“Make sure it is a labor of love. It takes much hard work and time. You must be passionate about it,” said Bill Hill, former teacher at Notre Dame and co-owner of the Blue Opus.

The Blue Opus is a restaurant and music venue in Green Bay, Wisconsin. Blue Opus is owned and operated by former NDA teachers Mr. Hill and Mr. Steve Havlichek.

Hill and Havlichek started the Blue Opus in hope of succeeding in a dream they both wanted, which was to combine jazz music and New Orleans cuisine.

“The food matches the heart of the music: New Orleans’ style hearty jambalaya, gumbo, and beans and rice to complement the jazz,” said Clare Ravizza, a senior at Notre Dame, who has dined at the Blue Opus.

As successful as the Blue Opus has been, there have also been setbacks and challenges in running a restaurant.  

One of the hardest parts of operating the Blue Opus is “doing everything for the first time due to inexperience in the industry,” said Hill. One of the setbacks the restaurant faces are slow days and loss of employees.

Hill takes his experiences as a teacher and continues to build off of what he’s learned in the classroom while pursuing his dream.

“They are both about building relationships.  Teaching is a much more noble and important job.  Education is so undervalued in our culture today.  Teachers work so hard for the good of so many,” Hill explained.

“The music is clearly the highlight of the experience at The Blue Opus,” said Ravizza. Hill and Havlichek mix dining and music. This fun environment separates The Blue Opus from other establishments.

The Blue Opus is open Monday through Sunday as hours vary for each day. You can find more information at https://www.theblueopus.com/

“Unique in Green Bay in its jazz club style and New Orleans cuisine, I would definitely recommend The Blue Opus to anyone looking for a change of scenery from a typical restaurant, some good music and a few friendly faces,” said Ravizza.