Anchorage Opera’s feline diva Pamina is the star of the show

The longest-tenured employee of the Anchorage Opera has spent at least one of her nine lives working in theater.
Published: Apr. 28, 2023 at 12:24 PM AKDT
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ANCHORAGE, Alaska (KTUU) - The Anchorage Opera has been putting on shows for 60 years. But the stage life is temporary — shows come and go with the seasons. Staff come and go with the work.

All of the full-time paid staff at the opera are managers, and there are only four of them. But there is an unofficial fifth member of the Anchorage Opera team — she’s been there longer than any other member of the staff. And she works for ... mice.

Pamina the cat showed up at the door one day and has been a member of the opera company ever since. No one knows for certain how long she had been there. For everyone on staff, she was there when they showed up.

Some days her job is Chief Mouser. Some days it’s cuddle support. Every day, it is head supervisor. Pamina keeps an eye on all of the activity — unless it’s her nap time.

Every opera needs a diva. For the Anchorage Opera, it’s Pamina the opera cat.