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Mayor Faulconer makes dramatic plea to save San Diego Opera
You are dead wrong, dwbat: it is/was not a moldy opera company. Only troglodytes and philistines (look 'em up) say things like this. Going to the San Diego Opera is/was a great experience.— March 26, 2014 1:01 p.m.
Mayor Faulconer makes dramatic plea to save San Diego Opera
That's the god's truth. Even now I click on a headline thinking it may be a real story only to find it is a Mencken thing. He is very funny, but the state of this town is exactly what Visduh describes...and Matt Potter...and Don Bauder...and Dorian Hargrove...and Dave Rice. But aside from the venal politics, we've got great performing arts to take our minds off our troubles. Well, minus the Opera now, but still....— March 26, 2014 12:57 p.m.
Impeachment bragging may bite Goldsmith
I really appreciate that comment, Justin, it is both funny and true. There's just nothing to add.— March 25, 2014 3:57 p.m.
The inside story of San Diego Opera's demise
I completely disagree that Ian Campbell's salary was "unseemly." We are every-ready to denigrate artistic accomplishment in an effort to reduce adequate compensation for successful artistic endeavor. Campbell MADE grand opera happen in San Diego (which, before he came in the '70's, I remember as lame, pretentious, silly and expensive -- sorry, diehards.) Maybe the opera form is too grand, lavish and costly to continue in a town like this, or maybe anywhere. Even in Italy, there are always proletarian protests outside La Scala openings. But we are the richest, most powerful nation in the history of the world, and we squander money left and right on worthless endeavors (Iraq and Afghanistan, to name two.) There are so many rich people in this country who could make a decision to fully back opera in San Diego, including subsidy for low-cost tickets for students and the elderly and the poor -- why? just to keep something so wonderful alive. And of course, the federal government could do it too, though that will never happen. I also disagree with the desperate notion that substituting another musical form such as oratorio (lovely) or Gilbert & Sullivan (charming and fun) or opera movies (totally different) or that some costume-free or dancer-less production might be the answer to what is, in fact, an anesthetic-free cultural amputation as terrible as anything depicted in "Gone with the Wind."— March 24, 2014 1:58 p.m.
Dumanis set to open TV ad war
A fourth term? Maybe District Attorney Dumanis should be looking at private practice instead of buying TV time for a re-run. A graceful exit would salvage what may have been solid in her administration. She could take a leaf from SDPD Chief Lansdown's playbook and disappear, leaving the field to a newcomer. The recent revelation of laundered foreign money flowing into her last campaign is inexcusable for a lawyer and prosecutor. As D.A. Dumanis also has had too-cozy connections with past top-cop then-business-puppet Mayor Jerry Sanders, disgraced and retired Police Chief Bill Lansdowne, ex-FBI now-Sheriff Bill Gore and the odious highly political ex-GOP assemblyman City Attorney Jan Goldsmith. She should go rather than fight.— March 24, 2014 1:16 p.m.
The inside story of San Diego Opera's demise
Thank you for this description. Everyone seems upset and blame is liberally applied everywhere -- the Koch Brothers, Papa Doug, venal climbers fleecing clients, lousy public schools without arts programs. But the truth is that San Diego Opera under the direction of Ian Campbell was, for the ticket-holder or subscriber or patron, a superb experience. The usually hyperbolic term "world-class" fully applies to the San Diego Opera. Apparently also now, the phrase "Sic transit gloria." I would remind those who feel Ian Campbell is overpaid: Yasiel Puig, a rookie outfielder for the Los Angeles Dodgers who was brought up from Cuba last year at age 22, was offered a five-year contract for about $25 million. Puig is a great baseball player. Ian Campbell is a genius director of classical grand opera. The pay differential represents the American Way. If this can't be pulled out of the fire -- which, unreasonably, I still hope may happen -- we owe a debt of gratitude to Ian Campbell for the miracles he worked for so many years. And thanks to every patron-angel who ever made a gift to keep San Diego Opera alive -- even former Supervisor Pam Slater-Price who controversially gained a lot of good publicity for herself by providing County subsidies to the San Diego Opera. She had the common sense and good taste to do what the federal government isn't doing for worthy arts institutions across the nation.— March 23, 2014 1:13 p.m.
Shocker: San Diego Opera to fold
Ian Campbell IS the San Diego Opera.— March 20, 2014 11:07 p.m.
Obese woman sought for questioning in San Diego Opera closure case
FYI, there really WAS a classic fat-lady-singing who played a sorceress in the most recent SD Opera production of "A Masked Ball" and she was the mezzo onstage tonight at the beautiful single performance of Verdi's "Requiem" at the Civic Theater. Also FYI, Irwin and Joan Jacobs were front and center in the audience. I did not see Papa Doug or Conrad Prebys, but then I don't really know what they look like in person. We can only hope they were present. Finally, the marquee was changed from what you claimed it said in an earlier post today.— March 20, 2014 11 p.m.
Shocker: San Diego Opera to fold
For pete's sake, don't diss Papa Doug before he has a chance to think about making a Grand Gesture to save Grand Opera in his hometown. He is the proprietor of the Manchester Grand Hyatt, after all. It could work!— March 20, 2014 4:31 p.m.
Shocker: San Diego Opera to fold
Opera is phenomenally grand and expensive to produce -- singers, sets, costumes, live orchestra, dancers. No question the tickets are dear. At the San Diego Opera, the ticket is worth it. The experience is memorable. There will never be "someone better:" there will just be "the void."— March 20, 2014 4:23 p.m.