The Elixir of Love
Gaetano Donizetti
- Opera Santa Barbara presented Donizetti’s comic-opera “The Elixir of Love,” a comedy full of sunshine with wonderfully lilting, melodic music. The superb Nemorino, Robert McPherson, acted the role as if he lived it, with passionate Italian singing to match. It would be hard to conjure up a more smashingly attractive setting for a smashingly attractive opera company than OSB at home in the lovely city of Santa Barbara. By all means focus a Santa Barbara holiday around OSB’s productions.
– Opera Warhorses
- Opera Santa Barbara’s version of ‘L’elisir d’amore’ tasted like good wine at a great party. Nemorino was wonderfully sung by Robert McPherson. From the charming cast, to Miller James’s colorful costumes and Valéry Ryvkin’s expert conducting, the music was a pleasure, and Opera Santa Barbara should be congratulated on giving us all a genuinely enjoyable night out, full of delicious sounds.
– James Hanley Donelan / Santa Barbara Independent
Direction
Valéry Ryvkin
Valéry Ryvkin
Conductor / Carmen
Jan/Feb 2002
Conductor / The Barber of Seville
May 2001
Conductor / La traviata
December 2000
Conductor / La Cenerentola
Mar/Apr 2000
Conductor / Le nozze di Figaro
Jan/Feb 2000
Conductor /
Cavalleria Rusticana & Pagliacci
October 1999
Conductor / Madama Butterfly
May 1999
Conductor / Il trovatore
January 1999
Conductor / The Merry Widow
December 1998
Conductor / Don Pasquale
February 1998
Conductor / Così fan tutte
January 1998
Conductor / Tosca
September 1997
Conductor / Don Giovanni
January 1997
Conductor / La bohème
Nov/Dec 1996
Conductor / Carmen
August 1996
Conductor / La traviata
July 1995 (debut)
Artistic Director
1999–2008
Vernon Hartman
Vernon Hartman
Baron Scarpia / Tosca
September 1997 (debut)
Jean-François Revon
Jean-François Revon
Mark Somerfield
Mark Somerfield
Miller James
Miller James
Artists
Robert McPherson
Robert McPherson
Count Almaviva / The Barber of Seville
May 2001
Don Ramiro / La Cenerentola
Mar/Apr 2000 (debut)
Susan Holsonbake
Susan Holsonbake
Michael Wanko
Michael Wanko
Nicolai Janitzky
Nicolai Janitzky