OPERA UP CLOSE
Experience opera at its most intimate in the Knoxville Opera Salon Series, a new recital series presented at the historic Eugenia Williams House. Featuring acclaimed guest artists, rising stars, and Knoxville favorites, these evenings bring audiences closer to the music than ever before.
With artists performing just steps away in the elegant surroundings of one of Knoxville's most cherished homes, each salon offers a rare opportunity to experience the power of the human voice in a setting designed for listening. These programs reveal opera and vocal music on a personal scale—immediate, expressive, and deeply human.
Whether you are a longtime opera lover or discovering the art form for the first time, the Salon Series invites you to hear great artists up close and experience
Knoxville Opera from a new perspective.
Girls of Yellow Diamonds
SEPTEMBER 3 & 5
Created by acclaimed artists Alice Chung and Helen Zhibing Huang, Girls of Yellow Diamonds is a moving musical exploration of the stories, identities, and lived experiences of Asian American women. Through works by Asian American composers, this intimate recital celebrates resilience, heritage, and the power of personal storytelling in one of Knoxville's most beautiful historic homes. The program is structured as a journey through childhood, growth, womanhood, and the future, featuring music in English alongside works in Asian languages that represent the cultural heritage of artists.
Side Quest: Quixote, The men of La Mancha
FEBRUARY 4 & 6
Bass baritone Richard Ollarsaba brings Miguel de Cervantes' legendary dreamer to life in Side Quest: Quixote, The men of La Mancha. Drawing inspiration from literature, stage, and screen, this imaginative recital highlights the triumphs and tribulations of the knight-errant, Don Quixote, and the characters closest to him. Through music by Massenet, Ravel, Ibert, Chapí, and selections from Broadway’s Man of La Mancha, the audience is invited to experience multiple interpretations of one of history's most enduring literary figures through an evening of unforgettable storytelling.
Wandern
APRIL 6 & 8
Knoxville Opera artists present Wandern, an intimate recital exploring journeys both physical and emotional. This program reflects on nature, adventure, longing, the landscapes that inspire us and the journeys that shape our lives. Performed in the elegant surroundings of the Eugenia Williams House, this thoughtful evening celebrates the timeless connection between music, landscape, and the human spirit.