Notice anything different?
Well you should!

We have a new look AND a new name!
Our mission and values remain, but now we look even better doing it.

Dear friends,
As we move into this updated chapter as An Opera Theatre (AOT), I want to recognize and address why we've been working on a name change in the first place. 

We are deeply sorry for any hurt we caused due to our original organization name at AOT, Arb**t Opera Theatre.

The original choice in name was chosen solely for the verb definition “to work” in order to align with our vision of providing work for local Minnesota artists. However, we did not take the correct steps in asking the right questions nor considered the weight carried by the history of that word. We realize we fell short of any positive intention we had in attempting to decontextualize a word that causes pain.As an organization founded on breaking down barriers, we genuinely want all to feel a welcome part of our community and we take full blame in knowing our original name kept some from that. We also know that the name change will not be enough, so we will do more. We will work so that no one will be hurt in this way again.A name change at AOT has been an ongoing process for quite a while now; we’ve wanted to ensure that this time we were taking the correct steps in choosing a name. Balancing an exponential growth in our patron base while trying to pivot into a new name has turned into a longer process than expected. We worked as efficiently as we could as a small, grass-roots organization to make it happen.We hope that now you can further embrace AOT’s new full name, An Opera Theatre. We hope that it more accurately reflects the work we so greatly believe in, have showcased since our first production in 2018, and how we have chosen to lead as an organization since our founding. 

Thank you for allowing us the space to voice our apologies. Trust us to do better going forward. 


In sincerity and kindness,
Kelly