SAN DIEGO – San Diego Opera’s Board of Directors voted today to rescind the decision to close the Company after nearly two months of careful analysis, deliberation and fundraising. The Company originally announced its closure and the sale of its assets on March 19, 2014. The original closure date was scheduled to occur on April 14, 2014, the day after the Company’s final sold-out performance of Don Quixote. A vote by the Board on March 31, 2014, delayed that closure by two weeks until April 29, 2014. Another vote by the Board on April 18, 2014, extended that closure date to at least May 19, 2014. Today’s vote on May 16, 2014, overturns the original decision to close.
“The public spoke, we listened, and we’re open for business,” shares Board President Carol Lazier, “and do we have some great news to share with you!”
In light of this news, San Diego Opera is announcing its 2015 season, the Company’s 50th. La bohème, Don Giovanni, and Nixon in China are the three operas being performed at the San Diego Civic Theatre. The Company will also celebrate its 50th anniversary with special Gala Concerts of favorite arias, duets, ensembles and choruses with the San Diego Symphony at Copley Symphony Hall. Additional events and performances are in the works, and will be announced shortly.
The Company has also announced that the ongoing crowd funding effort has resulted in a total of $2,116,376 in donations from 2461 of donors as of midnight Sunday, May 18, 2014. 48% of these donors have never given before and represent gifts from six countries – Austria, Australia, Canada, England, Italy, Mexico & 36 States. The gifts range from $10 – $50,000 with a median gift of $100. Now that the $1 million goal has been reached, and the Company has announced a 2015 season, both triggers of the escrow account have been met and donations will be moved from the escrow account into the Company’s 2015 fund to be used for the just-announced season.
The 2015 Season
- San Diego Opera pays tribute to the first opera it produced in 1965, Giacomo Puccini’s La bohème, with a production new to San Diego audiences. Featuring the important house debuts of tenor David Lomelí as Rodolfo, soprano Alyson Cambridge as Mimì and soprano Sara Gartland as Musetta. San Diego Opera’s resident conductor Karen Keltner conducts.
January 24, 27, 29 and February 1 (matinee), 2015 – San Diego Civic Theatre
- Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart’s Don Giovanni makes a welcome return to the San Diego Opera in a production new to the Company. Making his house debut in one of his signature roles as the titular Don Giovanni is bass-baritone Ildebrando D’Arcangelo. Soprano Ellie Dehn returns as Donna Anna. Also making a notable Company debut is soprano Myrtò Papatanasiu as Elvira. Conductor Daniele Callegari returns to conduct.
February 14, 17, 20 and 22 (matinee), 2015 – San Diego Civic Theatre
- John Adams’ Nixon in China makes its San Diego Opera debut in a stunning multimedia-heavy production. Making Company debuts are baritone Franco Pomponi as Richard Nixon, soprano Maria Kanyova as Pat Nixon, baritone Chen-Ye Yuan as Chou En-Lai and tenor Alfred Kim as Mao Tse-Tung. Baritone Richard Paul Fink returns to sing Henry Kissinger and Joseph Mechavich returns to conduct.
March 14, 17, 20 and 22 (matinee), 2015 – San Diego Civic Theatre
- San Diego Opera celebrates 50 years with special Gala Concerts featuring favorite arias, duets, ensembles from operas with an all-star cast including Lise Lindstrom as well as special surprise guests. Karen Kamensek returns to conduct.
April 18 and 19 (matinee), 2015 – Jacobs Music Center – Copley Symphony Hall
- Tickets start at $35 for subscribers.
- Subscriptions begin at only $105 for the three opera season and $140 for a full series including the 50th Anniversary Gala Concert.
Internationally renowned singers Lise Lindstrom, Morgan Smith, Kathleen Kim and Ellie Dehn all make welcome returns to San Diego Opera to celebrate the Company’s 50th season. The Company is also happy to welcome notable house debuts from Ildebrando D’Arcangelo, David Lomelí, Alyson Cambridge, Myrtò Papatanasiu, Franco Pomponi, Maria Kanyova, Alfred Kim, and Chen-Ye Yuan. Returning conductors are Joseph Mechavich, Daniele Callegari, Karen Kamensek, and Karen Keltner.
The season opens on Saturday, January 24, 2015 at 7 PM with Giacomo Puccini’s beloved tragic opera La bohème. A classic in any season, this production, which is new to San Diego Opera, honors the first opera the Company produced in 1965. In highly anticipated Company debuts are soprano Alyson Cambridge as Mimì, tenor David Lomelí as Rodolfo and soprano Sara Gartland as Musetta. Returning singers include baritone Morgan Smith (last seen as Starbuck in 2012’s Moby-Dick) as Marcello and Malcolm MacKenzie (seen last season as Belcore in The Elixir of Love) as Schaunard. San Diego Opera’s Resident Conductor, Karen Keltner, conducts.
The season continues with Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart’s classic opera Don Giovanni, based on the legend of Don Juan and his 2,065 conquests. Don Giovanni opens on Valentine’s Day, Saturday, February 14, 2015 at 7 PM, in a production new to the Company. Making his Company debut in what has become his signature role is bass-baritone Ildebrando D’Arcangelo in the title role. Soprano Ellie Dehn (last seen as Mimì in 2010’s La bohème) returns to sing Donna Anna. Also making notable House debuts are soprano Myrto Papatanasiu as Elvira and tenor Paul Appleby as Ottavio. Returning bass Kristopher Irmiter (last heard as the Second Priest in 2012’s Murder in the Cathedral) sings Masetto and returning bass Reinhard Hagen (Ramfis in 2013’s Aida) sings the Commendatore. Conductor Daniele Callegari returns to lead the orchestra from the podium.
The San Diego premiere of John Adams’s political drama Nixon in China opens on Saturday, March 14, 2015 at 7 PM. This multimedia-heavy production about President Nixon’s historic trip features the Company debuts of baritone Franco Pomponi as President Nixon, soprano Maria Kanyova as Pat Nixon, baritone Chen-Ye Yuan as the Chinese Premier Chou En-Lai, and tenor Alfred Kim as Chairman Mao Tse-Tung. Returning as Madame Mao Tse-Tung is soprano Kathleen Kim (seen last season as Oscar in A Masked Ball) and bass Richard Paul Fink (last seen in the title role of 2010’s Nabucco) as Secretary of State Henry Kissinger. Conductor Joseph Mechavich, who conducted 2012’s Moby-Dick, returns to lead the orchestra.
San Diego Opera pays tribute to its history in a special series of two 50th Anniversary Gala Concerts with a selection of arias, duets and choruses featuring soprano Lise Lindstrom and special surprise guests on Saturday, April 18 and Sunday, April 19 (matinee), 2015 at 7 PM at the Jacobs Music Center – Copley Symphony Hall, conducted by Karen Kamensek.
A subscription for three operas begins at a low $105 and $140 for a full series including the 50th Anniversary Gala Concert. Casts and repertoire are subject to change.
Purchasing Tickets
Subscriptions range from $105 for a three-opera series to $935 for a full season package (Orchestra level subscription and the 50th Gala Anniversary Concert at the Jacobs Music Center – Copley Symphony Hall). Some Saturday and Sunday subscriptions are slightly higher. Subscriptions can be purchased by calling (619) 533-7000 or online at www.sdopera.com.
For information about single tickets please visit www.sdopera.com. Single ticket prices will be announced in the winter.
