Opera SB News
November 5, 2024
Director Octavio Cardenas Hello everyone! Octavio Cardenas here, Stage Director for Pagliacci. This is my fourth collaboration with Opera SB, and the fourth time directing the opera. However, this the first time I set the story outside its…
October 23, 2024
Peter Van Bredael (1629-1719) Commedia Dell’Arte Scene in Italian LandscapeCommedia dell’arte ('Professional comedy') is an Italian theatrical form that flourished throughout Europe from the 16th through the 18th century. It relied on…
September 25, 2024
New production inspired by Fellini’s ‘La strada’ Santa Barbara, CA - September 24, 2024. Opera Santa Barbara will open its 2024-25 season with Leoncavallo's PAGLIACCI on November 8 and 10, 2024 at the Lobero…
July 9, 2024
Opera Santa Barbara’s Season Leaps into the Contemporary, Accessible World of ‘Zorro,’ at the Lobero Theatre From Josef Woodward of the Santa Barbara Independent "The hardy cultural force that is…
September 14, 2023
Stage Director Fenlon Lamb talks about the inspiration and design of Carmen ahead of the opera opening the 23-24 Season. This new production of Carmen was inspired by the vibrant…
August 28, 2023
Kostis sits with Voice Mag to introduce our Spanish-themed 30th Anniversary Season “Our favorite festival here in Santa Barbara is Old Spanish Days, so clearly the Spanish heritage and theme…
August 20, 2023
We’re looking for volunteer supernumeraries (“supers”) for our upcoming production of Carmen in the Granada Theatre on September 29 and October 1. Supers are non-singing, non-speaking roles. They appear as…
July 27, 2023
Bandits, swashbucklers, and star-crossed lovers populate a lineup of pageantry and high drama inspired by the music and history of Spain in Opera Santa Barbara’s 30th Anniversary Season. The company…
July 20, 2023
The Lobero Theatre is among great company on Architectural Digests' 11 Most Beautiful Theatres in the World List. Opera Santa Barbara is honored to call the Lobero Theatre one of…
April 17, 2023
Costume Designer Azucena Dominguez highlights her design process for The Valkyrie. The concept of the Valkyries came from the first conversation I had with Crystal. Our inspiration was Game of…
April 3, 2023
Stage Director Crystal Manich returns to Opera Santa Barbara for the second installment of Wagner's Ring Cycle after directing Das Rheingold in 2021. She gives us her vision for The…
March 28, 2023
This week we begin rehearsals for Richard Wagner’s The Valkyrie. Small opera companies like ours don’t often get a chance to perform Wagner. When produced on full scale, his operas place…
February 9, 2023
For Nina Yoshida Nelsen, An American Dream marks her tenth production with Opera Santa Barbara, and the twentieth anniversary of her company debut as Kate Pinkerton in Madama Butterfly. Born…
January 29, 2023
Ahead of Opera Santa Barbara’s California premiere of An American Dream, the production’s Stage Director, Richard Gammon, and Set and Projection Designer, Yuki Izumihara, give a sneak peak at the…
January 10, 2023
Opera Santa Barbara is pleased to announce it has been approved by the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) to receive a Grants for Arts Projects award of $10,000. This…
January 5, 2023
Nina Yoshida Nelsen, mezzo soprano is an avid advocate for equity in the arts. She is perhaps most well known for her countless performances of Suzuki in Madama Butterfly with…
January 5, 2023
After three years as Opera Santa Barbara’s Director of Development, Nina Dunbar will leave on January 15 to undertake the position of Donor Advisement Officer at the Santa Barbara Education Foundation.…
October 18, 2022
Director Josh Shaw talks about our next opera in the 22|23 season, La scala di seta. There is nothing that gives me more joy than directing a silly bel canto comedy. And…
October 10, 2022
Opera Santa Barbara Costume Manager Stacie Logue gives us the background on costuming our next opera in the 22|23 season, La scala di seta. Opera Santa Barbara’s next main stage…
September 22, 2022
OSB TICKET FAQs Over the last year we have made some changes to our ticket pricing and policies. Some of our new practices differ from those of other arts organizations,…