Sara and Ernest Butler Give $3.3 Million to Austin Opera to Endow Spanish-Language Programming; Claudia Chapa Appointed to Supervise

Austin Opera announces historic $3.3 million gift from

Sarah and Ernest Butler

creating The Butler Fund for Spanish Programming

 

Claudia Chapa appointed company’s first Curator of

Hispanic and Latinx Programming

 

Austin Opera today announced the largest gift in company history, a $3.3 million contribution from Austin philanthropists Sarah and Ernest Butler. The contribution will seed a $3 million endowment fund to support Spanish language programming and the appointment of Claudia Chapa as the company’s inaugural Curator of Hispanic and Latinx Programming.

 

In this newly created role, Claudia Chapa will ensure that Hispanic and Latinx programming is represented across all of Austin Opera’s artistic platforms, including productions at the Long Center for the Performing Arts, Opera ATX, Live from Indy Terrace (the company’s digital channel) and Concerts at the Consulate, a series she currently curates for Austin Opera.  

 

Austin Opera’s General Director & CEO Annie Burridge, said, “This extraordinary act of philanthropy from Sarah and Ernest Butler will enable us to ensure that our artistic programming reflects the city that we serve for years to come. Claudia’s work on our Concerts at the Consulate program demonstrated that she is not only an exceptionally talented artist, but also a gifted producer. We are thrilled to welcome her to this expanded role on the Austin Opera artistic team.”

 

The Butler Fund for Spanish Programming will support an expansion of Austin Opera’s artistic offerings in alignment with its commitment to share stories and musical experiences representative of the Austin community. “Our collaborations with the Mexican Consulate have influenced the trajectory of Austin Opera in a significant way,” said Burridge, “and this generous investment from the Butlers will exponentially increase the scope and impact of our partnerships throughout the community.”

 

Mexican mezzo-soprano Claudia Chapa trained at the Butler School of Music at the University of Texas in Austin. Born in Mexico and now living in Austin, Ms. Chapa has been a regular favorite with Austin Opera audiences for her performances in The Magic Flute, The Flying Dutchman and Ariadne auf Naxos and on the company’s Live from Indy Terrace streaming platform.

 

Talking about the Butler’s gift and her own appointment, Ms. Chapa said, “I am honored to be part of this forward-thinking initiative and grateful that Annie Burridge has integrated me into the amazing Austin Opera team. It's been an exciting learning curve since being appointed Artistic Curator for Conciertos en el Consulado last year. I’ve known the Butlers since moving to Austin back in 2005 to study at the Butler School of Music. They have been incredibly supportive of my performance career and to have their generous backing for this initiative of celebrating and telling new kinds of stories is inspiring. Opera is for everyone, and we reflect that on our stages.”

 

On behalf of herself and her husband, Sarah Butler said, “We are extremely enthusiastic about Austin Opera’s commitment to Spanish language programming and are proud to support it. As native Texans, we find this initiative is close to our hearts. We feel it is thrilling progress towards serving the Central Texas community and are excited about the artistic possibilities under the leadership of Annie, Timothy, and Claudia.”

 

Dr. Ernest and Sarah Butler are among Austin’s most generous philanthropists and have been closely involved with many of the city’s arts organizations since moving to the city in 1969. Dr Ernest Butler is a retired otolaryngologist and founder of the Austin Ear Nose and Throat Clinic, and Sarah Butler is a retired educator and Spanish teacher. Their support of Austin Opera has included endowing the Sarah & Ernest Butler Principal Conductor & Artistic Advisor, a position filled by Timothy Myers, and the company’s Masterclass series in collaboration with the University of Texas. 

 

Austin Opera’s Chief Development Officer, Jennifer Basten, said, “Ernest and Sarah Butler are generous visionaries with a deep understanding of how essential the arts are to the vibrancy of a community and how to help organizations attain sustainability. Their continued generosity has made a transformational impact on Austin Opera, bringing our endowment to over $10 million.” The Butler’s contribution supports the Austin Opera Forward Campaign to increase investments in the areas of artistic excellence, operatic innovation, and community impact.

 

Austin Opera recently announced its forthcoming 2022-2023 Long Center season, and information about the 2022-2023 Concerts at the Consulate series and Opera ATX will be released in the coming months. More information can be found at www.austinopera.org.

 

About Austin Opera

Serving Central Texas since 1986, Austin Opera inspires audiences with its trademark blend of innovation and artistic excellence. With the leadership of General Director & CEO Annie Burridge and the Sarah and Ernest Butler Principal Conductor & Artistic Advisor Timothy Myers, Austin Opera presents a curated season of grand opera productions at the Long Center, the crown jewel of Austin performing arts venues. Combining the finest American and international stars with the outstanding local talent of our Orchestra and Chorus, Austin Opera’s productions include accessible takes on classic operas as well as challenging new works that reinforce the continuing relevance of opera. 

To learn more about Austin Opera, visit austinopera.org or follow along on Instagram, Facebook, or Twitter at @austinopera.