Opera Southwest was founded in 1972 as Albuquerque Opera Theatre by Dr. Edward T. Peter, Maestro Kurt Frederick and others. Seasonally Opera Southwest distributes selected world-class opera(s) via the WFMT Radio Network to public radio stations nationwide.

OSW is a professional, regional company producing two to three major operas per year selected from the best of the standard repertoire. To date OSW has produced over 120 major operas for hundreds of thousand of patrons, and we are especially proud to have mounted 23 world premieres including an opera based on Rudolfo Anaya’s blockbuster novel Bless Me, Ultima, which will debuted in February 2018.

Opera Southwest’s mission stresses community and educational themes, and we have delighted more than 180,000 youngsters with outreach programs and exciting live theater. In this way, Opera Southwest ensures a loyal following in future years as these children grow into adulthood.