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Madison Opera was founded in 1961 under the Madison Civic Music Association (MCMA). Originally called The Opera Workshop, by 1962 it was renamed the Madison Civic Opera Guild. As a part of the MCMA, the Opera joined with the Madison Symphony Orchestra and the Madison Symphony Chorus under the guidance of Roland Johnson (MCMA Music Director). Maestro Johnson and his wife, stage director/singer Arline Johnson energized Madison's singers and music lovers to bring Madison Opera into existence. In the beginning years, there was one opera per year, featuring local artists and a budget of merely $6,000.