Opera Grand Rapids Illustrations Receive National Honors

Have you seen them?  The street banners for Opera Grand Rapids?  They have been all over town, the bold primary colored images depicting the stories of classic operas.

Now the banners  will soon be seen around the Nation.

Illustrations for Opera Grand Rapids’ 2012-13 season were recently accepted through a juried process for inclusion in the Society of Illustrators annual exhibition and book.

The illustrations were created by New Jersey based artist Edel Rodriguez, with art direction from Grand Rapids based Square One Design. Rodriguez was contracted by Opera Grand Rapids to visually represent the Company’s season at DeVos Performance Hall, which includes the operas; SAMSON + DELILAH, DON GIOVANNI, and LA TRAVIATA.

Rodriguez’s work appears regularly in publications such as; The New Yorker, Time Magazine, Newsweek, The Washington Post, National Geographic and Rolling Stone, to name a few. On newsstands now, the December 10, 2012 edition of Newsweek features Rodriguez’s work on its cover.

Known as the premier showcase for illustrators and animators, the Society of Illustrators Annual Exhibition features over 400 pieces of the most outstanding works created throughout each year. Entries for the Annual Exhibit are chosen by a jury of professionals, which includes renowned illustrators, art directors and designers.

The illustrations by Rodriguez for Opera Grand Rapids’ will be exhibited at the Museum of American Illustration at the Society of Illustrators in New York City in early 2013.

The opera illustrations will also be included in the Illustrators Annual Book. The Illustrators Annual Book is the leading directory of American and international illustration.

Rodriguez created the illustrations for Opera Grand Rapids, one of only 17 medium sized opera companies in the U.S., with art direction from Grand Rapids based Square One Design. A partner with Opera Grand Rapids since 2006, Square One Design has worked to help the Company generate a consistent and eye-catching brand.

Based in the LEED Certified Betty Van Andel Opera Center, Opera Grand Rapids has been producing professional opera for West Michigan audiences since 1967. The Company’s next production is Mozart’s DON GIOVANNI, February 8 and 9, 2013 at DeVos Performance Hall. For more information, visit www.operagr.com.

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