MISSISSIPPI LEGISLATURE

1998 Regular Session

To: Rules

By: Representatives Ketchings, West

A CONCURRENT RESOLUTION COMMENDING AND CONGRATULATING THE NATCHEZ OPERA FESTIVAL, INCORPORATED, ON RECEIVING THE ARTS IN COMMUNITY AWARD AS PART OF THE 1998 GOVERNOR'S AWARDS FOR EXCELLENCE IN THE ARTS. 

WHEREAS, the Natchez Opera Festival, Inc., supported by the Natchez Opera Guild, is the recipient of the Arts in Community Award of the 1998 Governor's Awards for Excellence in the Arts; and

WHEREAS, a dedicated core of volunteers have devoted numerous hours to promote music and the arts, with an emphasis in opera, in Natchez and its surrounding communities; and

WHEREAS, since its organization in 1989, the Natchez Opera Festival has offered high quality opera and a variety of Broadway musical productions to the community and to the public school students in a nine-county area; and

WHEREAS, the Natchez Opera Festival presents concerts in the schools and prepares lesson plans to assist teachers in exposing the young people of this state to opera, musical theater, music history and theory through the schools, and it also encourages others to support music education; and

WHEREAS, employing only one paid staff member, community volunteers from the Natchez Opera Guild, with over 400 members strong, maintain the success of the Festival through coordinating every aspect of the events sponsored by the Festival; and

WHEREAS, attracting tourists to Natchez, the May 1997 opera season produced $1.6 million in economic activity according to the Department of Economic and Community Development; and

WHEREAS, bringing great honor to the State of Mississippi by producing a phenomenal artistic and economic impact, the Natchez Opera Festival has been selected as a Top 20 Event by the Southeast Tourism Society:

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI, THE SENATE CONCURRING THEREIN, That we do hereby commend and congratulate the Natchez Opera Festival, Inc., on receiving the Arts in Community Award of the 1998 Governor's Awards for Excellence in Arts.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That copies of this resolution be furnished to the Natchez Opera Festival, Inc., and the Capitol Press Corps.