LegacyFounders Circle
Make A Lasting Impact
Opera has always been an evolving art form—reimagined by each generation. At Opera Parallèle, we bring new voices, bold interpretations, and contemporary relevance to the stage.
By including Opera Parallèle in your will or estate plans, you help ensure that this spirit of innovation continues by supporting groundbreaking productions and expanding what opera can be for years to come.
Our new Legacy Founders Circle is a flexible, personal way to help keep opera alive, dynamic, and deeply connected to the world we live in.
Special thanks to our Legacy Founders Circle Co-Chairs Jane Hartley and Robert Ripps, as well as our current Legacy Founders Circle members:*
Michèle & Larry Corash
Kip Cranna
Bob Ellis
Jo Giessler
Jane Hartley
Lisa Lindelef
Bernice Lindstrom
Peggy Otum
Nicole Paiement & Brian Staufenbiel
Robert Ripps
John Roevekamp
Jerry Roth & Ray Jenks
Martin Tannenbaum & Alex Ingersoll
Planned gifts of all sizes are welcome. Joining OP’s Legacy Founders Circle provides exclusive benefits, including concierge ticket service, invitations to private musical salons and receptions, early notification of season programming and special events, and recognition on our website and printed materials. Your membership serves as an inspiring example for others to follow, although if you prefer, you may choose to remain anonymous.
In Their Own Words
LFC Members Share Why Bequests Make a Difference
“What inspires me most about Opera Parallèle is the originality and imagination behind everything they do. They are not simply presenting opera—they are reinventing what opera can be for today’s audiences.
Through bold storytelling, inventive productions, and new and reimagined works, Opera Parallèle brings this art form to life in ways that feel intimate, contemporary, and deeply meaningful. The combination of extraordinary singers, innovative staging, modern technology, and chamber-scale orchestration creates experiences that are unlike anything else in the Bay Area—and increasingly, across the country.
I believe this kind of artistic vision deserves a strong future. That’s why I chose to become a member of the Legacy Founders Circle, helping ensure that Opera Parallèle can continue inspiring audiences and shaping the future of opera for generations to come. I hope you’ll consider joining me.”
— Jane Hartley
“When I attended Wozzeck (2010) and Orphée (2011), about as different as operas can get, in intimate, innovative and memorable performances by the upstart newcomer to the music scene Ensemble Parallèle, I knew that something extraordinary was happening and I wanted more. Forty years working in and around the opera world taught me that lightning doesn’t strike twice very often, but it sure gets your attention when it does. I’ve since been on the board, the advisory council, chaired galas in an effort to sustain the “electricity” and it’s a natural segue becoming a founding member of the legacy circle. May OP lightning strike for many years to come!”
— Robert Ripps
For more information contact Eman Isadiar, Director of Development, email Eman@operaparallele.org, or call (415) 626-6279 ext. 108.
*LFC members as of May 6, 2026.