ARIA SERIOUS?

A journey through our just announced 2013 season in this video podcast by our very own Dr. Nic Reveles.

A behind-the-scenes look at our current production. Enjoy!

Artist Eric Shanower continues his tradition of live sketching our operas with incredible results and last night's The Barber of Seville rehearsals was no exception. It's a busy time for Eric so we're incredibly grateful that he took time out of his schedule to join us. Eric has just released Treasury Edition size version of The Forgotten Forest of Oz  and he's getting ready to appear at the Winkie Con in Pacific Grove, California, in July , the longest running Oz convention in the world. So without further ado, The Barber of Seville by Eric Shanower.

Updated:  We've added a short Q amd A session with Batton down below... Comic Artist Night at the Opera added another artist to the rosters when local artist, Batton Lash , took us up on our invitation to come and sketch last night's The Barber of Seville rehearsal. We came to know Batton through his webcomic Supernatural Law and the adventures of the comic's lawyers that serve the needs of monsters and other things that go bump in the night. You can read the comic here . We've asked Batton some questions and will post his responses when we get them. For now, The Barber of Seville by Batton Lash. Update: Batton has responded. A brief Q & A Session follows: Aria Serious: We first became familiar with your work in your ongoing webcomic Supernatural Law - we loved the look that harkened back to that classic age of comics with artists such as Chester Gould and DC Comics Silver Age works. Can you tell us a little about your artistic influences? Batton Lash:...

The ultimate independent woman, the most level-headed character in all of opera buffa, is surely Rosina in The Barber of Seville . We have a wonderful Rossini "specialist" in Spanish mezzo-soprano Silvia Tro Santafe who has the personality and the voice (!) for this wonderful role. Listen to Nicolas Reveles' interview with this debut artist who gives us some insight into this brilliant comedy.

The tenor always gets the girl, and The Barber of Seville is no exception. But it takes some wrangling, disguises and subterfuge to finally get Count Almaviva and his beloved Rosina together. Tenor John Osborn is certainly up to the task, a Rossini 'specialist' who is just coming off of a series of critically acclaimed performances of the composer's Otello . Listen in as Nicolas Reveles interviews this talented singer about his career and about the role.

Last night we hosted the artists of The Barber of Seville in a roundtable discussion about the opera. Here it is below. Barber opens on Saturday, April 21, 2012.

Herb Kellner is directing our upcoming production of Rossini's The Barber of Seville in a production original conceived by John Copley, a longtime guest director here at San Diego Opera. The production is based on the images and motifs that occur in the work of the Belgian surrealist painter Rene Magritte. Join Nicolas Reveles, the Geisel Director of Education and Outreach, in a discussion of the Magritte influences on this Barber and its unique look.

Our final opera of the season is upon us, which means it is time for some more video podcasts. This week, Dr. Nic sits down with the delightful Lucas Meachem, Figaro in The Barber of Seville . Enjoy!