Ò°ÀÇÉçÇø University | History

Ò°ÀÇÉçÇø

Skip to content

History

On April 4, 1930, Ò°ÀÇÉçÇø University presented its first musical production: Gilbert and Sullivan's "HMS Pinafore." As OCU's talent pool and audiences grew over the next two decades, the university established the Oklahoma Opera and Music Theater Company. In 1951, it mounted the first of what has become 63 consecutive seasons of fully staged productions.

After hundreds of performances of 170 different operas and musicals, we look back in gratitude at the half-million people who have attended shows on campus or on one of our international tours. We realize that the best way to build on the successes of the past is to confidently embrace the future. Our audiences enjoy the nation's most dynamic young performers, innovative stagings, and a repertoire that combines the comfort of the familiar with the thrill of the unexplored.

TITLECOMPOSERTYPE                                           YEAR(S) PERFORMED
110 IN THE SHADESchmidt, Nash, JonesMusical2013
9 TO 5: THE MUSICALParton, ResnickMusical2013
ALBERT HERRINGBrittenOpera1994
AMAHL & THE NIGHT VISITORSMenottiOpera1954, 1957, 1958
AMELIA GOES TO THE BALLMenottiOpera1995
ANNIE GET YOUR GUNBerlinMusical1987
ANYTHING GOESPorterMusical1995, 2017
APPLE TREE, THEBock & HarnickMusical2000
ARIADNE ON NAXOS (ARIADNE AUF NAXOS)R. StraussOpera1972
ASSASSINSSondheimMusical2009
BABYMaltby/ShireMusical1998
BALLAD OF BABY DOE, THEMooreOpera1970, 1980, 2008
BARBER OF SEVILLE, THE (IL BARBIERE DI SIVIGLIA)PaisielloOpera1980
BARBER OF SEVILLE, THE (IL BARBIERE DI SIVIGLIA)RossiniOpera1980, 1989, 2013
BASTIEN & BASTIENNEMozartOpera1950
BAT BOY: THE MUSICALO'Keefe, Farley, FlemmingMusical2009, 2014
BITTERSWEETCowardMusical1975
BONNIE AND CLYDEWildhornMusical2014
BOOR, THEArgentoOpera2006
BOYFRIEND, THEWilsonMusical1991
BRIGADOONLoewe & LernerMusical1959, 1996, 2015
BRIGHT STARBrickell & MartinMusical2023
BROWNSTONELarson/RubinsMusical1988
BYE, BYE BIRDIEStrouseMusical1962, 1980, 2002
CABARETJoe MasteroffMusical2021
CAN CANPorterMusical1978
CANDIDEBernsteinOpera1992, 1997
CARMENBizetOpera1981, 1991
CARNIVALHeusenMusical1986
CARNIVALMerrillMusical1998
CAVALLERIA RUSTICANAMascagniOpera1963
CENDRILLONMassenetOpera1998, 2019
CHILD AND THE SPELLS, THE (L'ENFANT ET LES SORTILÈGES)RavelOpera2014
CHILDREN OF EDENSchwartzMusical2009, 2021
CHOCOLATE SOLDIER, THEO. StrausOpera1956
CLOSER THAN EVERRichard Maltby, Jr.Musical2021
COMPANYSondheimMusical2017
CONSUL, THEMenottiOpera2010, 2021
CORONATION OF POPPEA, THEMonteverdiOpera2015
COSI FAN TUTTEMozartOpera1960, 1973, 1984, 1993, 2003, 2012, 2020
CRAZY FOR YOUGershwinMusical2019
CRUCIBLE, THEWardOpera1965, 1985
DARK SISTERSMuhly, KaramOpera2017
DESERT SONG, THERombergMusical1989
DESTRY RIDES AGAINRomeMusical1985
DIALOGUES OF THE CARMELITES (DIALOGUES DES CARMÉLITES)PoulencOpera1974, 2012
DIDO & ANEASPurcellOpera1986
DIE FLEDERMAUSJ. StraussOpera1970, 1988, 2009, 2020
DON GIOVANNIMozartOpera1966, 2010
DON PASQUALEDonizettiOpera1999, 2015
DOWN IN THE VALLEYWeillOpera1950
DROWNE’S WOODEN IMAGELukeOpera1995
ELIJAHMendelssohnOpera1954
ELIXIR OF LOVE, THE (L'ELISIR D'AMORE)DonizettiOpera1979, 1993, 2002, 2011
EVITAWebber, RiceMusical2016
FALSTAFFVerdiOpera2002
FANTASTICKS, THESchmidtMusical1985, 1990 (Singapore), 2004
FAUSTGounodOpera1976, 1989, 1992
FLOYD COLLINSGuettel, LandauMusical2016
FOOTLOOSEPitchford, snowMusical2008
FUNNY THING HAPPENED ON THE WAY TO THE FORUM, ASondheimMusical1991
GAME OF CHANCEBarabOpera2000
GEORGE MChohenMusical1976
GIANNI SCHICCIPucciniOpera1959, 1963, 1977, 1990, 2011
GODSPELLSchwartzMusical1975
GONDOLIERS, THEGilbert & SullivanOpera1983, 1962, 1998
GOOD SOLDIER SCHWEIKE, THEKurkaOpera1974
GREASECaseyMusical1982
GUYS AND DOLLSLoesserMusical1992, 2005
GYPSYStyneMusical1977
HAIRSPRAYShaiman, WittmanMusical2016
H.M.S PINAFOREGilbert & SullivanOpera1990, 1981
HANSEL AND GRETELHumperdinckOpera1973, 1974, 1975, 1976, 1977, 1978, 1979, 1991, 2004, 2022
HOTEL CASABLANCAPasatieriOpera2007
HOW TO SUCCEED IN BUSINESS WITHOUT REALLY TRYINGLoeserMusical1997
I CAN’T STAND WAGNERBarabOpera2000
IOLANTHESullivan, ArthurOpera2024
I PAGLIACCILeoncavalloOpera1959
IMPRESARIO, THEMozartOpera2001
IN THE HEIGHTSQuiara Alegria HudesMusical2022
INTO THE WOODSSondheimMusical2013
JACKIE OKoestenbaumOpera2016
JESUS CHRIST SUPERSTARWebberMusical2011
JUNIPER TREEGlass, MoranOpera2017
KING & I, THERodgers & HammersteinMusical2001
KISMETWright/ForestMusical1999
KISS ME, KATEPorterMusical1975, 1991, 2003, 2010
LA BOHÈMEPucciniOpera1979, 1989, 1996, 2006,
LA PÉRICHOLEOffenbachOpera1994
LA TRAVIATAVerdiOpera1978, 1988, 2000
L'AMICO FRITZMascagniOpera1999, 2019
LANTERN MARRIAGE, THEOffenbachOpera1952
LEGALLY BLONDE THE MUSICALO'Keefe, BenjaminMusical2012, 2022
L'HEURE ESPAGNOLERavelOpera2003
LIGHT IN THE PIAZZA, THEGuettel, LucasMusical2010, 2023
LITTLE MARY SUNSHINEBersoyanMusical1984
LITTLE NIGHT MUSIC, ASondheimMusical1989, 2008, 2020
LITTLE SHOP OF HORRORSMenkenMusical2011
LITTLE WOMENHowlandMusical2007, 2018
LIZZIE BORDENBeesonOpera1976
LUCIA DI LAMMERMOORDonizettiOpera1984, 2001, 2019
LUCKY STIFFFlaherty & AhrensMusical2006
MADAME BUTTERFLYPucciniOpera1974, 1985
MAGIC FLUTE, THE (DIE ZAUBERFLÖTE)MozartOpera1977, 1984, 2005, 2016, 2023
MAN OF LA MANCHALeighMusical1976, 2004
MANONMassenetOpera1987
MARRIAGE OF FIGARO, THE (LE NOZZE DI FIGARO)MozartOpera1969, 1986, 1999, 2000, 2017
MASKED BALL, A (UN BALLO IN MASCHERA)VerdiOpera1964
MEDEALukeOpera1981
MEDIUM, THEMenottieOpera1951, 1987, 2005
MERRY MOUNTHansonOpera1975
MERRY WIDOW,THELeharOpera1979, 1957, 2004
MERRY WIVES OF WINDSOR, THENicolaiOpera1995, 2007, 2024
MIKADO, THEGilbert & SullivanOpera1980, 1993
MOST HAPPY FELLALoesserMusical1994, 2008
MOTHER OF US ALL, THEThomsonOpera 
MRS. BULLFROGLukeOpera1995
MUSIC MAN, THEWilson, M.Musical1994, 2006, 2019
MY FAIR LADYLerner and LoeweMusical1999
MY ONE & ONLYGershwinMusical1998
NAUGHTY MARIETTAHerbertOpera1982, 1997
NIGHT OF THE COMETSAlexander & KnightMusical2001
NINEKopitMusical2015
NO, NO, NANETTEYoumansMusical1984
OF THEE I SINGGershwinMusical2000
OIL CITY SYMPHONYCraver, Hardwick, MonkMusical2007
OKLAHOMA!Rodgers & HammersteinMusical1993, 2002
OLD MAID & THE THIEF, THEMenottiOpera1965, 1987, 2001
ON THE TOWNBernsteinMusical1982, 2018
ON YOUR TOESRodgers & HartMusical1988
ONCE UPON A MATTRESSRodgersMusical1996
OPERA REHEARSALLortzingOpera2011
ORPHEUS IN THE UNDERWORLDJacques OffenbachOpera2023
OTHERWISE MAN, THEVangroveOpera1960
OUR TOWNRorem, McClatchyOpera2014
PAGLIACCILeoncavalloOpera2011
PAJAMA GAME, THERossMusical1995
PARADEBrown, Jason RobertMusical2006
PASSIONSondheimMusical2002
±Ê±õ·¡°ÕÀDelGiudice & LandauOpera2023
PIPPINShewartzMusical1979
PIRATES OF PENZANCEGilbert & SullivanOperetta1980, 2005, 2015
PRODIGAL SONBrittenOpera1957
PURLIEGeldMusical1983
RAIDERS TO THE SEAVaughan-WilliamsOpera1964
RED MILL, THEHerbertOpera1961
REHEARSALYorkMusical1980
RENTLarsonMusical2015, 2024
RIGOLETTOVerdiOpera1975
ROAR OF THE GREASE PAINTBricusseMusical1976, 1986
ROSINAShieldOpera1980
SECRET GARDENSimon & NormanMusical2004
SECRET OF SUSANNAGoliscainiOpera1986
SEUSSICAL THE MUSICALFlaherty & AhrensMusical2005
SHE LOVES MEJoe MasteroffMusical2022
SIDE SHOWKrieger, RussellMusical2018
SIGNOR DELUSOPasatieriOpera2006
SISTER ACTBill and Cherie SteinkellerMusical2017
SMILEHamlishMusical2010
SONGS FOR A NEW WORLDJason Robert BrownMusical2004
SOUTH PACIFICRodgers & HammersteinMusical2014
SPAMALOTEric IdleMusical2020
SPRING AWAKENINGSteven SaterMusical2021
STREET SCENEWeill, Hughes, RiceOpera2000, 2013
STREETCAR NAMED DESIRE, AWilliamsOpera2007
STRIKE A MATCHAlexander & KnightMusical1999
SUNDAY EXCURSIONWilderOpera1954, 1956
SUNDAY IN THE PARK WITH GEORGEJames LapineMusical2023
SUOR ANGELICAPucciniOpera1977, 2003, 2014, 2023
SUSANNA’S SECRET (IL SEGRETO DI SUSANNA)Wolfe-FerrariOpera1982
SUSANNAHFloydOpera1983, 2003, 2018
SWEENEY TODDSondheimMusical2000, 2012, 2023
TALES OF HOFFMANN, THEOffenbachOpera1967, 1973, 1983, 2012
TARTUFFEMechemOpera1992
TELEPHONE, THEMenottiOpera1951, 1952, 1954, 1960, 1965, 2000
TENDER LAND, THECoplandOpera2003, 2014
THE BARTERED BRIDESmetanaOpera2018
THE SLEEPWALKER (LA SONNAMBULA)BelliniOpera2005
THE SWALLOW (LA RONDINE)PucciniOpera2001, 2008, 2016
THE VAUDEVILLIANPasatieriOpera2018
THE WILLIS (LE VILLI)PucciniOpera2007
THE ZOMBIES OF PENZANCE
 
Gilbert & Sullivan, MillerMusical2019
THOROUGHLY MODERN MILLIETesori, Morris, ScanlanMusical2010
THREE BEGGARS, THECarderOpera1965
THREE PENNY OPERA, THEWeillOperetta1980, 2021
TOO MANY SOPRANOSPenhorwoodOpera2008
TROUBLE IN TAHITIBernsteinOpera1990
TWO GENTLEMEN OF VERONAMacDermotMusical1975
UNMUSICAL IMPRESSARIO, THEDavisOpera1958
URBAN COWBOY: THE MUSICALLathamMusical2006
URINETOWNHollmanMusical2008
VIOLETTesori, CrawleyMusical2013
WEDDING SINGER, THESklar/BeguelinMusical2011
WERTHERMassenetOpera1989
WEST SIDE STORYBernsteinMusical1990, 2003
WONDERFUL TOWNBernsteinMusical1980
WORKINGSchwartzMusical2003
Lucia di Lammermoor, 2019

KEEP UP WITH US!

Wanda L. Bass School of Music
Back to Top