Opera Elect was founded by Idaho natives, Zachary Buker (tenor), and Jordan Michelle Bowman (soprano/composer) during their time as vocal performance students at The College of Idaho in 2014. Their goal being that they were interested in gaining professional experience while producing new and original works that all audiences might be interested in experiencing. 

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They achieved this in their first year by producing their first original operetta, Tomorrow, Tomorrow, music by Joseph Greene, libretto by E.H. Nary, and directed by Edith Grace Dull. Not only was this an original production, but it was created solely by undergraduate students. Tomorrow, Tomorrow successfully toured the Northwest rallying new Opera Elect supporters behind it. 

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The following year, 2015, they produced their second original operetta,

The Fortune Teller, libretto by Madelein Bowman (mezzo), music by Jordan Michelle Bowman, and directed by Edith Grace Dull. After the tour was over Opera Elect went on a brief hiatus from full productions as Zachary had left Idaho to pursue his Master of Music from University of Washington. 

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Edith and Jordan went on to pursue collaborations with incredible local artists. OE collaborated with HomeGrown Theatre's Annual Horrific Puppet Affair to produce two short (horrific) puppet operas, Lullaby and Krampusnacht (Bowman & Bowman). Aside from original productions, Opera Elect has collaborated with Lukas Evergreen, Velocity Pole Art, and Frankly Frankie Burlesque! Later, Jordan also left to pursue her Master of Music in Opera at Binghamton University, leaving Edith as their newly appointed managing director. 

 

In 2018 Opera Elect started its journey back into the hearts of supporters in the Treasure Valley. We were active in performing classic opera parties, and started a new tradition, New Music Concert Series, where we bring to life original compositions that were written in the last five years in a series of performances that go throughout the summer and early fall. 

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Jordan and Edith had two successful seasons of their New Music Concert Series before the COVID-19 Pandemic shut everything down. With works they promised to produce for the composers they had already accepted, they decided to produce filmed and virtual operatic works. 

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They're still working on completing all of their NMCS submissions from 2020, but are hoping to return to more in person work in the fall of 2022.

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