Location: Opera in the Ozarks at Inspiration Point has been poetically described as "a mountainous place not too many miles from Heaven." It is located seven miles northwest of Eureka Springs, Arkansas, on U.S. Highway 62 and overlooks the White River valley some 600 feet below. Creating one of the most idyllic scenes in the entire Ozark Mountains, the lowlands merge in the background into the range of the incomparably beautiful Ozarks.
Facilities: Opera in the Ozarks campus includes the open-air Pavilion Theatre where beginning in late June, the music festival offers approximately 24 performances of fully staged operas with orchestra, chamber music concerts and two nights of opera scenes. The Isaac Van Grove Student Center houses the dining hall and kitchen. It also contains two large rehearsal rooms and several studios for small rehearsals and one-on-one vocal coachings. The campus also includes many small practice rooms scattered through the woodland area for utilization by participants. The offices for the General Director, office staff, music library and computer facilities are housed in the Constance Eberhart Memorial Building located across from the Big Red Barn which is now used as storage for props and costumes. Housing for the singers and many orchestra members on the campus includes the Dr. Henry Hobart Mens Dorm and the newly built Menees Nelson Womens Dorm. Both of which are air-conditioned for the comfort of the participants. Every effort is made to place no more than two persons per room, but OIO reserves the right to place three in a room if need arises. Faculty and staff housing consists of cabins and units located throughout the grounds. Many of the participants take advantage of nearby beautiful Beaver Lake where the activities of swimming and sunbathing and enjoyment of the plentiful scenic vistas may be found. During the season, singers, faculty and orchestra may be found socializing or checking Wi-Fi email at the area known as the Overlook or The Slab as past singers have called it. The Overlook holds claim to the most beautiful view of the dam at beaver Lake. This area is also the location for the pre-opera performance talks by cast members for audience members each night during the festival. Though we do not encourage or advise impromptu hikes or exploration of the surrounding woodland areas due to the crankiness of native wildlife, one may find an abundance of adjacent areas for an early morning jog or walk to get the blood going. Picturesque Eureka Springs, Arkansas is located 7 miles away and is filled with turn of the century Victorian charm and antique shops, delightful eateries and plentiful accommodations for visitors.