FILE NUMBER........

Whereas, The Nevada Opera had its debut season in 1968 and since

that time has grown into a nationally recognized regional opera company;

and

Whereas, The founders of the Nevada Opera, Ted Puffer, Artistic

Director, and Deena Puffer, Associate Producer, had a vision in 1967 and,

with the help of a handful of volunteers, worked tirelessly over the years to

develop the company to the level of offering three professionally-produced

traditional operas each season, an annual performance of The Nutcracker

ballet, as well as the production of lighter and more contemporary works;

and

Whereas, The Nevada Opera has to its credit over 120 main-stage

productions, including presentations as diverse as Verdi’s Requiem and

Bizet’s Carmen to Carlisle Floyd’s Of Mice and Men, and summer

musicals starring such accomplished artists as Toni Tennille and Broadway

legend John Raitt; and

Whereas, The Nevada Opera has produced two acclaimed American

premieres, Busoni’s Doktor Faust and Tchaikovsky’s Joan of Arc; and

Whereas, In 1993 the team of Ted and Deena Puffer presented the

Nevada Opera’s first commissioned work, the 25th Anniversary of the

World Premiere of Bern Herbolsheimer’s Mark Me Twain; and

Whereas, Ted Puffer, known for his work as stage director, conductor,

concert pianist, accompanist, tenor soloist and, more recently, world-

renowned vocal coach, mentored Nevada Opera’s young artist graduates

who have gone on to make their European opera debuts, most notably the

internationally-famous mezzo soprano Dolora Zajick; and

Whereas, The Nevada Opera has an educational outreach mission

which led it to institute the Nevada Opera Youth Chorus in 1994, a formal

program that provides professional training in the arts of voice,

musicianship, theater and movement for talented youngsters ages 8 through

18 years; and

Whereas, The Nevada Opera has a new program called the Nevada

Opera Studio, which reaches into the local community with special

programs designed for elementary, middle and high school levels, and

which also tours the smaller outlying communities in Northern Nevada;

now, therefore, be it

Resolved by the Assembly of the State of Nevada, the Senate

Concurring, That the Nevada Opera is hereby commended for its 30

years of first-class presentations to Northern Nevada audiences and

especially for its presentations to the children in the local community and

the rural areas; and be it further

Resolved, That Ted and Deena Puffer are hereby congratulated and

honored for their many years of dedication during which they shared their

vast knowledge and tremendous talents to make the Nevada Opera the first-

class company that it is today; and be it further

Resolved, That the members of the 70th session of the Nevada

Legislature urge the residents of Northern Nevada to attend the Nevada

Opera performances and show their support for its great contributions to

the arts and culture of this state; and be it further

Resolved, That the Chief Clerk of the Assembly prepare and transmit

copies of this resolution to the Board of Directors of the Nevada Opera and

to Ted Puffer and Deena Puffer.

~