Champaign-Urbana welcomed its first professional opera company — run by University students — with two free productions on Sunday. The company, Opera Venezuela, performed Gianni Schicchi at Smith Memorial Hall for its first one-act opera.

John Gomez, doctorate student in opera, started the company two years ago. In creating Opera Venezuela, Gomez gathered a wide variety of artists from the University, which he said he believes makes the company so special.

“You need different flavors and different colors, and Opera Venezuela is that,” he said. “We are a product of mixed cultures and majors.”

The opera came together as a production by University students who created the lighting, set, orchestration and voice ensembles, all of which they did voluntarily.

“No one is getting a salary,” Gomez said. “It’s about helping others. Making others smile is the pay-off.”

Although James Blachly, graduate student in orchestral conducting, had never conducted a full opera, he said he couldn’t turn down the opportunity when Gomez asked him.

“It was tremendous,” he said. “It was thrilling and challenging, and I think putting an opera together in the short period of time meant every moment of rehearsal was riveting — and slightly terrifying.”

Stephen Fiol, retired artist and opera director, was the stage director of the production. He described the company as representing local art at its very best.

“It’s easy to find people who are willing to do things for a lot of money, but everyone in this production is doing it for the right reasons,” he said. “They love the arts and want to see them flourish.”

Fiol has conducted 11 opera productions at Krannert, several including Gomez, whom Fiol has come to know personally within the last two years.

“It’s very interesting because as students that have come to the end of their degree programs, all of the sudden a career is looming and a lot of things take shape in a new way,” he said.

Gomez, native of Venezuela, said his biggest inspiration for the company came from El Sistema, a Venezuelan voluntary music education program, that promotes music education as a tool in making classical music available for people of all socio-economic levels. This program allows people to attend concerts and receive music education for free.

“It’s a music revolution,” Gomez said. “Music is a powerful tool for our communities, and I think it has been the key to calming down people.”

Tania Arazi Coambs, doctorate student in opera and developmental associate of Opera Venzuela, said many people that attend their shows have never been to an opera production before. Her goal was to make classical music accessible and enjoyable for everyone.

Coambs said the company plans to offer an after-school program that will give kids from lower economic families the opportunity to receive lessons in instrumentation, voice and acting.

Corinne can be reached at [email protected].