Welcome to the Nashville Opera

Dear Members of the Board,

Nashville Opera joins our community in mourning the passing of Martha Rivers Ingram, whose extraordinary vision, generosity, and unwavering belief in the transformative power of the arts helped shape Nashville into the vibrant cultural city it is today. Mrs. Ingram understood that the arts enrich lives, strengthen communities, and inspire future generations. Through her remarkable philanthropy and leadership, she helped establish a lasting foundation for arts organizations across our city. Nashville Opera is among the many organizations that have been profoundly impacted by her commitment to ensuring that the performing arts remain an essential part of our community.

Mrs. Ingram believed in Nashville Opera’s mission and in opera’s power to educate, inspire and bring our community together. Her confidence in our organization helped make our work, and the work of many other arts organizations across Nashville, possible.

For more than three decades, John Hoomes, the Opera’s CEO and Artistic Director, had the privilege of knowing Mrs. Ingram personally and witnessing firsthand her wisdom, humility and steadfast dedication to the arts. Her encouragement, counsel and friendship touched not only our organization but also those fortunate enough to work alongside her in advancing Nashville’s cultural landscape.