(Bergen County, New Jersey ) The New Jersey Association of Verismo Opera, the house opera company of the Bergen Performing Arts Center, announces the company has received a grant award from the Bergen County Division of Cultural & Historic Affairs. Bergen County Executive Jim Tedesco and the Freeholders awarded more than $86,000 in grants for local arts groups in Bergen County, New Jersey.

New Jersey Association of Verismo Opera's Treasurer, Giovanni Simone, attended the 2016 Bergen County Arts Awards Ceremony in Hackensack, New Jersey.

Cynthia Forster, Director, of the Division, presented him the organization's grant award.

The ceremony, organized by the Department of Parks and the Division of Cultural and Historic Affairs, honored 33 Bergen County, New Jersey-based non-profit arts organizations that are currently participating in the 2016 Bergen County Local Arts Grant Program.

The Division of Cultural and Historic Affairs regranted $86,640 from the New Jersey State Council on the Arts to the qualifying non-profit organizations. The competitive application process was available to Bergen County based non-profits that presented arts programming to the public for at least two years.

Last year, Verismo Opera's Artistic Director, Metropolitan Opera legend Lucine Amara, was recognized with the Bergen County Board of Chosen Freeholders and the Division of Cultural & Historic Affairs' first Artistic Excellence Award at the Bergen County, New Jersey Awards Ceremony.

Ms. Amara was recognized for her contributions to the opera world and over 70 years performing throughout the world Grant to Expand Concert Series The New Jersey Association of Verismo Opera, the house opera company of the Bergen Performing Arts Center in Englewood, New Jersey, will use the grant to develop and implement Verismo Opera in the Community.

The project will present opera concerts to community-based organizations' constituents throughout Bergen County, New Jersey; provide training for area vocalists to sing in the Verismo Opera Chorus' productions; and offer two free master classes for singers accepted to the New Jersey Association of Verismo Opera's 28th Annual International Vocal Competition's preliminary auditions.

The expanded community concert series will provide performances to people with developmental, physical and mental health challenges at area nonprofits. The concert series will also introduce opera to seniors, youngsters and families serviced in libraries, senior citizen facilities, and other locations. For more information about Verismo Opera and the concert series, visit www.verismopera.org.