Bitter split at San Diego Opera

The arts section of today's (September 1) New York Times has a generally bullish story on the attempted turnaround of the San Diego Opera. The headline tells the story: "Amid Choruses of Despair, an Aria of Hope."

The story outlines the steps the group attempting to save the opera is taking. "I think the rescue of the San Diego Opera was a galvanizing event," says Marc A. Scorca, president of Opera America. He played a big role in the attempted rescue.

But the biggest problem the opera faces is that the clique around the departed Ian Campbell, the biggest donors, will not, I think, come back. Their egos are tied up in seeing the opera fail, although the Times doesn't say that.

The president who tried to get the opera to shut down abruptly, then resigned when a group arose to try to save it, Karen S. Cohn, is quoted saying, "I cannot support what is going on." She vows she will not give any money and won't even attend San Diego Opera performances. "I'm going to Los Angeles or I'm going to New York," says Cohn. "Not here."

My guess is if the New York Times talked to other boardmembers who stormed out in a huff, it would have gotten the same bitter responses.