The Natchez Festival of Music offers major opera productions and Broadway musicals for the public in Natchez, MS, during April and May of each year. The festival sponsors an Artist in Residence Program component, which provides the opportunity for talented young singers to study with the major artists involved in the productions. The young artists, who are selected on a competitive basis after an audition, gain invaluable experience performing operatic excerpts and scenes in the elementary and secondary schools in southwest Mississippi. This requires three casts. Artists in Residence also perform in the chorus of all productions and some serve as understudies to major roles.

When possible, we make an effort to involve as many Mississippi and local residents in the actual productions as we can. To this end we have involved college students from the area who are studying voice as a major. We involve children and young people from the area who either sing or dance in the productions. Many people who felt they would never be interested in opera or musical theater become involved in the construction of sets, work backstage, or with costumes.

As an educator, from the very beginning Dr. Blackburn insisted that education through music be the foundation and heart of our festival. The first year, programs were set up through the lower and upper schools in Natchez, Port Gibson and Woodville. Each year the program has expended. We now provide a school education program involving more than 30 training workshop performances in Natchez and southwest Mississippi. The positive results that have ensued must be emphasized. Because of careful preparation, the high quality of the artists and productions, the follow-up from superintendents, principals, teachers and students have been totally positive in their praise and appreciation. Because of these programs, we now have three young people that have gone to college as music majors with scholarships.

Our seasoned artists who have been chosen from hundreds in regional and New York auditions, every year tell of the wonderful response they receive from the children and young people. Many have performed in educational programs throughout the country, but have never experienced a greater hunger and more enthusiastic response than from these children.  

It is our goal to:
1. Expose music, opera, musical theater, and jazz to as many children and young people and adults in our area of Mississippi as possible, turning them on to a positive experience to further enjoy in life.
2. Develop and encourage those who have musical talents to go on to form a whole new group of artists from Mississippi.
3. Help the Artists in Residence expand their knowledge and ability for their future in music and opera production.

Those who have already responded and are voice majors in college, are invited back each year to participate in some way. There is a large group of children who have shown special interest and talent that receive on going training and are encouraged to be in productions each season.

First priority in New York and regional auditions is given to young artists from Mississippi. Each year we have had one or more artists from Mississippi in our program and further seek to assist them with their career.

A real effort is made to encourage participation of minorities in the arts. We are delighted with the rate of success involving minorities in the Natchez Festival of Music. We especially encourage African American involvement in all phases of the Natchez Opera Festival.