San Diego Opera

San Diego Opera is a widely respected member of the international opera community and an invaluable cultural resource to the San Diego region.

San Diego Opera Guild was founded in 1950 to present San Francisco Opera productions in the San Diego community. San Diego Opera Association was incorporated in 1965 as a producing company and presented its first staging of La bohème in the newly opened San Diego Civic Theatre. From 1965 to his death in 1975, founding General Director Walter Herbert produced a balance of standard repertoire and new works.

Beginning in 1976, General Director Tito Capobianco brought the Company international renown with an annual Verdi Festival and expanded the season to six productions, featuring renowned superstars such as Joan Sutherland, Luciano Pavarotti and Beverly Sills.

Ian Campbell succeeded Capobianco in 1983. Campbell expanded the artistic vision by introducing a concert program to bring major international stars to San Diego and launched the North American Voices Project which contemporary American operas to the Company's repertoire.

San Diego Opera's acclaimed productions regularly brought internationally renowned artists to perform in San Diego throughout the Company's season. The Company's education program is one of the most extensive and diverse opera education and outreach programs in North America, bringing music and arts to 100,000 school children annually in San Diego County and Northern Mexico.

The mission of San Diego Opera is to deliver exceptional vocal performances and exciting, accessible programs to diverse audiences, focusing on community engagement and the transformative power of live performance.