Brenna Patrick

Staff Writer

Idaho State University will host a fundraising event featuring celebrated opera singer Michael Ballam.

The show will take place at the Jensen Grand Concert Hall in the Stephens Performing Arts Center on Sept. 13 at 7:30 p.m. Ballam will be performing an opera to raise money for ISU’s School of Performing Arts.

“I think it’s going to be a really terrific event. I am really excited about this show coming up,” said Michael Helman, business manager for the School of Performing Arts.

Helman said money raised with go primarily towards a “contingency fund.”

“The total department is not fully funded. ASISU gives us a generous amount but it only covers about half of our budget,” said Helman.

Helman added that the money will help with “expanding the program and maintaining what we have.” If something breaks or needs repair in the department, this funding will help provide the resources to fix it.

“[Ballam’s] operatic repertoire includes more than 700 performances of over 100 major roles, sharing the stage with the world’s greatest singers, including Roberta Peters, Jerome Hines, Joan Sutherland, Kiri Te Kanawa, Birgit Nilsson, Beverly Sills and Placido Domingo,” according to an ISU press release.

Ballam is known for deciding what he plays based on the audience’s reaction at the time, said Helman.

Helman said, “We are hopefully engaging not just the student community but the entire region. It’s an eastern Idaho event.”

Together with Vanessa Ballan, assistant professor of theater, Helman “wanted to do something unique this season,” he said.

The tickets will be $20 to $25 and can be purchased through the Performing Arts Center box office. On the night of the event, students can get tickets for $10 rush fee plus a $2 facility fee.