Tickets To The Opera

This month, since my wife and I can’t fly to New York City to attend the Met’s production of Puccini’s La Boheme, we’re going to see (instead) the San Diego Opera’s production of Aida by Giuseppe Verdi.

We’ve seen Aida before and my wife loves this opera. And being that our anniversary is coming up this month, this will be a good anniversary gift. If you’re in the San Diego area check out this great San Diego Opera production, and support the arts!

Aida Has It All

AIDA has it all—treachery, love, power, jealousy, betrayal and death. A Verdi classic! She’s an Ethiopian slave and he’s an officer in the Egyptian army. Though their countries are at war, they secretly fall in love and he betrays his homeland. He’s captured, tried and condemned, but the passion they share can be extinguished only by death as the lovers are entombed alive, together for eternity.

Elton John and Tim Rice have also created Aida: The Musical. I’d love to see that one too, but for now it’s the classic opera by Verdi.

My Gig With Ian Campbell

Though I’m not an opera singer or working in the orchestra pit, I have gigged with San Diego Opera director Ian Campbell. Actually, he sat in to do a couple of numbers at this big charity gala event, and I remember he sang, I’ve Got You Under My Skin. He’s a cool guy, friendly and charismatic. I didn’t know he’d been director of the San Diego Opera for that long… wow.

Ian Campbell has been the General Director and Artistic Director of San Diego Opera since 1983. Campbell was born in Australia, and is a graduate of the University of Sydney. He also holds the two designations of Fellow, and Certified Professional Manager, from the Australian Institute of Management.