Singer

This 100th Anniversary Season finale includes Beethoven’s most beloved work with the Amarillo Master Chorale and special guest vocalists, plus new music written for the Harrington String Quartet by Grammy Award-winning composer Christopher Theofanidis.

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Beethoven’s Ninth & HSQ

Globe-News Center for the Performing Arts

Premiered in Barcelona in 1948, and rarely performed, this age-old children’s story tells of the wealth-seeking, match-making cat who, in return for a hat, a sword and a pair of boots, secures for his young master (a lowly miller) a kingdom and a royal marriage to a princess, tricking a slow-witted ogre out of his castle along the way.

From its opening Montsalvatge’s music is energetic, tuneful and full of catchy rhythms, lush melodies and feline musical effects!

El Gato con Botas

Center Stage Theatre

The world’s most beloved opera returns to the Granada for the first time since 2016, in a sumptuous fully-staged production starring Sarah Saturnino as Carmen, Nathan Granner as Don José, Anya Matanovic as Micaëla, and Colin Ramsey as Escamillo. The production will be directed by Fenlon Lamb. Opera Santa Barbara’s Artistic and General Director Kostis Protopapas conducts the full forces of the Opera Santa Barbara Orchestra and Chorus, in the opera with which he made his 2016 company debut.

Carmen

Granada Theatre

The official opera season will open at the Granada Theatre with Bizet’s Carmen on Friday, September 29th, 2023, at 7:30pm and Sunday, October 1st, at 2:30pm. Mezzo-soprano Sarah Saturnino, who recently was announced a Grand Finalist Winner in the Metropolitan Opera’s Laffont Competition, makes her OSB debut in the title role, surrounded by a host of company favorite artists. Tenor Nathan Granner and bass-baritone Colin Ramsey make their role debuts as Don José and Escamillo, and soprano Anya Matanovic returns as Micaëla. This production, which will feature dancers from State Street Ballet, will be directed by Fenlon Lamb and conducted by Opera Santa Barbara Artistic and General Director, Kostis Protopapas. This production of Carmen is made possible through generous support from the Granada Theatre. 

Star-crossed lovers Siegmund and Sieglinde unknowingly provoke the wrath of the gods of Valhalla, who decree the death of Siegmund. Brünnhilde, the titular Valkyrie, defies the will of her father Wotan, leader of the gods, to rescue Sieglinde and the couple’s unborn child, in Wagner’s romantic masterpiece that features the famous “Ride of the Valkyries”.

The Valkyrie

Lobero Theatre

The great diva has it all: beauty, talent, friends in high places, love, and an unshakeable faith in God.  She lives a charmed life, blissfully unaware of the dystopia that surrounds her.  All that will change in one harrowing day and night, in Puccini’s nail-biting melodrama.
Soprano Eleni Calenos last seen in OSB’s Madama Butterfly in 2019 returns to the Granada stage to sing the titular diva. The painter Mario Cavaradossi will be portrayed by Adam Diegel who thrilled Santa Barbara audiences at our 25th anniversary Gala concert. The imposing chief of police, Baron Scarpia will be sung by Wayne Tigges, who sang John Proctor in our production of The Crucible in 2019. Layna Chianakas returns to direct our season opening after a successful double bill of Il Tabarro/ El amor brujo last season at the Lobero. The scenic and projection design for our unique production is created by Yuki Izumihara who wowed audiences with her designs in our production of Semele earlier this year. Artistic and General Director Kostis Protopapas conducts his first Tosca with our Opera Santa Barbara Orchestra and Chorus in full force.

Tosca

A cast of young stars brings the operatic adaptation of Shakespeare’s beloved play to life including tenor Pene Pati as Romeo and soprano Nicole Cabell as Juliet, both in exciting Company debuts. Joining them is baritone Yunpeng Wang as Mercutio and mezzo soprano Sarah Coit as Stephano also in house debuts. San Diego Opera principal guest conductor Yves Abel brings his mastery of the French repertoire to lead the musicians for these performances and stage director Matthew Ozawa brings his unique visionary style to the stage.

Roméo et Juliette

San Diego Civic Theatre

Join us for Opera Santa Barbara’s first mainstage baroque opera!  Santa Barbara native, Jana McIntyre (Norina, Don Pasuale ’21) sings the title role, who is in love with the God, Jupiter, sung by Robert Stahley making his Opera Santa Barbara debut. Also making their company debuts are countertenor Logan Tanner in the role of Athamas, Semele’s mortal betrothed, and mezzo soprano Sarah Coit, singing the goddess Juno, the spurned wife of Jupiter. Director Sara E. Widzer (Carmen in your Car, ’20) returns to bring the escapades and foibles of both mortals and Gods alike to the Lobero stage in this production set in the roaring 20’s. This production will feature lighting design by Helena Kuukka and projections designed by Yuki Izumihara. Rounding out our creative team, Maestra Emily Senturia leads the Opera Santa Barbara Orchestra through this journey of love, lust, jealousy, and revenge!

Colin Ramsey

Bass-baritone

Events

Apr 19, 2024

Beethoven’s Ninth & HSQ · The Amarillo Symphony

1 - 3 Dec, 2023

El Gato con Botas · Opera Santa Barbara

Oct 1, 2023

Carmen · Lobero Theatre

Sep 29 - Oct 1, 2023

Carmen · Opera Santa Barbara

Apr 23, 2023

The Valkyrie · Opera Santa Barbara

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