# Olga Iglesias Project (Proyecto Olga Iglesias)

> A 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization dedicated to preserving the legacy of Puerto Rican classical music through education, performance, the commissioning of new works, and archival stewardship.

## About

The Olga Iglesias Project was founded on August 18, 2020 by Anthony Cheney Guzman, grandson of Olga Iglesias. The organization advances Puerto Rico's classical music heritage through four pillars: teaching (educational recitals in schools), performing (artist programs), commissioning (new Puerto Rican opera), and preserving (the Olga Iglesias Collection).

Olga Iglesias (1929–2013) was a Puerto Rican soprano best known as the singer who most performed in Pablo Casals' oratorio of peace, *El Pessebre*, as well as interpreter of his art songs. She performed at venues including Carnegie Hall, the United Nations, the Kennedy Center, the Herodes Atticus in Athens, and throughout Latin America, Europe, and the United States. She recorded Casals' art songs for Columbia Records (now Sony) at the Marlboro Music Festival in 1966.

## Website

- URL: https://www.olgaiglesiasproject.org
- Languages: Spanish (default), English
- Contact: info@olgaiglesiasproject.org

## Site Structure

- `/` — Homepage
- `/about` — Biography of Olga Iglesias ("¿Quién era Olga Iglesias?")
- `/about/team` — Staff and Board of Directors
- `/collections` — The Olga Iglesias Collection at the Digital Library of the Caribbean
- `/programs/recitals` — Educational Recitals program
- `/programs/opera` — Children's Opera program
- `/programs/commission` — Commissioning New Work (La Batalla de los Clásicos)
- `/programs/artists` — Artist Programs (Fellows and Young Artists)
- `/metropolitan-opera` — Alliance with the Metropolitan Opera
- `/impact` — Reach map, testimonies, financials, and funders
- `/events` — Upcoming and past events with photo galleries
- `/press` — Press hub
- `/press/news` — Announcements (the Project's own releases, 2020–2026)
- `/press/in-the-news` — Third-party coverage
- `/press/videos` — Video gallery
- `/donate` — Giving page (one school visit ≈ $1,000; Círculo Lírico monthly giving)
- `/contact` — Contact information

English pages are prefixed with `/en` (e.g., `/en/about`).

## Programs

### Educational Recitals
Two formats: "Nuestras Voces" / "Our Voices" (intermediate and up) and "¿Quién Quiere Ser la Próxima Superestrella de la Ópera?" / "Who Wants to Be the Next Opera Superstar?" (elementary). Backed by the Puerto Rico Department of Education, renewed 2023–2026. Participating students also receive free Metropolitan Opera HD Live broadcasts.

### Children's Opera
*La Batalla de los Clásicos* — a one-act, participatory opera for young audiences (about 20 minutes) about Puerto Rican composers Juan Morel Campos, Manuel Gregorio Tavárez, and Felipe Gutiérrez y Espinosa. The Project brings the full production to schools.

### Commissioning New Work
The Project commissions original opera rooted in Puerto Rico's classical tradition. *La Batalla de los Clásicos* was written by an all-female creative team: Johanny Navarro (composer) and Paloma Sierra (librettist). World premiere November 2024; orchestrated school debut February 2026. Backed by Fundación Ángel Ramos.

### Artist Programs
Two tracks: Fellows (established professional singers) and Young Artists (emerging voices; first cohort 2024–25). Paid educational recitals across Puerto Rico, professional accompanists, mentoring, recordings, and international performances. Open auditions begin September 2026.

## Leadership

- Anthony Cheney Guzmán — Founder & Executive Director (grandson of Olga Iglesias)
- Miguel A Rodríguez — President (Athlone Artists)
- Robert Cheney — Director (grandson of Olga Iglesias)
- Nadja de la Torre — Vice President (Museo de Arte y Diseño de Miramar)
- Anna Astor Blanco — Director (El Cuadrado Gris)
- Ana de Archuleta — Interim Treasurer (National Sawdust)
- Luis Rodríguez — Secretary (BHG Financial)
- María Alejandra Fernández — Director (San Juan Children's Chorus)

## Social Media

- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/olgaiglesiasproject/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/olgaiglesiasproject/
- YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCZpT5u-S7tUF2gnMOsWArcw

## Historical Archive

The Olga Iglesias Collection is preserved at the Digital Library of the Caribbean (dLOC): concert programs, photographs, correspondence, and recordings documenting Puerto Rico's classical music history and Pablo Casals' legacy on the island. The digitization has been recognized by the National Endowment for the Humanities and the Fundación Puertorriqueña de las Humanidades.