Eleven opera board members demand information

Eleven irate members of the San Diego Opera board held a private meeting Wednesday. They will be sending out a letter to the other 47 board members this afternoon.

"We have to have the information we need to make a reasoned decision" about the sudden shutting down of the opera, says one board member. There are 58 members who can vote, but only 34 did so, and on skimpy information, this member says. The vote was not on the agenda, as previously revealed. "One of the things that came out of that meeting was a list of documents, reports, to be provided to the board. We have an absolute right to those under the San Diego Opera code and under state corporation codes," says this board member. The attendees at Wednesday's meeting "were unanimous in being unhappy, and some had voted for" the dissolution.

One of the critical pieces of information this group wants is the retirement/employment information on Ian Campbell, general director, and his ex-wife, Ann Campbell, who was second in charge. The possibility of some kind of litigation has been discussed, says this board member. Apparently, there is information from the National Labor Relations Board that may be relevant. It has been rumored that there has been one — and possibly two — employee complaints of a hostile work environment. (I tried to get this information from the state but was unsuccessful. It might have been a federal complaint, and I ran into bureaucratic resistance there.)

"I have asked to see liability sheets, and not been provided them," says this board member. "Other board members have sent in written requests and demands, and there has been no response."