Performer: San Diego Opera

Returning stars and high-profile company debuts contributed panache to the energy-charged atmosphere.

San Diego Opera's main stage offering proved that even a warhorse can remain thoroughly enchanting when a production looks and sounds as beautiful as this company’s Madama Butterfly.

Tosca’s popularity stems not only from its music, but also from the inherent truth in its drama and its in-depth portrayal of unrestrained human passions. 

The opera General Directors of Seattle, San Francisco, Los Angeles and San Diego tell us about their audiences, their productions, painting a picture of opera on the West Coast that is both different and in rude health.