LATE WINTER AND SPRING OPERAS at Santa Barbara's Lobero Theatre

Opera Santa Barbara (OSB) celebrates its 25thanniversary on Saturday evening January 26, 2019, with a GALA CONCERT and spectacular party honoring Marilyn Gilbert who co-founded the company with the late Nathan Rundlett. The event will begin with a champagne reception for all ticket holders before the 6:00 pm concert.

Singers at the CONCERT will include: Isabel Bayrakdarian, Adam Diegel, Nathan Granner, Lee Poulis, Todd Thomas, and Karin Wolverton. Maestros Kostis Protopapas, and Valéry Ryvkin will conduct them and the Opera Santa Barbara Orchestra in a "Hit Parade" of operatic numbers at the Lobero Theatre on East Canon Perdido Street in Santa Barbara. After the concert, the party will continue at the historic El Paseo restaurant, which embodies the proud Santa Barbara tradition of service, style, and hospitality.

OSB's season continues with Pyotr Illyich Tchaikovsky's tuneful EUGENE ONEGIN at the Lobero Theatre, on the evening of March 1 and on the afternoon of March 3, 2019. A Russian grand opera, EUGENE ONEGIN takes place in the beautifully appointed ballrooms and rural country estates of Imperial Russia. The opera tells of a young aristocrat who allows his pride to cost him his best friend and the woman he loves.

Maestro Valéry Ryvkin, who was the company's artistic director from 1999 to 2008, returns to conduct. Ensemble Theatre's Jonathan Fox directs while soprano Karin Wolverton, who portrayed Magda in Puccini's LA RONDINE, and baritone Lee Poulis, who was Ford in Verdi's FALSTAFF, return as Tatiana and Onegin. Tenor Elliott Deasy sings Lenski, and bass Kevin Langan is Prince Gremin.

On April 26 and 28, at the Lobero Theatre, OSB presents Robert Ward's THE CRUCIBLE. Based on Arthur Miller's play, the opera won both the Pulitzer Prize for Music and the New York Music Critics Circle Citation. Telling of the Salem, Massachusetts witch trials, THE CRUCIBLE is a totally gripping American opera sure to set pulses racing. Wayne Tigges and Audrey Babcock make their OSB debuts as John and Elizabeth Proctor while Anya Matanovic portrays the malicious Abigail Williams. Stephanie Havey will direct and Kostis Protopapas will conduct the cast and orchestra in this powerful dramatic work.