Rooted in artistic integrity and the conviction that opera belongs to everyone, Opera Ebony has championed under-represented artists for over five decades.

Opera Ebony was founded in 1974 by bass-baritone Benjamin Matthews, alongside co-founders pianist Wayne Sanders, Sister Elise Sisson, SBS, mezzo-soprano, and conductor Margaret Harris. Together, they established an institution rooted in a simple, radical premise: that the operatic tradition is enriched—not diminished—when the artists who shape it reflect the full breadth of American life.

Over five decades, Opera Ebony has served as a launchpad for under-represented artists whose talent and training demanded a stage. Many went on to careers at the Metropolitan Opera, La Scala, the Royal Opera House, and concert halls across the globe. Opera Ebony also maintained an industry innovator by promoting women composers and librettists from its inception, a practices that still continues.

Today, Opera Ebony is the longest continuously operated Black opera company in the world. That distinction reflects an unbroken commitment to keeping this art form alive, accessible, and accountable to the communities it serves.