I wrote a story for the San Diego Opera program in 1999 about Karen Keltner, the resident conductor, who stood at 5 feet 3 inches. It was appropriate to title the profile “Big Step to the Podium.”
Those carefree bohemians are regular visitors to the San Diego Opera stage. This is their 11th arrival since the premier in 1965 as the first production of the new company.
After enduring a threatened closing, San Diego Opera will open its 50th season in January with grand opera and other musical events. I usually identify a theme that is common with the operas, but the 2015 season covers so many subjects that I cannot identify a common one.
There are many risks in mounting an unfamiliar opera. San Diego audiences prefer the traditional, familiar works by famous composers, but presenting new operas is an artistic obligation to reach a broader audience.
The holiday season started on a bright note last week with the opening of "Bell, Book and Candle" at OnStage Playhouse in Chula Vista.
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