Fort Worth Opera's New Leader Looks To Open Doors To More Diverse Audiences

Arlington TX

14 November, 2021

2:15 PM

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By Brandi Addison, Fort Worth Report November 13, 2021 As a teenager, Afton Battle discovered a unique passion for classical music. She quickly carved out an accomplishing career as a young operatic singer before switching to the administrative side and working in the nation's most notable theatrical cities, Chicago and New York City. "I had a long stint as a singer on stage," Battle, 40, said. "When I decided to leave, I really wanted to find my way back into the performing arts as an administrator but was having a very difficult time getting my foot in the door with all my experience as a singer and my background. So, I really had to start from the bottom up." Now one of the most prominent leaders in the Fort Worth arts scene, Battle is the first woman and first Black general director to lead the 75-year-old Fort Worth Opera. To read the full article, click here. Fort Worth Report is a nonpartisan, nonprofit news organization that produces factual, in-depth journalism about city and county government, schools, healthcare, business, and arts and culture in Tarrant County. Always free to read; subscribe to newsletters, read coverage or support our newsroom at fortworthreport.org.