedicated opera enthusiasts. The first operas presented by the organization were sung in English. In the fall of 1979, the ACO presented Lucia Di Lammermoor in Italian. It was the first full length opera production in its original language in Alaska. In the following years, the ACO presented several tragic and comic operas each season. They also established a traveling program, OPERALASKA, and presented opera in local schools. In 1981, the ACO became a full member company in OPERA America, joining the ranks of major professional opera organizations throughout North America.

Collection description:
The collection consists of the records of the Anchorage Civic Opera Association. The collection is divided into five major parts: administrative files, financial records, productions, publicity, and records relating to the Anchorage Lyric Opera Theater. The administrative files include bylaws, board of directors meeting minutes, correspondence, reports, membership lists, newsletters, personnel files, and subject files. The financial records include budgets and financial statements, canceled checks, bank statements, paid bills, fund raising files, grant files, ticket sales data, tickets, donation files, and files related to the annual fund raising Dinner Opera. The production materials include general publicity files, newspaper clippings, audior and video public service announcements, and posters. The Anchorage Lyric Opera Theater files include production files, fund raising events meeting minutes, and photographs.

Arrangement: The collection is arranged  into five series and into subseries therein.
Series 1: Administrative files; 1962-1981
Series 2: Financial records; 1974-1981
Series 3: Production files; 1962, 1975-1984
Subseries 3a: Programs; 1962, 1975-1984
Subseries 3b: Alaska Festival of Music records records; 1975-1976
Subseries 3c: Opera in the Schools records; 1976
Subseries 3d: OPERALASKA records; 1979-1983
Subseries 3e: Production records; 1962-1983
Series 4: Publicity records; 1962-1983
Subseries 4a: General publicity files; 1975-1983, undated
Subseries 4b: Newspaper clippings; 1962-1978
Subseries 4c: Audio; 1979-1983
Subseries 4d: Video; 1979-1981
Subseries 4e: Posters; 1976-1983
Series 5: Anchorage Community College Lyric Opera Theatre records; 1965-1975

Digitized copies: Select audio and video have been digitized with funding provided by the Atwood Foundation and are available on Alaska’s Digital Archives. For information about obtaining digital copies, please contact Archives and Special Collections.

Rights note: The Archives does not own copyright to this collection.

Preferred citation: Anchorage Civic Opera Association records, Archives and Special Collections, Consortium Library, University of Alaska Anchorage.

Related materials: For collections with archival materials related to the performing arts in Alaska, please visit the Archives’ Performing Arts topical guide.

Acquisition note: A deposit agreement was arranged between the organization and the archives in 1983. Records are added periodically.

Processing information: This collection was described by Michele Wellck in 1996. The collection description was revised and an addition to collection processed by Mariecris Gatlabayan in 2011. Non-permanent financial and personnel records and reference audiorecordings were returned to the Anchorage Civic Opera in 2011.

Container list:

Series 1: Administrative files; 1962-1981. 1.44 cubic feet.
Administrative files contains records created by the ACO during the course of their business. Records are arranged by record type: Articles of Incorporation and Bylaws, Board of Directors records, correspondence, president’s reports, annual meetings records, managing director’s reports, Artistic Advisory Committee records, membership records, newsletters, personnel records, subject files, and miscellaneous records. Files are arranged by function.

 

Box/Folder Description Date
1/1 Articles of Association. undated
1/2 Articles of Incorporation/Bylaws. 1962, 1975
1/3 Board of Directors rosters. 1978-1981
1/4 Board membership correspondence and notes. 1962, 1977-1978
1/5-6 Board meeting minutes. 1962-1965
1/7-14 Board meeting minutes. 1975-1982
1/15 Board meeting notes. 1975-1977, undated
1/16 President William J. Moran correspondence. 1962-1967
1/17 Facilities use correspondence. 1962
1/18 Michael More, Administrative Director, correspondence. 1980
1/19 Maurice McClelland, Production Manager, correspondence. 1981
1/20 Miscellaneous correspondence. 1962, 1975-1977, undated
1/21 Miscellaneous correspondence. 1979-1982
1/22 President’s reports. 1977-1978
1/23 Annual meeting minutes and announcements. 1975-1977, 1979
1/24 Managing director’s reports. 1977
1/25 Artistic Advisory Committee files. 1981
1/26-30 Membership records 1962-1978, undated
8/1 Membership list. 1980-1981
1/31 ACO newsletters. 1975-1977
1/32 Improvi”z”ations, ACO newsletter. 1976-1977
1/33 The Toad Hall Gazette. 1977 April 4
1/34 The OPERAttic, ACO newsletter. 1979-1981
1/35 Anchorage Civic Opera Newsletter. 1981-1982
1/36 Personnel records: Administrative secretary job advertisement. 1981
1/37 Personnel records: Artistic director job description. undated
1/38 Personnel records: Artistic Director’s File, Elvera Voth. 1979-1981
1/39 Personnel records: Letters of Agreement, etc. 1980-1981
1/40 Personnel records: Opportunity Resources for the Performing Arts brochure. undated
1/41 Personnel records: Performers correspondence. Include black and white 8×10 photographs of Margaret smith, Gordon Greer, and Jean Reese. 1975-1976
1/42 Personnel records: Performers’ profiles. 1975-1976, undated
1/43 Personnel records: John Robert Dunlap profile file. undated
1/44 Personnel records: Production coordinator, 81-3016. 1980-1981
1/45 Personnel records: Set designers, 81-2014. Includes 2 black and white 8×10 photographs of Carey Wong and 3 black and white photographs of Portland Opera’s Rigoletto sets. 1979-1981
1/46 Personnel records: Singers for Trial by Jury, Rigoletto, and Christopher Columbus, 81-6005. 1980-1981
1/47 Personnel records: State managers, 81-3013. Letters of agreement and correspondence. 1980-1981
1/48 Personnel records: Volunteers, 8-1404. 1979-1980
1/49 Alaska State Council on the Arts: Alaska State Hearing for the Arts subject file. 1975-1977
1/50 American Council for the Arts: letter regarding consultant. 1978
1/51 Anchorage Arts Advisory Council subject file. 1977
1/52 Anchorage Arts Council: Anchorage Arts subject file. 1976
1/53 Anchorage Arts Council correspondence. 1975-1977
1/54 Anchorage Concert Association subject file. 1976-1976
1/55 Anchorage School District Community Resources Program certificate of appreciation. 1977
1/56 Articles about other opera companies. 1976, undated
1/57 Carole’s Costume Company subject file. 1977-1978
1/58 Gypsy Barron proposal. circa 1965
1/59 Insurance subject file. 1963, 1978
1/60 National Opera Association subject file. 1963-1964, 1975, undated
1/61 Opera America subject file. 1976
1/62 Opera checklist: planning and implementation list. Undated
1/63 Shows to Go, ACO tour subject file. 1976-1977
1/64 Sydney Lawrence Auditorium subject file. 1976-1977
1/65 Theatre I [Anchorage Arts umbrella organization] subject file. 1975-1976
1/66 Theatre I – Jim Powell’s file. 1975-1976
1/67 University of Alaska, Anchorage Performing Arts Center subject file. 1976-1977
OSF 9 University Singers HMS Pinafore poster, 1977-1978 season. circa 1977
OSF 9 University Singers Pirates of Penzance tour poster, 1977. 1977
1/68 Western Opera Theater (WOT) subject file. Includes 7 black and white 8×10 photos of performers in WOT productions. 1974-1976
2/1 Western Opera Theater tour subject file. 1980-1981
2/2 Western Opera Theater local transportation subject file. circa 1981
2/3 Affiliation with Anchorage Community College (ACC)  correspondence and agreements. 1962-1966
2/4 Floor plan for office space in City Hall. Undated
2/5 Forms. Undated
2/6 Office space. 1977-1978
2/7 Opera Guild formation and invitation list. 1975
2/8 Organizational structure and duties. 1977
2/9 Program report. 1977 April
2/10 Unidentified negatives undated

Series 2: Financial records; 1974-1981. 2.12 cubic feet.
Financial records relate to the fiscal operations of the Anchorage Civic Opera. There are six types of records in the collection: general financial records, fundraising, grants, ticket sales, donations, and Dinner Opera financial records.

Box/Folder Description Date
2/11 Production budgets. 1975-1976
2/12 Budgets and financial statements. 1975-1977
2/13 Budgets and financial statements. 1975-1980
2/14 Budgets and financial statements. 1978-1981
2/15 Financial statements. 1977-1978
2/16 Budgets and Budget projections. 1979-1981
2/17 Budget status for Penzance and dinner opera, FY80. circa 1979-1980
8/2 Check ledger. 1978-1980
2/18 Copies of deposit slips. 1977-1980
2/19 Duplicate deposit slips. 1980 January-1980June
2/20 Bank statements. 1979 July-1980 June
2/21 Bank statement reconciliation 1978-1980
2/22 Payroll journal. 1979-1980
2/23 Taxes: employer reports. 1978-1980
2/24 Cash receipts journal. 1978 August-1980 December
2/25-28 Paid bills. 1978
2/29 Purchase orders and phone log. 1978-1979
2/30 Charts of accounts: FY 1979 and FY 1981. 1979-1981
2/31 Fundraising records. 1976-1977, undated
2/32 Fundraising brochures. 1975, 1981, undated
2/33 Fundraising records: program advertising: I Pagliacci. 1975, undated
2/34 Check stubs from donations and program advertisements. 1975-1976
2/35 Fundrasing records: program advertising for Ballad of Baby Doe. 1976
2/36 Fundraising records: program advertising for 1976-1977 season. 1976
2/37 Grant information.
2/38-3/3 Alaska State Council on the Arts grant records 1975-1982
3/4 ARCO Annual report. Includes sections on grants to ACO. 1981
3/5 Municipaligy of Anchorage fundraising request for non-profit organizations. 1977
3/6-7 Municipality of Anchorage grant record, CY1978/FY1979. 1978-1980
3/8 National Endowment for the Arts letter regarding grant application. 1977
3/9 Season ticket sales records. 1980
3/10 Box /office/ticket sales for Elixir of Love. 1981
3/11-15 “First Season” orders. 5 folders. 1980-1981
3/16 First subscription season. 1980-1981
OSF 9 Die Fledermaus performances seating charts for Sydney Laurence Auditoriam. 5 oversize sheets. 1981
3/17 1984 season ticket order forms. 1983
10 Tickets to ASO performances. 1980-1982
3/18-23 Donation records. 1975-1981, undated
3/24 Dinner Opera programs. 1977-1982
3/25 1976 Dinner Opera. 1975-1976
3/26-30 Dinner Opera financial records. 1976-1982

Series 3: Production files; 1962, 1975-1984. 1.78 cubic feet.
This series contains records related to the Anchorage Civic Opera production. It is divided into 5 subseries: programs, records related to the Alaska Festival of Music, Opera in the Schools, OPERAlaska records, and records related to specific productions.

Series 3: Production files. Subseries 3a: Programs; 1962, 1975-1984. 0.3 cubic feet.
Programs are in chronological order.

Box/Folder Description Date
4/1 The Vagabond King. 1962 June
4/2 Operatic Sextet. 1962 October
4/3 Hansel and Gretel. 1962 December
4/4 I Pagliacci. 1975 October
4/5-6 Ballad of Baby Doe. 1976 November
4/7 An Evening with the Menotti. 1977 March-April
4/8 La Boheme. 1977 October
4/9 La Traviata. 1978 October
4/10 The Mikado. 1979 March
4/11 Lucia di Lammermoor. 1979 October
4/12 Pirates of Penzance. 1980 March
4/13 Rigoletto layout. 1980
4/14 Rigoletto, Christopher Columbus, Elixir of Love. 1980-1981
4/15 Die Fledermaus, Tosca, Così Fan Tutte. 1981-1982
4/16 I Pagliacci & Cavalleria Rusticana, Hansel and Gretel, La Perichole. 1982-1983
4/17 Season brochures. 1978-1984
4/18 Programs and invitations for special events and benefits. 1982-1983, undated

 Series 3: Production files. Subseries 3b: Alaska Festival of Music records; 1975-1976. 0.02 cubic feet.

Box/Folder Description Date
4/19 Alaska Festival of Music songstress performance. 1975-1976

Series 3: Production files. Subseries 3c: Opera in the Schools records; 1976. 0.02 cubic feet.

Box/Folder Description Date
4/20 Opera in the Schools correspondence. 1976

Series 3: Production files. Subseries 3d: OPERALASKA records; 1979-1983. 0.3 cubic feet.
Records are in rough chronological order.

Box/Folder Description Date
4/21 Performances. 1979-1981
4/22 Anchorage Civic Opera Singers (ACOS). 1980-1981
4/23 ACOS schedules. 1980-1981
4/24 ACOS props. 1980-1981
4/25 Educational and School Shows. 1980-1983
4/26-34 Trial by Jury records. Includes costume, personnel, production meetings, props, director’s, set designer’s, and props files. 1980-1981
4/35 Letters from school children. 1981
4/36 Dansing tour with Ketchikan Theatre Ballet. 1981
4/37 Discovery Quartet Tour correspondence. 1983
4/38 Discovery Quartet Tour programs and handouts. 1983

 Series 3: Production files. Subseries 3e: Production records; 1962-1983. 1.14 cubic feet.
Records are in rough chronological order by year of production.

Box/Folder Description Date
4/39 Hansel and Gretel. 1962
4/40-41 I Pagliacci budgets and financial information and opera ticket. 1975
4/42-50 Ballad of Baby Doe . Includes photographs of cast members. 1975-1976
4/51 Cavalleria Rusticana. Includes 7 4×6 photos of Portland Opera Association costumes. 1976-1977
4/52 An Evening with Menotti. 1977
4/53 La Boheme. 1977
4/54 La Traviata expenses. 1977
OSF 9 La Traviata Minnesota opera set/prop design blueprints. Includes 28 sheets. 1979
4/55-56 The Mikado. 1979
5/1 Lucia di Lammermoor. 1979
5/2-6 The Pirates of Penzance. Includes contacts and production records, partial narrator’s script, Prudhoe Bay records, and correspondence. 1979-1980, undated
5/7-22 Rigoletto. Includes budget, lighting design files, costume design files, meeting and rehearsal notes, orchestra files, set files, director’s files, and reviews. 1979-1981, undated
5/23-39 Christopher Columbus. Includes budget, contracts, costume records, Juneau Lyric Opera correspondence, orchestra files, production meeting notes, set and props files, schedules, and score. 1980-1981
5/40 Die Fledermaus. 1981
5/41 Tosca. 1980-1981
5/42 Cosi Fan Tutte. 1981-1982
5/43 Lerichole libretto undated
OSF 9 Lerichole, “Sign Details Plate 3.” 1983

Series 4: Publicity records; 1962-1983. 2.8 cubic feet.
Series 4 contains records related to marketing and newspaper articles about ACO productions. It is divided into 5 subseries: general publicity files, newspaper clippings, audio public service announcements, video public service announcement, and posters.

Series 4: Publicity. Subseries 4a: General publicity files; 1975-1983, undated. 0.22 cubic feet.

Box/Folder Description Date
5/44 Anchorage Arts Council: Arts Week window display at Nordstrom. Undated
5/45 Pagliacci publicity. 1975
6/1-3 Ballad of Baby Doe publicity. Includes written public service announcements and “Bump your baby to Baby Doe” bumper stickers. 1976
6/4 Elixir of Love publicity. 1981
6/5 OPERALASKA Discovery Quartet Tour publicity materials. 1983
6 Pirates of Penzance Vince Liotta interview with Barbara Hayr-Maxwell on 7” audio reel. circa 1980
6/6 Rigoletto publicity. 1980
8/3 Tosca buttons/pins, “I peeked at Tosca.” circa 1982

Series 4: Publicity records. Subseries 4b: Newspaper clippings; 1962-1978. 0.3 cubic feet.
Clippings are in chronological order.

Box/Folder Description Date
6/7 Newspaper clippings. Undated
6/8 Newspaper clippings. 1962
6/9 Newspaper clippings. 1965
6/10 Newspaper clippings. 1975
6/11 Newspaper clippings. 1976
6/12 Newspaper clippings. 1977-1978

Series 4: Publicity records. Subseries 4c: Audio; 1979-1983. 0.3 cubic feet.
Recordings are in chronological order.

Box/Item Description
6/1 Anchorage Civic Opera Pirates of Penzance Vince Liotta/ Interview: Audio recording of the Anchorage Civic Opera performing a portion of the opera Pirates of Penzance. [1/4-inch audio reel] [Digitized]
6/2 The Mikado, Gilbert & Sullivan’s, March 8-11 at West High: Audio recording of two PSAs advertising Anchorage Civic Opera’s production of The Mikado. 1979. [1/4-inch audio reel] [Digitized]
6/3 The Mikado, Gilbert & Sullivan’s, March 8-11 at West High: Audio recording of two PSAs advertising Anchorage Civic Opera’s production of The Mikado. 1979 [1/4-inch audio reel] [Digitized]
6/4 Anchorage Opera Lucia PSA Oct 20-28: Audio recording of a PSA advertising the Anchorage Civic Opera’s production of Lucia. circa 1979 [1/4-inch audio reel] [Digitized]
6/5 Anchorage Opera Lucia PSA Oct 20-28: Audio recording of a PSA advertising the Anchorage Civic Opera’s production of Lucia. [1/4-inch audio reel] [Digitized]
6/6 KSKA Lucia: Audio recording of song performances from ‘Lucia’ broadcasted by KSKA. [1/4-inch audio reel] [Digitized]
6/7 Pirates of Penzance PSA
6/8 Pirates of Penzance Anchorage Civic Opera 2/18/1980
6/9 Christopher Columbus Opera PSA
6/10 Anchorage Civic Opera Discovery Quartet
6/11 Anchorage Civic Opera Discovery Quartet

Series 4: Publicity records. Subseries 4d: Video; 1979-1981. 1.0 cubic feet.
Videos are in chronological order.

Box/Item Description
7/1 The Mikado KTVA TV Channel 11 PSA: Video recording of a KTVA TV spot advertising The Mikado. [2 inch video] [Digitized]
7/2 The Mikado KENI TV Channel 2 PSA: Video recording of a PSA advertising The Mikado. [2 inch video] [Digitized]
7/3 Lucia, KENI TV Channel 2 PSA: Video recording of a KENI-TV spot advertising Lucia. 1979 [2 inch video] [Digitized]
7/4 Pirates of Penzance Mystrom Sohio Shoot, Alaska Video Productions: Video recording of rehersals for Pirates of Penzance filmed by Alaska Video Productions. 1980 [2 inch video] [Digitized]
7/5 Pirates of Penzance Mystrom Sohio Shoot, Alaska Video Productions: Video recording of rehersals for Pirates of Penzance filmed by Alaska Video Productions. 1980 [2 inch video] [Digitized]
7/6 Rigoletto KENI TV Channel 2 PSA: Video recording of a KENI-TV sport advertising Anchorage Civic Opera’s Performance of Rigoletto. 1980 [2 inch video] [Digitized]
7/7 Husky Advertising, Inc. to Arts Alaska, Inc. regarding ACO ‘Christopher Columbus PSA: Video recording of a PSA advertising Anchorage Civic Opera’s production of Christopher Columbus. [2 inch video] [Digitized]
7/8 Christopher Columbus KTVA TV Channel 11 PSA: Video recording of a KTVA TV spot advertising Anchorage Civic Opera’s production of Christopher Columbus.
7/9 Christopher Columbus KTVA TV Channel 11 PSA runs 2/13/81/3/1/81: Video recording of a KTVA TV spot advertising Anchorage Civic Opera’s production of Christopher Columbus. 1981 [2 inch video] [Digitized]
7/10 Anchorage Civic Opera KAKM TV Channel 7 PSA: Video recording of a KAKM-TV spot advertising Anchorage Civic Opera’s production of Elixir of Love. 2nd half of video recording is part of a televised political discussion. 1981
7/11 Anchorage Civic Opera KAKM TV Channel 7 PSA. [2 inch video] [Digitized]

Series 4: Publicity records. Subseries 4e: Posters; 1976-1983. 0.9 cubic feet.
Posters are in chronological order.

Folder Description Date
OSF 11 Ballad of Baby Doe. 1976
OSF 11 La Boheme. 1977
OSF 11 La Traviata. 1978
OSF 11 Lucia di Lammermoor. 1979
OSF 11 Pirates of Penzance. 3 posters. 1980
OSF 11 Pirates of Penzance small banner. circa 1980
OSF 12 Trail by Jury, OPERALASKA. 1980
OSF 12 Verdi’s Rigoletto poster autographed by performers. 1980
OSF 12 Rigoletto . 1980
OSF 12 Christopher Columbus. 1981
OSF 12 Elixir of Love Western Opera Theater 1980-1981 tour. circa 1980
OSF 12 Dansing Ketchikan Theatre Ballet and OPERALASKA. circa 1981
OSF 12 Die Fledermaus. 1981
OSF 12 Tosca. 2 posters: 1 is 436/500, while the other is not part of numbered series. 1982
OSF 12 Cosi Fan Tutte. Sponsored by British Airways. 1982
OSF 12 Anchorage Civic Opera, season 1982-83. 2 large posters. circa 1982
OSF 12 Hansel & Gretel. circa 1982
OSF 12 La Perichole. 2 posters. Second poster has original artwork by Feldis. 1983

Series 5: Anchorage Community College Lyric Opera Theatre records; 1965-1975. 0.6 cubic feet.
Records are in chronological order.

Box/Folder Description Date
6/13 Carmen. 1965
6/14 Rigoletto business. 1972
6/15 Sister Angelica business. 1972
6/16 Dinner Opera mailing lists. 1973, undated
6/17 Impresario Dinner Opera. 1973
6/18 Opera Sampler program. 1973 September
6/19 Alaska State Council on the Arts grant for Madame Butterfly production. 1974
6/20 Board meeting minutes. 1975 January-March
6/21 Correspondence,notes, and miscellaneous. 1975
6/22 Proposed budget R.S.V.P. 1975
6/23 R.S.V.P. invoices and purchase orders. 1975
6/24 Table assignments and payment records. Red notebook.(R.S.V.P.?) 1975
6/25 Table assignments and payment records. Green notebook. (R.S.V.P.?) 1975
6/26 RSVP: “Dick – House Book.”Includes 2 b/w 8 X 10 inch photos of performers. 1975
6/27 Photographs: 1 black and white 8×10 inch print of R.S.V.P.cast and 3 black and white unidentified prints. circa 1975, undated
OSF 12 RSVP: “Musicale at Mr. Cauliflower’s” poster. 1975

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