Bizet's opera Carmen is right up there with La boheme and Aida in terms of popularity, and so it returns to SDO with a new production for us, and a brilliant new cast of young singers. In this interview with General Director David Bennett, he talks about the return of opera's favorite femme fatale! 

Jake Heggie's connection with Frederica Von Stade is well known, and this was the first complete operatic role that he created for her. We are honored that Ms. Von Stade will be with us again, along with this challenging work about family...the relationships we have as opposed to the ones we wish we had. Enjoy this conversation with General Director David Bennett!

One of Verdi's greatest creations, Rigoletto graces our stage again after a ten-year absence. The opera was a real experiment for the composer in that it breaks with so many operatic traditions, like giving the main character an aria or two...what Rigoletto gets are monologues, making him a kind of musical Shakespearean character. Enjoy what Mr. Bennett has to say about the singers and the production of this dynamic piece of musical theatre!

All Is Calm, a production originally conceived by Theatre Latte Da in Minneapolis, is a choral opera about a true story: the Christmas Eve cease fire in 1914, when the Allies and German troops in the trenches spent a few hours at peace, singing their favorite carols, sharing stories and even playing a soccer match. In this interview General Director David Bennett talks about the origins of this production from Bodhi Tree Concerts and the involvement of the choral group Sacra Profana. Enjoy! 

In this conversation with David Bennett, General Director of San Diego Opera, you'll hear all about the singers, the director, the conductor and this wonderful new production of Mozart's masterpiece. Figaro is both a drama and a comedy with some of the most beautiful and engaging music ever written for the stage. Enjoy!