The Opera Guild of San Antonio was founded in 1974, as a non-profit educational and charitable association under the auspices of the Women’s Committee of the San Antonio Symphony, now known as the Symphony League. Ginger Karren founded the Guild with Margaret King Stanley, then President of the Symphony Women’s Committee, to support the Symphony’s annual opera season. Called the Opera Guild of the Symphony Society the organization introduced young people to opera through student performances and an educational Opera in the Schools project as well as providing opera previews before performances and an opera talent search. Fundraising was and remains one of the Guild’s major efforts in support of a multitude of opera-related activities. After the Symphony announced that it would no longer produce opera, the Guild changed its name to Opera Guild of San Antonio and began to focus on opera projects in the local community. The acquisition and sale of the Ann Walker house created an endowment for the Guild that allowed the organization to increase its support of opera-related community activities, and to establish two OGSA Endowed Scholarships at The University of Texas at San Antonio’s Division of Music. The annual Scholarships assist one vocal performance major and one music education major.

 

Today some 150-plus Opera Guild volunteers continue to raise and distribute funds in support of opera education and opera enhancement programs throughout San Antonio.