The season opens on January 24, 2009 with Giacomo Puccini's stunning operatic thriller Tosca. Sex, politics, corruption, violence and torture come together in a gripping story that could be ripped from the headlines of today's papers. Having just dazzled the Paris Opera as the lovers Tosca and Cavaradossi, French soprano Sylvie Valayre and American tenor Marcus Haddock make their Company debuts in this production, owned by San Diego Opera.  

Next is Jules Massenet's Don Quixote which opens February 14, 2009. After a 40 year absence from the San Diego Opera stage, this new production, built and owned by San Diego Opera, stars famed Italian bass Ferruccio Furlanetto as the eccentric wandering knight Don Quixote with Siberian mezzo-soprano Marina Domashenko as his idealized love Dulcinea. Rounding out the cast as Don Quixote's faithful servant, Sancho Panza, is German bass Reinhard Dorn. Don Quixote will be directed by Ian Campbell and conducted by San Diego Opera Resident Conductor Karen Keltner. 

Giuseppe Verdi's Rigoletto is the third opera of the season, opening March 28, 2009. One of operas most loved pieces, this traditional production marks the Company debut of Italian tenor Roberto Aronica as the Duke of Mantua and Slovak soprano L'ubica Vargicová as Gilda. Georgian baritone Lado Ataneli returns to sing the title role and American mezzo-soprano Kirstin Chávez sings Maddalena.  

Benjamin Britten's English masterpiece Peter Grimes opens on Saturday, April 18, 2009 as the fourth opera of the season. This fascinating look at the mob mentality of a small isolated fishing village features tenor Anthony Dean Griffey in the title role, a role he recently performed at the Metropolitan Opera to critical acclaim. Joining him are American soprano Jennifer Casey Cabot as Ellen Orford, American baritone Rod Gilfrey as Captain Balstrode and American bass-baritone John Del Carlo as Swallow. English stage director John Copley who sang the role of the Apprentice at Covent Garden directs his favorite opera. Conductor Stuart Bedford, a close personal friend of the composer, returns to conduct. 

The 2009 season ends with one of opera's most beloved works, Giacomo Puccini's Madama Butterfly, which opens on May 9, 2009. Famed American soprano Patricia Racette returns to San Diego Opera to sing her definitive Cio-Cio-San, a role that she has performed at the Metropolitan Opera, Chicago Lyric Opera and San Francisco Opera, among others. Rounding out the cast are Uruguayan tenor Carlo Ventre as Pinkerton, American baritone Malcolm MacKenzie as Sharpless and Chinese mezzo-soprano Zeng Chao as Suzuki.  

"In difficult times like these, it is always good to escape for a few hours to the safe haven of great operas, wonderful music and exciting singing.  Our 2009 season provides that opportunity, and is one of the most satisfying we have staged," comments San Diego Opera General and Artistic Director Ian D. Campbell. "The three classics, Tosca, Rigoletto and Madama Butterfly provide guaranteed instant gratification, with stunning artists from the world's finest stages.  Many exciting new voices join us this season, including Sylvie Valayre, L'ubica Vargicová, Roberto Aronica and Marcus Haddock, with loyal favorites returning such as Ferruccio Furlanetto, Patricia Racette, Greer Grimsley, Anthony Dean Griffey and Marina Domashenko. Ferruccio Furlanetto, the reigning Don Quixote today, joins Marina Domashenko as Dulcinea in our new production of Don Quixote, which will prove both charming and very moving, while Anthony Dean Griffey in Peter Grimes provides a harrowing and compelling portrayal of a man in terrible emotional distress, to round out the season. Each opera features the great voices San Diego Opera audiences expect, in productions which are true classics certain to satisfy everyone."

As part of the ongoing effort to keep opera accessible and affordable to as wide an audience as possible, the lowest seat price is $29, making subscription packages for three operas available for as little as $87, and a full season of five operas available for only $145.  

San Diego Opera is now offering a new Weekday Super Saver subscription package which offers five operas for the price of four on weekday performances. Subscribers who select a full-season opera subscription to either Tuesday or Friday night will get five operas at this special price. 

Additionally, Wednesday Night three-opera subscribers can upgrade their subscription by selecting the remaining two operas on either a Tuesday or Friday performance and receive all five operas for the price of four.  

"In response to current economic times, our generous 'five-operas-for-the price-of-four' on weekdays, gives buyers one opera free of cost, a full 20% savings.  It's an offer difficult to pass up. Great operas, great voices, and great bargains – that's San Diego Opera's 2009 season," adds Campbell. 

San Diego Opera is also pleased to be able to offer a special unprecedented look at the 2010 and 2011 seasons. 

The 2010 International Season begins with Puccini's La bohème featuring Anja Harteros as Mimì and the Company debut of Polish tenor Piotr Beczala as Rodolfo. Verdi's powerful biblical epic Nabucco will star famed Italian bass Ferruccio Furlanetto as Zaccaria. Joining him will be stars Zeljko Lucic and Sylvie Valayre. Gounod's Romeo and Juliet returns featuring American tenor Stephen Costello alongside his real-life wife Ailyn Pérez as the ill-fated lovers. Verdi's La traviata welcomes back Elizabeth Futral and sees tenor Marius Brenciu in his Company debut. The 2010 season will end with Puccini's Manon Lescaut and the important role debut of Patricia Racette as Manon. Joining her will be Aleksandrs Antonenko as Des Grieux and Dwayne Croft as Lescaut. 

The 2011 International Season continues the pattern of exciting debuts and bold new productions with Puccini's Turandot featuring Lise Lindstrom in the title role and Fabio Armiliato as her suitor. Jake Heggie's new opera, Moby Dick, will receive its West Coast Premiere as the second opera in the 2011 season. Stauss's Der Rosenkavalier features the extraordinary cast of Ferruccio Furlanetto, Anja Harteros and Marina Domashenko all making role debuts. Gounod's Faust returns with the husband and wife team from 2010's Romeo and Juliet, Stephen Costello and Ailyn Pérez, with Greer Grimsley as Méphistophélès. The 2011 season will end with one of opera's most beloved works, Carmen, featuring Nino Surgurladze as Carmen and Julian Gavin as Don José.  

Purchasing Tickets

Three, four or five-opera subscriptions for the 2009 International Season are now available. Regular subscriptions range from $87 - $925 (some Saturday subscriptions slightly higher) and can be purchased by calling (619) 533-7000 or online at www.sdopera.com. 

Weekday Super Savings Subscription Packages are also available which offer a full series of five operas for the price of four and 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 are $29, $58, $80, $99, $130, $170 and $185 ($200 top price on Opening Nights) and can be purchased by calling (619) 533-7000 or online at www.sdopera.com. 

$20 rush tickets, subject to availability, are available 90-minutes prior to performances. There is a one-ticket per person limit. Cash and credit cards only.

General Information

A widely respected member of the international opera community, San Diego Opera brings the world's finest artists to San Diego. Founded in 1965, and led for the last 25 years by General Director and Artistic Director Ian D. Campbell, San Diego Opera produces performances of the highest artistic quality while remaining financially stable.  San Diego Opera is also home to one of the most extensive, diverse opera education and outreach programs in North America, reaching over 70,000 schoolchildren and 20,000 adults in San Diego County and Baja California. 

www.sdopera.com 

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