Sarah Caldwell (March 6, 1924 – March 23, 2006) was an American opera conductor, impresario, and stage director. Caldwell was born in Maryville, Missouri, and grew up in Fayetteville, Arkansas. She was a child prodigy and gave public performances on the violin by the time she was ten years old. She graduated from Fayetteville High School at the age of 14. 

Caldwell moved to Boston, Massachusetts, in 1952 and became head of the Boston University opera workshop. In 1957 she started the Boston Opera Group with $5,000. This became the Opera Company of Boston, where she staged a wide range of operas and establishied a reputation for producing difficult works under pressure. She was also known for putting together interesting variations on standard operas. 

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