Alice Coulombe was a visionary force who co-founded the Opera League of Los Angeles in 1981, setting the stage for the city's first resident opera company, LA Opera, in 1986. Her dedication extended beyond founding; she infused the League with a spirit of volunteerism and joy, shaping it into a crucial support pillar for the arts through fundraising and hands-on engagement.
Alice believed that "a happy company gives better performances," a philosophy that guided her efforts to foster a nurturing and enjoyable environment for all involved. From organizing cast dinners to hosting events with her husband, Joe (Mr. Trader Joe), at their home, Alice's approach was about making meaningful connections and ensuring the sustainability of opera in Los Angeles.
As we remember Alice Coulombe, we celebrate not just her contributions but her spirit. Her legacy is a testament to the power of community and passion in the arts. The Opera League remains a vibrant testament to her life’s work.
Below is a tribute from Bill Green...
In Memory of Alice Coulombe
by Bill Green
Thanks to my decision to become an Opera League volunteer many years ago, I was blessed to get to know Alice Coulombe, one of the most amazing people I have ever met. Here are a few of the treasured memories I have of this remarkable woman.
After joining the Opera League, I went through LA Opera training to become a volunteer “Opera Speaker”. The Speakers were invited to a pot luck holiday gathering each year, and Alice and Joe Coulombe opened their home above the Arroyo Seco in Pasadena and hosted that party every year. The entrance to their home was up a stairway from the street, and I will always remember that every year we would look up as we started our climb up the stairs and Alice would there at the top of that stairway, sitting outside the front door, personally greeting their guests individually as we arrived. Those parties were always in December, and it gets pretty cold above the Arroyo, but Alice made it a point to stay at her post welcoming everyone personally, until all had arrived. At those parties, Alice and Joe would host Young Artists who would perform for us in a room in their home that featured paintings on the walls that Joe had painted of their family. Those evenings were very special.
When Joe’s health became an issue, Alice and Joe relocated to Villa Gardens in Pasadena. Of course, Alice put together a series of talks every year during the Opera season, calling on the members of the LAO Speakers Bureau. I was privileged to speak there once or twice a season, before Covid. The first time I spoke there, I got a call from Alice a few days before, inviting me to meet her for dinner before my talk. I accepted the invitation and she said “just meet me in the dining room when you arrive”. So I came in, went to the dining room, told them I was there to meet Alice for dinner, and they led me through the dining room, and ushered me into a private dining room where there were probably 20 people gathered with Alice for dinner! Sure enough, she had formed an Opera Lovers Group at Villa Gardens, made sure the members all purchased their season tickets, and arranged a bus so they would all travel together in a bus to attend the operas as a group.
In 2020, I had the pleasure of writing an article for BRAVO about how Alice, Carol Henry, and Lorraine Saunders founded the Opera League while helping bring an opera company to LA. I spent a delightful time listening to all the stories they told about creating a volunteer program to support the new opera company. This quote from Alice in that article about their efforts to create the League says a lot about Alice and the legacy she leaves behind…
”The vision we had was we were workers who had a passion for Opera. We really didn’t care who you were or where you came from, if you liked Opera and were game to bring a casserole, you were in”.