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San Diego Opera: Reports of Demise Premature

Janos Gereben on May 20, 2014
What was to be goodbye turned out to be not farewell
What was to be goodbye turned out not to be farewell

Saved not by the bell, but a surge of civic pride and action, San Diego Opera has reversed its former administration's decision to close, and the new leadership last night announced a 2015 season — the company's 50th.

After the former board chair resigned and executive director was fired, the company somehow managed to rally and stay alive. As reported Monday by The Los Angeles Times:

San Diego Opera has officially reversed its decision to shut down and has announced a scaled-back 2015 season that will consist of three main-stage productions, down from the slate of four productions seen in recent years.

The announcement at a news conference Monday comes as the opera attempts to raise at least $6.5 million toward the new season. The company said that it has raised about $4 million toward that goal, with $2.1 million coming through crowd-sourcing.

Officials at the opera said the budget for 2015 season will be roughly $10.5 million. The balance not covered by donations is expected to be covered by earned income, which includes ticket sales.

In recent years, the opera had reported seasonal operating budgets of about $15 million.

The 2015 season, which will mark the company's 50th anniversary, will be made up of productions of La bohème, Don Giovanni and John Adams' Nixon in China. A company spokesman said that the operas had been chosen by Ian Campbell, the company's former general and artistic director, before the March decision to shut down.