The Pennsylvania Opera Theater (POT) was an American opera company established in Philadelphia in 1975 by Barbara Silverstein, who also served as its Artistic Director for its entire 18-year run. Dedicated to presenting new and rarely performed works, all in English, the POT staged most of its productions at the Merriam Theater. Its inaugural performance was on May 22, 1976, with Otto Nicolai's The Merry Wives of Windsor.
The company distinguished itself by hosting significant premieres, including the 1982 U.S. premiere of Haydn's Orlando paladino and new works like Margaret Garwood's Rappacini's Daughter (1983) and Vincent Persichetti's The Sibyl (1985). Its diverse repertoire also included productions such as Argento's Postcard from Morocco (1977), Britten's version of The Beggar's Opera (1978), and Weill's The Threepenny Opera (1984). Sadly, the POT closed due to financial reasons in 1993, concluding its run with Mozart's Così fan tutte on May 14, 1993.