My Little Gallery of Opera Cats

They have appeared in these famous roles at the Brevard Music Center -- in the gift shop!

I know from cartoons that cats love to sing from fence tops on moonlit nights. It’s a short pounce from that to the idea of cats in famous opera roles. I’ve written here before how I learned about opera when I volunteered at the Brevard Music Center.

My first Character Cat was inspired by the Queen of the Night in Mozart’s The Magic Flute. There’s a look in her eye, below, that could mean either love and determination, or just detachment, I’m not sure.

Soon there were a dozen Opera Cats, each ready for a greeting card with opera notes on the back. Here are some of them.

I volunteered to work at what was then called Harmony House. In 2017, the Music Center described their gift shop as a place

where patrons may choose from a fine array of unique merchandise. Volunteers staffing Harmony Gifts help raise funds for student scholarships through the sale of goods before concerts and during intermission.

The Opera Cats were for sale at Harmony Gifts for several years.

A daytime performance at The Brevard Music Center

One of the more recent Music Center opera productions was Die Fledermaus by Johan Strauss.

Die Fledermaus as performed at the Brevard Music Center, 2019

And here is our spirited heroine, Rosalinde!

The houselights are down and the curtain’s going up — at the Brevard Music Center!

“I’ve written here before …”

All “Opera Cats” original illustrations are by Deda Edney.

“where patrons may choose from a fine array …”

Photo of the audience outdoors during an afternoon performance at BMC

Photo from the BMC production of Die Fledermaus

Brevard Music Center website

More about volunteering at the BMC gift shop: All Harmony Gifts proceeds go directly to the support of the Music Center. The shop is staffed by friendly volunteers who enjoy selling at summer performances. Volunteers must be able to stand for up to two hours. Orientation and point-of-sale tablet training attendance is expected.

Also of interest is this short interview with BMC stage director Dorothy Danner about period costumes in Gounod’s opera Roméo et Juliette