Brooke Tolley, 33 / General Director, Opera Roanoke
Brooke Tolley has an “exceptionally deep understanding of the nonprofit performing arts sector,” guiding Opera Roanoke through difficult times, including COVID-19, using her creativity and tenacity to plan for the 2021-22 season. She is active in professional associations such as Opera America, where she participates in weekly online roundtables with managers, funders and public officials. Tolley has also performed professionally for the last decade, teaching voice lessons privately and at the university level, leading choral workshops in local schools and singing for most of the Opera’s community engagement events. “I truly believe that the arts and opera are for everyone,” Tolley says. “It is a personal mission of mine to break down stereotypes that surround opera and really make it about the community. … Opera is not only for the elite; rather, it’s for all people seeking a place to escape to for a brief moment of serenity, a place of hope and healing. I believe strongly that everyone should try opera at least once – you won’t regret it!”
- Earned bachelor’s degree in Music – Vocal Performance – Liberty University 2010
- Earned master’s degree in Music – Vocal Performance – Radford University 2012
- Performed professionally for the last 10 years both in the Roanoke region and outside the region
- Teaches voice lessons both privately and at the university level
- Leads choral workshops in local schools
- Sings for most of the Opera’s community engagement events
- Chosen as 1 of only 3 Women Opera Administrators across the country to attend the Hart Institute at The Dallas Opera, 2018
From the Nomination: “Brooke Tolley has guided Opera Roanoke through difficult times in the past and is now navigating COVID-19. Through her managerial creativity and fearless tenacity, the company remains solvent as it prepares programs for the 2020-21 season that are relevant to the community and adapted to current performance conditions and restrictions. In addition being a brilliant manager of the opera company, Tolley is a very fine signer in her own right. She holds a bachelors and masters degree in music and performs throughout the region. With this background she is able to understand every facet of opera production, from the nuts and bolts of theater logistics and financial planning to the specialized needs of singers and instrumentalists. In recent months Tolley has performed at several retirement homes, presenting opera and musical theater classics, folk music, and patriotic songs. These programs are offered outdoors, often the courtyards adjoining the residential facilities.”
What do you love about Roanoke?
Tolley: “I grew up in Roanoke so I love that I’ve been able to find fulfilling work as an opera professional in my hometown, which is not something everyone in the opera business can say. I love that we have such a diverse, vibrant arts and culture scene that continues to grow as the city grows. All of my colleagues in the Roanoke arts scene are supportive and encouraging – we genuinely care about each other’s success and recognize the hard work we all do together to keep this sector of our community thriving. Roanoke is a wonderful place to live – it has a small town feel with the amenities of a larger city. I can escape into nature right outside my door (literally! I live next to the Greenway!), but I can also enjoy a plethora of unique restaurants, wineries, breweries and shopping.”
How does your passion impact our community?
Tolley: “… Some of the best opera I’ve seen has been outside the four walls of a dark theatre. I love getting out into the community and just sharing this beautiful music with anyone who might need it – no ticket purchase required. Opera is not only full of exceptional music and singing but it’s filled with remarkable stories. These stories, both new and old, resonate deeply – they go straight to the core of the human condition. Opera makes you laugh, cry and think, and everyone on our planet does that.”
