The Annette Urso Rickel Foundation is delighted to announce that the Olga Iglesias Project has been awarded a prestigious Challenge America grant from the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA). This significant achievement underscores the national importance of promoting Puerto Rico’s classical music heritage among young audiences.
Our foundation has been a steadfast supporter of the Olga Iglesias Project, a nonprofit organization dedicated to preserving and promoting Puerto Rico’s classical music legacy through education, artist sponsorship, and digital media.
The NEA’s Challenge America grant will enable the Olga Iglesias Project to bring Batalla de los Clásicos, an original Puerto Rican children’s opera, to schools across the island in 2025. Composed by Johanny Navarro with a libretto by Paloma Sierra, this engaging opera introduces young audiences to Puerto Rico’s rich classical music heritage in a fun and interactive way.
The opera debuted in November 2024 at the San Juan campus of Sacred Heart University, featuring performances by OIP resident artists and special guest soprano Hilda Ramos. The event was met with enthusiasm from school-aged children, who experienced the vibrancy of Puerto Rican classical music firsthand.
In addition to the upcoming school performances, the Olga Iglesias Project plans to orchestrate and translate the opera into English as part of Phase B of the project. This expansion aims to reach even more schools and communities, both in Puerto Rico and beyond, furthering the mission to celebrate Puerto Rican classical music and inspire young audiences on a larger scale.
The Annette Urso Rickel Foundation is proud to have contributed to the realization of Batalla de los Clásicos. Our support has been instrumental in bringing this work to life at the University of Sacred Heart in San Juan and will continue to facilitate performances in additional schools with the NEA’s 2025 funding.
The Annette Urso Rickel Foundation remains committed to enriching STEAM education by supporting inspired students and cultivating talented teachers through scholarships and grants. Our collaboration with the Olga Iglesias Project exemplifies our dedication to fostering a deep appreciation for cultural heritage and the arts among young learners.
We extend our heartfelt congratulations to the Olga Iglesias Project on this remarkable achievement and look forward to witnessing the continued impact of Batalla de los Clásicos in nurturing the next generation’s appreciation for Puerto Rico’s classical music legacy.
For more information about the Olga Iglesias Project and their initiatives, please visit their website.