About Us

Our Mission | What We Do | The Board | Current Members

About Us

Friends of The Opera (FOTO) in Grand Rapids, MI, was founded in 1974 as a 501(c)3 non-profit charitable organization supporting opera awareness, education, and accessibility in West Michigan. What began as the “worker bees” of Opera Grand Rapids has expanded to be an organization that supports opera as a whole in the Greater Grand Rapids Community.

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Our Mission

To provide access to opera, to facilitate opera education, and to encourage support of opera within the communities in which we serve.

What We Do

Throughout the years, FOTO has worked in many ways to fulfill our mission, including:

Facilitating lectures, workshops, and other educational programs, including Operatunity, to help introduce opera to a broader audience and deepen the understanding and appreciation of the art form.
Sponsoring the supertitles for all of Opera Grand Rapids productions, collegiate vocal competitions, and GVSU Opera Theatre productions.
Arranging trips to opera companies, including the Lyric Opera of Chicago, Detroit Opera (formerly Michigan Opera Theatre), and the Metropolitan Opera in New York City.

Hosting cast parties and artist receptions for Opera Grand Rapids productions.
Offering recitals, including Mozart's Birthday Party featuring collegiate vocal students at Grand Valley State University.
Promoting The Met Live in HD and Met radio broadcasts.
Coordinating host housing for visiting artists and production crew members, saving Opera Grand Rapids over $20,000 per production in hotel and other lodging costs.

The Board

As an all-volunteer-run organization, FOTO is led by an active working board of directors, without whom FOTO wouldn’t be able to achieve all that it does year after year.

President

John T. Jones

Vice President

Robert Edwards

Secretary

Judy Botts

Treasurer

Don Markham

Members

Sarah Ashcroft-VandenBrink

Peggy Barber

Dr. John T. Frey

Kyle Irwin

Nancy Knauss

Wendy Marty

Dale Schriemer

Guenter Tusch

Current Members

We are grateful to our members who support the many initiatives Friends of The Opera puts on and supports each year. Not yet a member? Join now!

Lifetime
William Bjork
Celebration Cinema
Jacquelyn DeRegnaucourt
Dr. John T. Frey*
Clarice Geels
Carlos S. Guayara
Stephen Hoyle
John Hunting*
Dr. Gary Hurt
Dr. John Iacobucci
Margaret P. Idema
Sidney J. Jr. & Cate Jansma
John T. Jones & Nicholas VanderLaan*
Marcia Kapolka
Dale Schriemer
Sandra VanderZicht
Rodney J. Wilbur
Dr. Penny Wilton

Family
Tom and Suellen Bandyk
Judy and Jim Botts
Robert Byrens and Jerrod Nickels
Gregory Carnevale and Diane Mahon
Gilbert and Patricia Davis
Fran Hall
Win and Kyle Irwin*
Earl and Cornelia Kennedy
Wally and Becky Knack
Willard and Carolyn Larkin*
Don and Nancy Lubbers
Susanne Miller-Schachinger
John and Kate McGarry
Alwyn and Chris Rougier-Chapman
Peter Turner
Dave and Lorrie VanderArk
Jim and Kathy Jo VanderLaan
Susan Wallace

Benefactor
Peggy Barber and Guenter Tusch
Wallace and Carol Erichsen
Janice Heerspink
Janet Heindrichs
Michael Kopinski
Marilyn Macklin
Susan Ford Marschall
Susan Ryan Bowers
Ellie Sarafis
Gloria Yff

Individual
Susan Harris*
Tony Kroes
Marylin Leprich
Wendy Marty
Anne Rossi
Margaret Ryan
Wendy Stock
Juanita Sharpe
Arlene Warners
Gail Werner*
Karen Williams

Honorary
Harriet Christensen
Joan F. Gillett
Lois Loetz
June L. Marshall
Foley Schuler
John Schuster-Craig
Richard Stien

*indicates an additional donation.

As of February 5, 2024. Every effort is made to ensure accuracy. If you don't see your name but have sent in your membership, please reach out to info@fotogr.org.