Steny Hoyer: “I rise in support of H.R. 4542, a bill designating the Washington Opera in Washington, DC, as the National Opera. This…”

“I rise in support of H.R. 4542, a bill designating the Washington Opera in Washington, DC, as the National Opera. This opera company is known for the number and quality of new productions, discovery and nurturing of important young talent, and an international collaboration system with leading foreign companies. The Washington Opera has achieved the stature of a world class company and plays to standing-room only audiences at the Kennedy Center Opera House and Eisenhower Theater. Like so many other institutions in Washington, the opera attracts, entertains, and educates people from all over the world. The company has averaged 98% attendance over the last fourteen season. It now earns approximately 65% of its total budget through ticket sales, raising the remaining 35% through contributions from individuals, corporations, and foundations. A sign of fiscal strength, this ratio of earned to contributed income is the highest of any opera company in the country. Beyond the value of music itself, increasing evidence clarifies the role of music in the intellectual and social development of our community. The opera allows people to cross language and cultural barriers, increase understanding, and build tolerance in a multi-cultural setting. The Washington Opera remains true to its mission of presenting the highest quality opera in the Nation's Capital, broadening public understanding and awareness of opera, and maintaining opera as a living art form.”