The Arts

Before Nashville [1] was Music City, it was the Athens of the South, a city renowned for its cultural, academic, and artistic life. Universities, museums, and public arts facilities created an environment for artistic expression unparalleled by any other Southern city.

These days, most people think that country music is Nashville’s only art form. But the truth is that Nashville offers far more than honky-tonks and the Opry [2]. It has an opera company [3] of its own, not to mention an award-winning symphony [4], buoyant arts scene, and ample opportunities to sample contemporary and classic music, film [5], and theater [6].