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"Nabucco" is the second of four operas in San Diego Opera's upcoming season. (Photo courtesy of San Diego Opera)
Did you know that “National Opera Week” continues through November 22?
This year’s event was announced by the National Endowment for the Arts and Opera America, the New York-based service organization. And recipients of the 2009 NEA Opera Honors include veteran director Lotfi Mansouri, a San Diego Opera favorite who will return to stage February’s production of Verdi’s “Nabucco.”
So go ahead and celebrate “Opera Week.” Hum your favorite aria. Listen to an opera CD, or watch a DVD.
Better yet, attend a live performance. Lyric Opera San Diego’s first production of Humperdinck’s “Hansel and Gretel” continues November 15, 19, 21 and 22 at the Birch North Park Theatre.
Though San Diego Opera’s 2010 season doesn’t start until January, it’s time to start planning, if you haven’t already.
The four operas — Puccini’s “La Bohème,” Verdi’s “Nabucco” and “La Traviata,” and Gounod’s “Romeo and Juliet” — will each receive four performances at downtown’s Civic Theatre. (For an entertaining preview, watch the video introduction by Ian Campbell, San Diego Opera’s general and artistic director.)
A just-announced $1 million gift from The Viterbi Family will be used for “Nabucco” and a related lecture series as well as for the 2011 International Season.
“Erna and Andrew Viterbi have made a spectacular and deeply appreciated gift at a most critical time for San Diego Opera,” Campbell said of the local philanthropists, adding that the “economy has taken a big bite out of arts funding.”
The lecture series, “Community Conversations on Faith and Freedom,” will be presented prior to “Nabucco.” Scheduled for February 20, 23, 26 and 28, the epic opera tells the story of the Babylonian king Nabucco (”Nebuchadnezzar,” in English) who enslaved the Israelites, declared himself a god and faced the consequences.
San Diego Opera’s 2010 season previewed by General Director Ian Campbell
“Our interest in opera generally, and in this production of ‘Nabucco’ in particular, derives in part from our cultural heritage,” Erna and Andrew Viterbi said in a joint statement. (Andrew is a co-founder of both LINKABIT Corporation and Qualcomm, among many other achievements.) “Having inherited from our parents a love of opera, especially Verdi’s masterpieces, as well as respect for our history, we have found San Diego Opera productions, so masterfully directed and performed, resonate with our interests and passions.”
The lectures are free and open to the public though reservations are required. To find out more, and reserve a seat, go to: http://www.sdopera.com/Operas/CommunityConversations
Here’s the lineup:
“Nabucco, Israel and Babylon: The Impact of Exile on the Birth of Judaism and Christianity”
Presented by Dr. Nicolas Reveles, San Diego Opera’s Geisel Director of Education, and Dr. Risa Levitt-Kohn, Director of Judaic Studies at San Diego State University.
Wednesday, January 27, 2010 at 7 p.m. at the San Diego Natural History Museum - Charmaine and Maurice Kaplan Theatre, 1788 El Prado, in Balboa Park.
“Lessons from the Exile: Babylon Revisted”
Presented by Dr. Nicolas Reveles, San Diego Opera’s Geisel Director of Education, and Rabbi Michael Berk, Congregation Beth Israel.
Wednesday, February 3, at 7 p.m. at Congregation Beth Israel , 9001 Towne Center Dr., San Diego.
“By the Rivers of Babylon: Judaism, Empire and Exile”
Presented by Dr. Nicolas Reveles, San Diego Opera’s Geisel Director of Education and Dr. William Propp, Director of Judaic Studies Program at University of California San Diego.
Monday, February 8, at 7:30 p.m. at the Lawrence Family Jewish Community Center - Garfield Theatre - 4126 Executive Dr., La Jolla. (This is the third of a three-part lecture series held at the Lawrence Family JCC.)
“Nabucco: The Jewish Story in Art and Opera”
Presented by Dr. Nicolas Reveles, San Diego Opera’s Geisel Director of Education and a curator from the San Diego Museum of Art’s European Collection.
Wednesday, February 10, at 7 p.m. at the San Diego Museum of Art, 1450 El Prado, in Balboa Park.
Valerie Scher is the Arts & Entertainment editor. You can reach her at valerie.scher(at)sdnn.com; follow her on Twitter at http://www.twitter.com/vscher
Tags: $1 million donation, Community Conversations on Faith and Freedom, Culture Cruncher, Erna and Andrew Viterbi, Hansel and Gretel, Ian Campbell, LINKABIT, Lotfi Mansouri, Lyric Opera San Diego, nabucco, National Endowment for the Arts, National Opera Week, NEA Opera Honors, Opera America, Qualcomm, San Diego Opera, SDNN, The Viterbi Family, Valerie Scher, Verdi
