We selected this beautiful venue for our wedding reception for several reasons. This venue offers a blank canvas to allow a bride, groom or party planner the ability to paint and design your vision into a reality. You are permitted to select any vendors, rental equipment, bartenders and other support staff for this venue. We loved this! We worked with Sarah Cowing, Production Coordinator for the planning, contract issuance, billing, etc. majority of the questions we had. She provided any restrictions and other particulars regarding the venue along the way. She was point for vendors deliveries too. She remained on site during our rental period and setup the day before; monitoring and helping as needed ensuring all rules were followed. She also helped with chairs, provided carts and other direction as needed. We were grateful for the Flex Time she permitted during setup. Thanks a bunch! Mr. Phil Irvin: We cannot say enough great things about Mr Irvin. He was an absolute star! We were so glad he was assigned to be our onsite contact for the day of! He was also our point at the final walk through and was there to answer any questions we had about the layout. He was everything to us the day of our wedding reception. He was extremely knowledgeable and ensured everything flowed smoothly! He gave us ideas, received all vendors, studied and ensured our itinerary was followed, made sure the parking was managed, ensured the wedding party was escorted in without guests seeing us, made sure we were fed upon arrival from wedding photos, and remained at our side as the bride and groom the entire night! Guided clean you name it. He quickly worked with our points to resolve any issues that arose. We were soo thankful for him, his support and services! We could not have done it without him! Sir, you are a gem! Thank you from the bottom of our hearts for everything! Everyone echoed the same sentiments! Rules and other helpful info we wanted to share are as following. The price to rent this venue includes tables and chairs (although we rented banquet tables) a wood bar station, warming kitchen and a day of assistant. Our rental included 12 hours plus 1 additional hour for clean up. * Capacity - The venue can seat 200 guests in a dinner-style set up and 300 guests in a cocktail hour style set up * Setup/breakdown - You and your vendors can drop off items the day before your event, but if you want to do any decorating or hold a rehearsal there, they charge an additional hourly rate of $400 ph for the hours you're in the building or $1450.00 for 4 hours. They prefer for your rental time period to be during their business hours with the latest time permitted for rental for a Friday as an example being no later than 4:30pm so staff could be present. They prefer for all personal items to be removed from the building at the end of the night following your event but do make exceptions to hold them until Monday morning if they've been gathered into one area and all food and gifts have been removed. * Dance floors are only permitted if you are renting one. They do not allow anything directly on the floor with tape or glue. Vinyl flooring or anything directly on the floor is not permitted. * They do have restricted items and they will share those with you in your contract. * You will be provided with free access to a social table app to design the room to meet your configuration and they will ensure the tables are setup to meet your specification's. It was the best! We highly recommend this beautiful and vintage venue neatly tucked in the Strip District. We hope that our tips provided can help others in their event planning. Thank you Pittsburgh Opera team! Our reception was an absolute dream! read more

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My husband and I had the opportunity to see Florencia en el Amazonas this past Sunday. Neither of us had ever been to the Opera before so we really didn't know what to expect. I'm happy to say that the performance exceeded my expectations. It was very easy to pick up our tickets at the box office before the show. Upon entering the Benedum we went to see where our seats were. We were in Orchestra Right Center Row R. They were great seats as it was very easy to read the subtitles at the top of the screen. The performance was well rehearsed and kind of funny in parts. I loved how they made me feel like the boat was actually moving through water on the stage. The orchestra was great and probably never gets enough credit for their hard work. For my first trip to the Opera, I would say it was a success. Great job Pittsburgh Opera! read more

This was an amazing opportunity to see the Pittsburgh Opera at the Benedum. Experiencing the opera is something I have always wanted to do. However I still went in to it without much knowledge or what to expect. I was pleasantly surprised by how much I did enjoy the show. We had amazing seats! It was a bit awkward looking up to see the subtitles but it was also wonderful they were there so I could follow along with the dialogue. I enjoyed the story. It was a love story, some humor and some sadness. I loved watching the set move and I found it amazing how they made the stage in to a boat and it moves across stage! The costumes were awesome and all the actors/actresses/singers were wonderful to listen and watch. I would love to come back and see another opera. We had to pick up our tickets at the box office and it was very easy and fast. read more

Came to the Benedum Center recently to watch/listen to Florencia En El Amazonas. This was the first show of the Opera's season and the first time in the Opera's 80+ year history that a non-English opera has been performed. Though I do not speak Spanish, I found the performance to be incredibly interesting and was happy there was also a translation broadcasted on a signboard above the performers. I found the plot both strange and intriguing, and by the end, felt that I had come to sympathize with and bond with certain characters. The performers sang powerfully and the stage props and lighting looked professional and carried out well too. Would love to come back for another Opera soon! read more

My mother and I recently attended a Yelp Elite event to see Florencia en el Amazonas. This was our first opera. I enjoyed the projections above the screen that gave us an opportunity to enjoy with an interpretation ( I would've been quite lost without it). The music was beautiful. Opera is not my thing but I enjoyed the storyline and the performances. read more

My husband and I are big fans of opera, and we were hoping to catch a show while visiting Pittsburgh. Although our visit was scheduled before the new season started, we hit the jackpot when we learned their Rising Stars event was the same weekend of our visit, and get this, it was free! What?! Yes, free, thanks to the RAD program (county sales tax dollars that support local parks, sports, arts/cultural programs). Simply call or e-mail the opera to put your name on the guest list, and you're in! And they have lots of other low cost/free events--concerts in the park, farmers market, and brown bag rehearsal lunches at headquarters. If you are a local, take advantage! The Rising Stars event was held at headquarters, and the agenda for the evening consisted of 6 young resident artists singing their favorite arias and then singing an aria selected by the panel (the opera staff). The resident artists--Taylor Raven, Andy Berry, Shannon Jennings, Eric Ferring, Claudia Rosenthal, Leah De Gruyl, and Brian Vu. Thereafter, the audience got to vote on what aria/artist they wanted to hear as the final one. While the votes were tallied (using their mobile app and also the old fashioned way), the host of the event interviewed the artists about their education, what they did over the summer, how they were adjusting to their new homes in Pittsburgh, and what productions they would be participating in during the upcoming season. All of the artists performed beautifully, and it was interesting to see/hear how a change in the song/aria selected by the panel showcased a different aspect of their voices and theatrical persona. They were all equally charming and gracious when interviewed. And by popular vote, Taylor Raven, a mezzo-soprano, was the the audience choice for final aria for the evening. Congrats Taylor Raven! Isn't that a perfect name for an opera singer? Keep a look/ear out for her and the other resident artists as their stars are on the rise! Thank you Pittsburgh Opera and the resident artists for allowing us to attend this event. It was definitely a highlight in our vacation, and has left us wanting more and wishing we were here for the regular season. read more

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Listen the Opera is the place to be. I do not know how they do it, or how they can do it, but each time I go I am amazed at the performances. Blown away in fact. I love the pure talent that is on stage when you go to see on of their shows. I am not a musical person, I love musicals, and everything about them, but myself I am not musical at all. I really just think that this is one of the best things you can spend your money on if you are interested in anyway in music, because even me, a non musical person loves them. The lights, the costumes, the stage! You really cannot ask for a better night. You can also get some snacks and some booze to help you get through the performances if you are dragged to one against your will. I have been to the Opera twice now and I cannot get enough of it. I would go to each one if I could. For those who are thinking, "I am not about to listen to someone since in a language I do not understand for two hours..." Well, let me tell you friend. The words are projected on the screen above the acting. So you can read along to what they are saying or just soak in the pageantry and check in every once in a while to what is actually going on. I mean, for the most part you will get the gist of what is happening without having to 100% understand the words. But the words are there if needed. Now, I have only sat closer to the stage so I cannot speak for being able to see those words if you are in the balconies. Another thing to note is that the orchestra that performs along with the opera is always spot on. I mean no pre-recorded music here. It is all live and it is amazing. Not only are you going out on the town to listen to some amazing vocals you are also being able to listen to some amazing musicians alongside those vocals. What a great thing to be part of. And at the intermissions or at the start or end, you can walk up and watch the orchestra warm up and get some waves if you are very lucky. I think that you should try it out. Pittsburgh's Opera scene is pretty cool. You might just come away as hooked as I am! read more

In terms of location, this isn't bad! The Strip area is a bit easier to navigate than actual downtown. It's actually nice to walk around on a week night when the whether cooperates. Street parking was easy to find too for non-weekend shows. The actual building is so gross though. It's only one floor and has an air of a cheaply re-renovated warehouse. I know hipsters are into that kind of thing with exposed piping and brick, uneven floorboards, foldout seats...but it does not make me believe I'm here for an opera. I can see it working well for a show like Avenue Q but definitely not for a show I spent $112+ on. The bathrooms smell kind of funky and the stage is tiny. This venue is just so B list and rundown. I want some class and pizzazz to go with my opera shows. It's OPERA, after all. read more

I've been here a couple of times for performances as well as private events. I think it's quite a lovely venue that we are fortunate to have in our city. Ornate decor and amazing acoustics. read more

It is so great that Pittsburgh has such a fantastic opera with a variety of different shows. The singing is always fantastic and the acting is too. You never feel like it is too snobby or esoteric because of the detailed descriptions in the programs and the translated lyrics above the stage. I look forward to seeing many more shows! read more

Pittsburgh Opera - Performing Arts Near Me - Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

We should all try the opera once in awhile. The Pittsburgh Opera's Florencia en el Amazonas was a masterful production. From the moment the curtains opened to the beautiful staging, to the end (where I won't enter a spoiler), this opera was wonderful and reasonably accessible to those of us who are not regulars. It's always a pleasure to attend an event at the Benedum, and with the orchestra and talented cast, the theater lent this event a magical aura. While I did not have a cocktail there, I thought that the second floor bar was nicely done and seemed to be handling the crowd well. I admit that I rely on the subtitles projected above the stage. At times, from our seats on the floor, this put a little strain on my neck, so maybe next time I would choose seats a little further back. read more

Pittsburgh Opera - View from our seats. - Performing Arts Near Me - Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

Recently had the opportunity to see the Pittsburgh Opera. I was genuinely impressed with the entire experience. The crowd there to see the opera was much calmer and quieter than the usual show crowd, which I appreciated. For anyone concerned about a language barrier with the opera do not be worried. Above the stage is a screen where everything shows up in english. The costumes and set design were bright and realistic. The stage was definitely used to it's full potential to provide a dynamic show filled with drama, love, tears, and laughter. read more

We went to see Florence en el Amazonas on a Saturday night and had a great time. This is the second opera that we have seen here. We got great seats thanks to the Yelp event thank you! I have been to many shows before here at the Benedum but the Opera is a little different especially when it is all in a different language. I know some Spanish so that helped but luckily there was a screen at the top of the stage that had subtitles. I wasn't too sure what the screen was up there at first. I thought it was for the advertising. Then it stayed on during the show and then I realized it was subtitles! Once you get use to it the show flows smoothly. The opera was great and the performers were top quality. We really enjoyed this opera and can't wait to go to another one. read more

This review isn't for the opera, this is for the venue space. Attended a wedding reception here and had more than a wonderful time. The space is more than adequate to house all of your guests in a comfortable setting. The staff made this run as smoothly as possible (even though an opera is no wedding I'm sure a wedding could be an opera). The sound system was amazing and more than enough for a wedding. The building I have to say was quite beautiful. Exposed brick all over the place. Great reuse of a building and quite unique I have to say. Parking to attend anything here I would imagine is hard to find seeing that it is in the Strip District. But once you find your spot and walk into the building you definitely know you're in for a good time. read more

I have been a subscriber to the Pittsburgh Opera for 5 years. I have also attended the opera in other cities, most notably New York City and Sidney, and I feel that we are very lucky to have such an excellent company in Pittsburgh. The season usually provides lots of variety, and the artistic standards are very high. The Benedum itself is a magnificent venue to attend an opera, they have done a wonderful job restoring this historic building. The acoustics of the Benedum are also really excellent. The super titles are easy to read from just about any seat. The orchestra is well rehearsed and play beautifully. I also think that most people have misconceptions about opera which can be easily be proved wrong by visiting the Pittsburgh Opera. read more

Immensely enjoyed the first two Opera shows I've seen in Pittsburgh in many, many years...'Tosca' and 'The Marriage of Figaro' This is a review of 'Tosca'. On Friday...The fat lady sang, jumped to her death and it was curtains for her character and the show. Cosca was truly over only when the fat lady sang leaving all 4 of the main characters dead. What a brilliant show! The ending wouldn't suggest that The first Act was more comedic than dramatic. At times, hilarious as the jealous Cosca became increasingly irate of the beautiful woman her lover Mario is painting (Mary Magdalene 1st pic posted) lol & Scarpio's jealously of Mario is at first funny. Funnier when he starts torturing and threatening to lap of heads (you can hear Mario's friend screaming out off stage through the torture chamber door..singing his torture in a classic beautiful Opera way. I thought this was extremely cool, brilliant (almost funny...because you don't expect to hear screaming in terror sung in key) and the actor is off stage right singing his scream. I loved that. Imagine a beautiful Opera voice cry Instead of "Arggghha ahhladffuki'mmmmbeinnnmurderrredd" The set is in a church with the Mary Magdalene painting on an eisel and a church door to the cathedral audience. center of the stage. The second set is also in a church with a center door to the larger Cathedral chapel (you can hear a choir singing off stage and the acoustics are made to sound like it's coming from that door and/or the set design has that easy to believe. Check out the video I post. Loved that. very cool. who designed that? exceptional. Cosca's character cycles through a broad spectrum of emotions from jealous, loyal, venegeful, and eligious and moral at the end before she jumps singing I will now be judged before God with you..you bastard Scarpio. Is this all about her? and Scarpio? what about the poor artist Mario who got caught up in all of this? Did he deserve to die? maybe but shouldn't she be calling out for his love before vengeance to Scarpio? Hmmm...a peak into her true character here. But Leah Crocetto's acting & beautiful singing have the audience believing her more of a jealous & funny character who is chasing an artist who feels trapped in the situation and is staying with her to survive. Sure there are different interpretations of Cosca and this one is a believable one. Compassion grows for Cosca despite her flaws as the futility of the situation becomes evident. And her singing is so beautiful...giving the audience no choice but to fall in love with her despite her character flaws. In the end, the fake execution was real. The Power mongering, heartless Scarpio has been murdered, killed by Cosca. And her lover is dead, victim of a "fake execution" choose to believe the sociopath she murdered (who's fault is that?) and Cosca, true to the words we all know "Elivs has left the building" oh no I mean "it aint over until the fat lady sings" as she falls to her death..exit stage center down! Bravo, fricking loved this Opera. 2 Thumbs way up! Lastly, trying to research the origin of "It's not over to the fat lady sings". I found this and thought I hope this is true. Great legend. I'm having a change of heart about Al Capone. Opera can move an audience in mysterious ways. Fwd...(from a bloke in Dublin) The way I heard it was that in the twenties Al Capone developed a taste for opera, mugging up assiduously on recordings, and one night went to a live performance of Tosca, accompanied by two bodyguards. These gents, who hadn't done the same homework as Al, got up to go at the end of the first aria, only for Al to drag them back into their seats, snarling ... you guessed it. "THE SHOW ISNT OVER Until the FAT Lady sings!" read more

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I attended Florencia en Amazonas through a Yelp Elite event and I am so glad I went. Back twenty years ago I was a regular season subscriber to the Baltimore Opera Company. Seeing this performance reminded me why I love Opera. I went on to get tickets to more Pittsburgh Opera events. The performance of Florencia was good but the voices were not as strong as the Met or the Baltimore Opera back in it's heyday. Alexandra Loutsion who sang Florencia did do an excellent performance. With some of the other voices, either the orchestra should be softer or the voices louder. On the positive side, good seats at the Pittsburgh Opera are WAY cheaper than they used to charge in Baltimore. Also it looks as if you don't have to dress up for the dress circle. I am going to become a subscriber. read more

I was lucky enough to be able to attend the Pittsburgh Opera's production of Don Pasquale at the Benedum Center as a Yelp Elite member. The production was lovely and the sets were beautiful. Our seats were fantastic, in the director's circle, but unfortunately there must've been a large air conditioning unit located directly by our seats for we had ice cold air blowing down on us periodically throughout the performance. We would've enjoyed the opera more if we could hear the two male leads but the orchestra completely drowned them out. I do not know why they did not make adjustments after the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette noted this in their review. The female lead was absolutely incredible and getting to listen to her perform was a complete joy, and as I see she has won a prestigious award I imagine she will be going on to become one of the great opera singers of all time. read more

We went to a couple of performances by the Pittsburgh Opera Center, the Opera Company's training program - Brecht and Weill's Threepenny Opera and Bizet's Carmen. I loved the way both of these (very different) performances were staged, with very creative use of small spaces/stages and basic props and costumes. The voices were strong and the music was good and the whole thing was intimate and stunning, both times. And both performances had a good amount of humor in them, too. 5 stars. I also saw the Opera Company proper perform Tosca and Cosi Fan Tutti, but these were less remarkable. I think I might have actually disliked certain performers and the costumes and sets were borrowed design from other companies. I think you can feel it when it's not a complete production. 3 stars. read more

This is Pittsburgh's own little gem. I attended a production, years ago. of Rigoletto, directed by the great Tito Capobianco. You know the opera is by Verdi, when you begin to applaud through your tears. I have never experienced a performance like that, not even in New York with the Met. Every aspect was carefully intertwined, so that the overall effect was one beautiful masterpiece. The Pittsburgh Opera keeps bringing the finest talent to Pittsburgh, and we are very fortunate. read more

For review #300, I figured I'd review the Pittsburgh Opera, one of my favorite arts organizations in Pittsburgh. Although I'd never seen a true opera before coming to PGH, and I'd heard that it's polarizing (people either love it or hate it), last year, I decided to take the plunge and see a performance. I'm so glad I did, since I really enjoyed it, and it gave me a great appreciation for an unfamiliar art form! To date, I've seen three performances: La Boheme (2014), Otello (2014), and Carmen (2015), all of which were performed at the Benedum, my favorite venue in PGH. All of the performances were very well done, with excellent singing and acting by the artists. Of the three, La Boheme was the most accessible, and Carmen the most dramatic, with music that I recognized, despite never having seen it before. Although none of these performances were in English, subtitles are projected above the stage so that the audience can follow the lyrics and dialogue. Despite sitting in the cheap seats in the second tier, the acoustics are still very good. Unfortunately, opera glasses aren't available for rental or purchase. However, if you bring a pair of binoculars, they vastly improve your ability to see the facial expressions of the artists, which will greatly increase your appreciation of the shows if you're sitting in the peanut gallery. Because I don't have a standard to judge by, since I haven't seen performances by any other opera companies, I'm awarding a rating of 4.5. If you live in PGH, or are just visiting, I highly recommend taking advantage of this cultural treasure. Even if you've never seen an opera performance before, check it out--if you're like me, you'll love it! read more

Whether you are a headbanger or a punk rocker or a classics kind of person, the Opera is for you. Murder, infidelity, kidnapping, intrigue, music, sex, booze . . . opera has something for everyone. And in a world where everything is instant gratification, the opera has only 5 performances a year, so it's truly special when they come along. Buy a couple of tickets, get dressed up, splurge on dinner with someone you love, and then enjoy the show. read more

I went to my first Pittsburgh Opera back in 1992 in the heyday of Tito Capobianco when I worked at my first office job for the man who once owned Christoper's Restaurant (now Monterey Bay) in Mount Washington. Christoper's partnered with the Pittsburgh Opera to have "Tuesday Night at the Opera" galas where people would buy tickets to dinner and the Opera and would be shuttled from the restaurant to the show after dinner and then shuttled back afterwards for a private meeting with Tito and the Opera's cast. I was 21 at the time and I was lucky enough to be able to attend 1 of the Tuesday night events (don't asked me how it happened - I think that the angels were smiling on my that day). The opera was Rigoletto and I fell in love with the opera that night. I didn't make it back to the opera again until the 1993-1994 season when I saw La Boheme. I subscribed for the next few seasons with a work friend and it was a very special time - I felt so "adult" and sophisticated and honestly didn't realize how very lucky we are in Pittsburgh to have such a fabulous opera company in our city until I moved away. I've been to the Opera in a few other cities but there is a special magic for me at the Pittsburgh Opera. I love that Pittsburgh has such a rich cultural history and that we are fortunate enough to have the opera, symphony, and many live venue theaters and musical offerings in our city. I urge people who have never been to the opera before to support the Pittsburgh Opera and take in a show. You will not be disappointed. read more