Leave a Legacy
Become a founding member of the Burton Pell Legacy Society. A planned gift through your will or estate ensures that what we're building together outlasts all of us. Download our Legacy Gift Intent Form here.
Email giving@operakansas.org or call (316) 246-6212 to start the conversation.
THE BURTON PELL LEGACY SOCIETY
Burton Pell didn't just support opera in Wichita — he built it. In 1985, he was among the eighteen people who gathered with an idea and the nerve to act on it. What they started became Opera Kansas. Burt served as our founding president and producer, championed the arts at every level of civic life, and believed — stubbornly and beautifully — that this city deserved world-class opera.
The Burton Pell Legacy Society honors his memory by recognizing those who have chosen to carry that belief forward through their estate plans. A legacy gift to Opera Kansas isn't a transaction. It's a declaration — the same kind Burt made forty years ago when he said: This is worth building.
If you've included Opera Kansas in your will or trust, we want to welcome you into this circle. You belong here.
Give by Phone
Call us: (316) 246-6212, Monday – Friday, 9 AM – 5 PM. Credit card gifts go directly to the Opera Kansas Annual Fund.
Write a Check
Make it payable to Opera Kansas, and mail it to:
1314 N Oliver #8811
Wichita, KS 67208
Give Stock
One of the most tax-smart ways to give — and we're set up to receive it. Download our Securities Transfer Instructions, then let us know at giving@operakansas.org with the date, symbol, and quantity so we can recognize your gift properly.
Double Your Gift
Ask your employer about matching. Many companies will match donations dollar-for-dollar — which means your gift does twice the work. You'll need our EIN (48-1020882) and your donation receipt. Need a copy? giving@operakansas.org.
IRA Charitable Rollover
If you're 70½ or older, you can send up to $108,000 directly from your IRA to Opera Kansas — no income tax, no deduction needed. Talk to your tax advisor about whether a Qualified Charitable Distribution is right for you.
Donor-Advised Fund
Have a DAF? Direct your grant to Opera Kansas, EIN 48-1020882. Note that DAF gifts can't be applied to tickets or event benefits. Questions? giving@operakansas.org.
Wire or ACH Transfer
Download our Wire Transfer Instructions here, or email giving@operakansas.org, and we'll send you everything you need.
Our History
In 1985 eighteen individuals met to form a group interested in promoting quality opera performance in Wichita and beyond. This group soon became Opera Kansas. These individuals were dedicated to bringing opera performances to the state and educating Kansans to this great art form, recognizing that with knowledge, follows appreciation.
Opera Kansas was incorporated in December 1985 as a 501 (c)(3).
During the early years, the group sponsored out-of-town trips to enjoy live opera performances, offered opera appreciation classes and presented film festivals that included Aida, Turandot, and La Forza del Destino.
In 1989, Opera Kansas produced its first opera. It staged the one-act opera, An Evening with Amadeus, as an official River Festival event. The production was so well received that for the next ten years, one-act operas were presented annually at the River Festival.
Some of the operas presented were Arabian Nights at the Opera, Gianni Schicihi, The Old Maid and the Thief, The Telephone, Gallantry, The Jumping Frog of Calaveras County, and The Marriage Contract.
Over the past three decades, the company has brought many national and international opera performers to Wichita audiences. Some of these artists include Joyce DiDinato, Samuel Ramey, Nicholas Saverine, Charlene Ayers, Brian Frutiger, Michael Nansel and a host of other high quality performers that reflect the organizations’ mission.
Throughout its history, well-known leaders of Wichita have led Opera Kansas. Foremost was Burton Pell who served as president and producer for many years. Other community leaders have been Willard and Jean Garvey, Mary Koch, Dan and Shoko Sevart, Harald Boschmann, Delmar Klocke, Al Buck, Van and Virginia Fiser, Dr. Walter Myers, Dr. George and Mary Jane Gibson, Dr. Jerold and Diane Leisy, and Sherri Pilgreen.
Our Team
Zeffin Hollis, Executive Director
Zeffin Hollis is a nationally recognized baritone, director, and educator whose work spans major opera houses, new music premieres, and televised performances across three continents. He now leads Opera Kansas into its 40th season with a clear mission: to make opera more immediate, inclusive, and locally rooted.
Hollis has performed over 100 leading roles with companies including Dallas Opera, New York City Opera, Santa Fe Opera, and Chicago Opera Theatre. His credits include both classics like Tosca and Carmen and modern works such as The Central Park Five, winner of the 2020 Pulitzer Prize in Music. His performances have been broadcast internationally on MezzoTV, DunaTV, and KCET.
A Kansas native, Zeffin returned to Wichita in 2020 and brings both artistic depth and strategic leadership to his role. He also serves as Co-Artistic Director and Managing Director of OperaWorks in Los Angeles and holds an MBA from Kansas State University. His leadership focuses on empowering artists, building civic partnerships, and expanding access to meaningful performance experiences.
Board of Directors
Jesse Koza, President
Cailyn Trevaskiss, Vice President
Kristin Chisham, Treasurer
Donell Leopold, Secretary
Charleen Ayers
Harald Boschmann
Dorothy Crum
Hannah Howard