Opera Cleveland Opera Cleveland Cleveland Opera was incorporated by David Bamberger, Carola Bamberger, and John D. Heavenrich in March 1976 and presented its first season in October and November of that year with sold-out productions of Puccini's "Madama Butterfly" and Rossini's "The Barber of Seville". By 1984, it had become the resident opera company at Playhouse Square, with performances at the State Theater. The company played an integral part in the revitalization of Cleveland's historic Cleveland Theater District and was a leader in the movement to make theaters accessible to the physically challenged. There was considerable overlap between the orchestra personnel of
Kimberly Barber Kimberly Barber Kimberly Barber (born December 21, 1959) is a Canadian mezzo-soprano and vocal pedagogue. She studied with Patricia Kern at the University of Toronto, graduating in 1983. She received a diploma in operatic performance from the university in 1985. She began her career as a member of the Canadian Opera Company Ensemble, also in 1985. While maintaining a professional opera career, she has been teaching at Wilfrid Laurier University since July 2002 and is currently Coordinator of the Opera Program there. From 1989 to 1994, Barber sang with Oper Frankfurt in Germany. Barber made her New York City Opera