We had the good fortune of connecting with Jerryana Birch-bibiloni and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Jerryana, is your business focused on helping the community? If so, how?
Columbia Operatic Laboratory, also known as COLab, is a 501(c)(3) opera company based in the Midlands. Founded in 2015, COLab enriches the local community by offering impactful productions at unique venues throughout Columbia, SC, and the surrounding areas. As a company, we are committed to continuing the rich tradition of opera through accessible and educational explorations of classic works—with special COLab twists—as well as facilitating the creation of new works.

Our #SingLocal mission focuses on providing a platform for artists both onstage and off, helping them grow and gain valuable experience in a truly collaborative and supportive environment. This not only nurtures local talent and keeps them from having to travel out of town or out of state for professional opportunities but also gives the community access to high-quality performances at affordable ticket prices.

In addition to full-length productions, COLab actively engages with the community through in-person and online educational initiatives, collaborations with other local arts organizations, and outreach programs designed to bring opera to underserved populations. By keeping access and opportunity as key tenants of our programming with a focus on fostering a love for the performing arts, we hope to not only inspire future generations of artists but also doctors, lawyers, teachers, scientists, entrepreneurs, stay at home parents, and leaders in all fields.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
We’re incredibly proud of our #SingLocal mission, which again supports local talent and keeps professional opportunities close to home for artists. Our ability to create high-quality, affordable, and inclusive productions while nurturing a sense of community and collaboration is one of our biggest achievements. As we approach our 10th season, we’re excited about celebrating our history, expanding our educational opportunities, and making new friends. Seeing audiences—whether they’re seasoned opera lovers or newcomers—connect with our work keeps us going. We often say that even if we reach just one person it’s worth the blood, sweat, and tears!

As a nonprofit, many of the challenges we’ve faced have been financial. We’ve relied heavily on our community—both in terms of audience support and partnerships with local businesses and other arts organizations. Collaboration has been key, as has staying true to our vision of accessibility. We’ve learned to think outside the box when it comes to funding, venue selection, and production design, which has helped us turn obstacles into opportunities. Building a dedicated board and engaging volunteers who believe in our mission has also been critical in shaping COLab.

One of the most important lessons we’ve learned is the value of persistence and passion. Creating art—especially opera, which can be seen as high-risk or niche—requires unwavering dedication but also open mindedness. Community is everything to us and we want to ensure the work we are doing serves a purpose. No success happens in isolation, and the relationships we’ve built with other artists, arts organizations, and our audiences have been instrumental to our growth and survival, especially after 2020.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
As we near Columbia Operatic Laboratory’s 10th season, I want to take a moment to express my deepest gratitude to our incredible board members, fabulous performers, and dedicated audiences. Your passion and unwavering support have been the driving force behind COLab’s growth and success.

To our board, thank you for your commitment to our mission, creative vision, and the countless hours you’ve invested in bringing our productions to life. Your leadership has made it possible for COLab to thrive and continue making beautiful experiences.

To the Columbia arts community, thank you for embracing our work and allowing us to be part of such a vibrant, mosaic of an art scene. Your encouragement, wholehearted participation, partnerships and suggestions, and belief in our vision have fueled our journey, and we couldn’t have reached this milestone without you. Whether you are onstage or in the house I hope you feel welcomed and appreciated.

Here’s to many more seasons of creativity, collaboration, and the life-changing power of opera to bring us together!

Website: https://columbiaoperaticla.wixsite.com/colab

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/columbiaoperaticlaboratory/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ColumbiaOperaticLaboratory

Image Credits
All images are by Columbia Operatic Laboratory from their 2023 & 2024 seasons.

Nominate Someone: ShoutoutSouthCarolina is built on recommendations and shoutouts from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.