William Matthews integral to growth of Opera Omaha

When Omaha’s fledgling opera company needed help with its first outdoor production in 1959, it turned to the young president of a local scaffolding company.

“They needed a lot of mechanisms for operating scenery and came to us for frames and sets,” William Matthews told The World-Herald in a 1971 interview. “I worked on the sets, and after that I was hooked.”

Matthews, a former president of Opera Omaha and a long-time community arts supporter, died Thursday after suffering a stroke. He was 82.

A service will be held Monday at 10:30 a.m. at St. Mary Magdalene Catholic Church, 19th and Dodge Streets.

During the opera’s formative years from the early 1960s to the late 1970s, Matthews served in a variety of roles. He worked at one time or another as the company’s production manager, technical director and chief executive. He performed all of those roles as an unpaid volunteer.

Omaha philanthropist Richard Holland, a long-time arts supporter, credited Matthews with being the man who built Opera Omaha from the ground up.

“We wouldn’t have Opera Omaha today if it hadn’t been for Bill Matthews,” Holland said. “He was the man who quietly and efficiently got all the backstage work done.”

There was little in Matthews’ background to suggest a life in opera.

Born in Omaha, Matthews initially wanted to become an architect. His father, Will Valentine Matthews, thought architecture was a tough way to make a living. So after graduating from Omaha Creighton Prep, Matthews pursued a business degree at Creighton University. He eventually took over his father’s business, Matthews Scaffold and Equipment Co.

The Omaha Civic Opera Society, formed in 1958, provided Matthews with the creative outlet he originally sought in architecture.

Over the next 10 years, he became an expert in every aspect of the technical, behind-the-scenes side of opera, said James de Blasis, who became stage director of the newly named Omaha Opera Company in 1969.

“I could tell you that there were 140 hand props in ‘Aida,’ because I was a professional stage director,” de Blasis said. “But Bill knew those kinds of details as well, even though he was really an opera layman.”

Matthews’ formidable knowledge of opera production was crucial to the company’s early success. He was familiar with dozens of operas and knew what each would cost for chorus, sets, costumes, orchestra and soloists. Consequently, he was able to devise accurate — and fiscally healthy — budgets for the young company.

Matthews’ volunteer work with the opera was time-consuming. His wife, Sandra, still associates her early courtship with Matthews with various opera productions.

“We were engaged during ‘Il Trovatore,’ ” she said, “and we were married after ‘The Ballad of Baby Doe.’ ”

Matthews played a role in the renovation and reopening in 1975 of the Orpheum Theater. The historic theater remains the opera company’s main venue.

Matthews is survived by his wife, Sandra, daughters Amy Matthews of New York City and Hope Matthews of Rock Hill, S.C., and two grandchildren.

Contact the writer:

444-1076, john.pitcher@owh.com

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