National Opera Association
| Abbreviation | NOA |
|---|---|
| Formation | 1955 |
| Type | 501(c)(3), nonprofit |
| Headquarters | Ann Arbor, Michigan, U.S. |
Region served | United States |
| Affiliations | National Music Council |
The National Opera Association (NOA) is an American service organization that supports the performance, scholarship, and pedagogy of opera.[1] Founded in 1955 with support from the National Music Council, the NOA's membership encompasses opera directors, conductors, composers, coaches, teachers, scholars and enthusiasts.[2] The NOA organizes annual conferences and supports opera education, performance and scholarship in the United States, specializing in training programs for young and collegiate-level artists.[3][4][5] The association organizes competitions, awards fellowships, and shares resources for regional and collegiate productions.[2] They also publish scholarly articles and organize a biennial dissertation competition.[2][6] The NOA publishes The Opera Journal, a refereed scholarly journal, twice a year.[7]
The NOA offers career development grants through their Legacy Project, to further ethnic and racial diversity in professional opera. Their Argento Fellowships, named after composer Dominick Argento, are awarded to outstanding singers and composers, providing full tuition and living fees for an entire graduate degree.[2]
The NOA's Lifetime Achievement Award, first awarded in 1998, recognizes "those who have dedicated their lives to opera".[2][8] Recipients of the award include Beverly Sills, Marilyn Horne, Jon Vickers, Carlisle Floyd and Sherrill Milnes.[8]
References
- ^ "Mission & Values". National Opera Association. Retrieved 2026-06-06.
- ^ a b c d e Loewen, Christina (2024-06-17). "International Explainer: What is the National Opera Association (USA)?". The Association for Opera in Canada. Retrieved 2026-06-06.
- ^ OperaWire (2024-12-15). "The National Opera Association Announces Collaborations For its 70th National Conference". OperaWire. Retrieved 2026-06-06.
- ^ "President Hogle Delivers National Opera Association Keynote Address, Proposes Call to Action on the Future of Higher Education". Cleveland Institute of Music. 10 January 2020. Retrieved 2026-06-06.
- ^ "Boston Conservatory at Berklee Hosts the National Opera Association's 2026 Conference". Boston Conservatory at Berklee. Retrieved 2026-06-06.
- ^ "Dissertation Competition". National Opera Association. Retrieved 2026-06-06.
- ^ "The Opera Journal". National Opera Association. Retrieved 2026-06-06.
- ^ a b "NOA Lifetime Achievement Awards". National Opera Association. Retrieved 2026-06-06.