The Opera in Utah lecture given by Benjamin Beckman

Park City Museum will host a lecture called The Opera in Utah given by Benjamin Beckman on Wednesday, August 13, 2025 from 5-6 p.m. held at the Education and Collections Center located at 2079 Sidewinder Drive. More information can be found at www.parkcityhistory.org.

While we often think of opera as a tradition rooted in Europe, opera has a long and rich history in Utah. Its presence in the Mountain West stretches back over 150 years, from early pioneer performances to grand touring productions that brought world-renowned artists to the region. Utah’s opera legacy includes forgotten opera houses, groundbreaking broadcasts, and internationally celebrated singers who once called the state home. Join us to learn more about the fascinating history of opera in Utah and explore how this vibrant art form continues to evolve in the state, including with the newly founded Park City Opera.

Benjamin Beckman is a composer, conductor, and pianist who serves as the Artistic Director of Park City Opera, a newly-founded opera company serving Park City and the surrounding communities. He studied at Yale and the University of Southern California, and has worked with opera companies around the US, including Sarasota Opera, Festival Napa Valley, Pacific Opera Project, The Opera Guild of Palm Springs, Opera Company of Middlebury Vermont, and Chicago Summer Opera. He will be conducting Park City Opera’s inaugural mainstage production of Rossini’s The Barber of Seville at the Park City Library on August 24th, and at the Premiere Park City on August 29th and 30th.