Pittsburgh Opera holding 'online Holiday Bazaar' in lieu of in-person gala

The Pittsburgh Opera was hoping to have one of its festive in-person fundraising galas this fall, but coronavirus made it impossible.

However, the Opera still needed to come up with a way to raise money to support its acclaimed Resident Artists program. So, next month, it will hold what it’s calling an “online Holiday Bazaar.”

The event will take place from Thursday, Dec. 10, through Saturday, Dec. 12, and feature a free live-streamed concert performance with Pittsburgh Opera’s resident artists performing holiday songs. There will be a three-day online “Holiday Marketplace” featuring Pittsburgh-area experiences and gifts and national and international trips that can be taken post-covid.

The free live-streamed “Holiday Hoopla” concert gets underway at 5 p.m. on Dec. 12.

“We could not have successfully had live performances this fall without our Resident Artists,” said Michael Braxton, Pittsburgh Opera director of development. “We’d have loved to have one of our signature in-person fundraising galas, but covid-19 continues to make that impractical.

“The online Holiday Bazaar will let us spread holiday cheer while enabling people from beyond the Pittsburgh Region to help support training the next generation of opera stars.”

The Holiday Marketplace includes both items for bid in an online auction as well as “buy now” gift items including a bread baking class at Enrico’s in the Strip District, a trip to the Almalfi Coast, once travel restrictions are lifted, and a glass making class for two from the Pittsburgh Glass Center.

People can register here.