The Bio X Cell Fund is a proud Gold-level sponsor of Summerfest 2020, a partnership between Opera North, The National Park Service, and Saint-Gaudens National Historical Park. As part of Summerfest 2020, Opera North will offer two free, family-friendly outdoor concerts at the Blow-Me-Down Farm in Cornish, NH. This year’s playbill includes ‘Bluegrass and Broadway’ and ‘The Magic Flute’. Both productions will take place in August.

Opera North has worked closely with the New Hampshire Task Force for Reopening the Economy to develop a plan to reopen the arts sector in New Hampshire. Their solution includes outdoor performances, designated family pods, as well as a detailed plan for health screenings, physical distancing, use of face coverings, and cleaning.

Opera North has been a fixture in the Upper Valley community since its founding in 1984. Over the years, Opera North has grown into a true regional opera company and established the Resident Artist Program which, each summer, gives intensive training and performance opportunities to promising young singers. Opera North has also established an Education & Outreach program that introduces new audiences to opera through visits to local schools, “Lunch & Learn” talks, and casual performances at private homes. In 2017, Opera North was selected as a partner in the creation of a park for the arts at Blow-Me-Down Farm, a 46-acre property deeded to the adjacent Saint-Gaudens National Historic Site. Since July 2017, Opera North has used the Farm as an outdoor performance venue.

The economic fallout from COVID-19 has had a devastating impact on Opera North. As is the case with other performing arts organizations, Opera North has seen a dramatic decrease in both earned and donated income. They estimate that since the beginning of the global pandemic, they have lost 35% of their total annual income. Bio X Cell is proud to support Opera North and their performing artists during these unprecedented times.