Frequently Asked Questions
Who owns Lebanon Opera House?
The building is owned by the City of Lebanon. The theater, backstage area and box office are leased by the city to the LOH Improvement Corporation.
Who operates and maintains Lebanon Opera House?
Lebanon Opera House is operated by the nonprofit Lebanon Opera House Improvement Corporation. Thirteen volunteers representing the various Upper Valley towns and constituencies comprise the Opera House Board of Trustees. The Board employs a full time executive director, facilities manager and associate director and part-time bookkeeper and box office associate to manage operations and achieve the Board's objectives. (See our Board of Trustees and Meet the Staff pages for more information on people behind the titles.)
Does Lebanon Opera House present only opera?
Opera is but one of the many performance genres enjoyed by over 50,000 people annually at the Opera House.
Among our many offerings:
The Opera House Series: An annual series of music, theater, dance and other live performances is presented from September through May. We try to offer a variety of exceptional live performances that appeal to diverse audiences, while keeping ticket prices as affordable as possible.
The Youth Education Series: A series of weekday matinees for schools groups and the general public. Last year, students from over 70 schools enjoyed performances by nationally recognized artists such as Theatreworks USA, The Reduced Shakespeare Company, The Harlem Gospel Choir and Little Theatre of the Deaf.
Lebanon School District: As the Lebanon School District auditorium and theater, Lebanon Opera House is home to student plays, performances and concerts; Lebanon High School and Junior High assemblies, and visiting artist performances.
City of Lebanon: Community Chorus and Band concerts and numerous civic meetings are held in the Jack O'Connell theater.
Regular Renters: Each year, the Opera House is home to mainstage productions of Opera North, North Country Community Theatre and City Center Ballet, in addition to dozens of community organizations and commercial renters. The Opera House is also very active as a rental or roadhouse for promoters and organizations which independently contract for their use. Sliding scale rental fees are based on profit or nonprofit status and a range of administrative and ticketing support is available through the box office.
How big is the Opera House?
The Opera House seats 803, including eight handicapped accessible seats and 2 spaces for wheelchairs. The orchestra level holds 582 and there are 221 seats in the balcony.
What are the main sources of revenue?
Ticket sales (55%), rentals (20%), contributes income (grants and benefits) (10%), individual contributions (8%), and corporate underwriters (7%).
What's a "Munsey"?
Munsey, as in the Munsey Bluegrass Festival, is Ken Munsey, a longtime music teacher in Lebanon and LOH's first facilities manager. The annual bluegrass festival was renamed for Ken upon his retirement in 2009 in honor of his dedication to bluegrass music and Lebanon Opera House.
How do I request an appearance by my favorite artist?
We always welcome suggestions for performers. You can call the office (603.448.0400) with your recommendations, or e-mail them to info@lebanonoperahouse.org.