2009 NEA Opera Honors to be presented to Lotfi Mansouri for contributions to opera
For Immediate Release
November 10, 2009
Contact
Edward Wilensky, Director of Media Relations
Edward.Wilensky@sdopera.com
Telephone: (619) 232-7636
National Endowment for the Arts and Opera America
Announce
“National Opera Week”
November 13 – 22, 2009
Nationwide celebration of art form
2009 NEA Opera Honors to be presented to Lotfi Mansouri for contributions to opera.
Lotfi made San Diego Opera directing debut in 1978 and returns in 2010 to stage Verdi’s Nabucco
San Diego, CA – San Diego Opera is proud to join the National Endowment for the Arts and Opera America to celebrate “National Opera Week” November 13 – 22, 2009. This event was created to celebrate how opera has become a vital part of the American musical fabric and will be celebrated by over 90 companies/organizations in 32 States.
National Opera Week will officially be launched with the presentation of the 2009 NEA Opera Honors which will honor those that have made significant and lasting contributions to the world of opera. The 2009 recipients include Marilyn Horne, John Adams, Lotfi Mansouri, Frank Corsaro and Jules Rudel.
San Diego Opera is especially proud that long time collaborator, Lotfi Mansouri, is receiving an honor for his introduction of supertitles to the art form 25 years ago. Now a standard at nearly every opera house, supertitles revolutionized opera as they provide a translation of what is being sung on stage making opera understandable and accessible to all audience members. Mr. Mansouri first implemented this technology while general director of the Canadian Opera Company. Also an established stage director, he has enjoyed a long relationship with San Diego Opera where he made his Company debut directing The Daughter of the Regiment in 1973. He has since returned to direct numerous productions including Die Fledermaus and Simon Boccanegra in 2005, The Barber of Seville in 2006, Boris Godunov and Samson and Delilah in 2007, Cavalleria rusticana / Pagliacci in 2008 and Rigoletto in 2009. He returns to direct this season’s Nabucco in February, 2010.
“I hold San Diego Opera very dear to my heart. As a stage director for San Francisco Opera I brought touring productions to San Diego before the Company here was established. I am always excited to return to direct, and very excited about Nabucco as it is a wonderful opera with an excellent cast,” comments Lotfi Mansouri. “I’m equally delighted and honored to be recognized by the NEA and very pleased to be in such great company. These honors show the growth of opera in America and its recognition as an important, vital, art form.”
The National Opera Week celebration will reach from coast to coast with over 90 opera companies offering free programs for the public that demonstrate the allure and accessibility of opera. These events will range from open houses, to lectures and community performances.
San Diego Opera will be hosting a Nabucco synopsis Twitter contest. Participants will be able to post their best Nabucco synopsis to Twitter which will then be voted on by the artists of San Diego Opera’s Nabucco including. The winner will be invited to join Lotfi for a special rehearsal of Nabucco in February for an inside look at the making of Grand Opera. San Diego Opera can be found at www.twitter.com/_SanDiegoOpera. (Please note the underscore before our name).
The 2010 International Season
| La bohème Giacomo Puccini | January 30, February 2, 5, 7 (m), 2010 |
| Nabucco Giuseppe Verdi | February 20, 23, 26, 28 (m), 2010 |
| Romeo and Juliet Charles Gounod | March 13, 16, 19, 21 (m), 2010 |
| La traviata Giuseppe Verdi | April 17, 20, 23, 25 (m), 2010 |
Purchasing Tickets
Three and four-opera subscriptions for the 2010 International Season are now available. Regular subscriptions range from $90 - $720 (some Saturday subscriptions slightly higher) and can be purchased by calling (619) 533-7000 or online at www.sdopera.com. Senior citizen discount packages are available for full-season Tuesday night subscribers. Call (619) 533-7000 for more information.
For information about single ticket availability and prices please visit www.sdopera.com or call (619) 533-7000 to speak to an opera representative.
$20 rush tickets, subject to availability, are available 90-minutes prior to performances. There is a one-ticket per person limit. Cash only.
General Information
A widely respected member of the international opera community, San Diego Opera brings the world’s finest artists to San Diego. Founded in 1965, and led for the last 26 years by General Director and Artistic Director Ian D. Campbell, San Diego Opera produces performances of the highest artistic quality while remaining financially stable.
www.sdopera.com