The goal is a half century of tragedy and drama

Circumstances surrounding the imminent closure, and then possible closure of the San Diego Opera have now done a complete about-face: the opera company announced that the vote to shut down had been rescinded and released dates for the 2015 season on May 19.

"The public spoke, we listened, and we’re open for business," said opera board president Carol Lazier in a release.

Controversy has surrounded the opera since a vote to wind down operations following the 2014 season was announced March 19. Rumors spread that the push to close was led by general and artistic director Ian Campbell who, along with his ex-wife Ann Spira Campbell, stood to reap significant retirement benefits that would be put at risk should the opera go into debt. The Campbells' departure from the organization was formalized on May 16 under terms as yet undisclosed.

Next year's program, the 50th put on by the opera, includes a revisit of Giacomo Puccini’s La Bohème, the first production ever offered. John Adams' Nixon In China and Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart’s Don Giovanni also feature in 14 announced dates from January through April.

The opera had sought to raise at least a million dollars to continue its program and says that as of May 18 it had received more than $2.1 million in new pledges, nearly half from first-time donors. Donations in amounts from $10 to $50,000 were received from 36 states across the U.S. as well as from 6 other countries.