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After spending $32 million to stage its spectacularly unpopular "Ring Cycle," Los Angeles Opera finds itself in deep financial water, unable to pay its debts and maintain its letter of credit without a loan in the form of a bond offering from the Los Angeles Board of Supervisors. LA has raised $30 million from private donors but the payback is spread out over three years, leaving the company shy of money it needs to continue its current operation. The company has cut administrative and operating costs by 20 percent each, but even these cuts were not enough to cover its prior operating deficits and current debts. The loan of $14 million is expected to assist the Music Center which receives $1.4 million a year from LA Opera for its performances at the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion. LA's COO Stephen Rountree is certain the loan will be paid back and believes that the Ring Cycle, scheduled for May, will not lose money but break even, a view not shared by all staffers. DEVELOPING. . . OperaOnline.us will offer a Commentary on this development shortly.

The Florentine Opera Company of Milwaukee, WI, will present its first-ever world premiere opera, Don Davis’s Río de Sangre, on October 22, 23 & 24, 2010 at the Marcus Center for the Performing Arts. Paula Suozzi, a fixture in the Milwaukee arts community, will direct the new work. Principal Conductor Joseph Rescigno will conduct the Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra in Davis’s vibrant, Latin-inspired score. The opera has seven lead roles, four supporting roles, and requires a 63-piece orchestra, a 10-piece on-stage merengue band and 35 choristers.

In a story conceived by Los Angeles author and librettist Kate Gale, Río de Sangre depicts war and love against the backdrop of the twenty-first century where all kinds of violence are possible, and the inevitable consequence of death, revenge and madness can follow. The opera, which will be performed in Spanish with English translations projected above the stage, tells the story of the overthrow of a dictatorship in a fictional South American country. As plots, earthquakes and rumors give way to kidnapping, uprisings and treachery, the new leader realizes that the good of his country and the protection of his own family may be more than he can achieve.

Emmy Award-winning composer Don Davis, best known for his work on TV and film scores, explains: “It has been an obsession of mine, for some years now, to frame the cultural and political history of Latin America in a musical context, from the vicarious perspective of one who resides in North America. The passion and color of the South American heritage, and the triumphs and struggles of its people throughout its history of oppression and tragedy suggests music of monumental and epic drama. This is a challenging work, embracing both traditional and contemporary sensibilities, moving from the center to the periphery of consciousness, and from the intimate to the mythic. It is my attempt to find a universal voice amidst the suffering and exultation of the most human among us."

The opera, which will open the Company’s 77th season, will also mark the first time that the Florentine has presented a work in Spanish, which has long been a goal of Florentine Opera General Director William Florescu. “I developed an interest in Río de Sangre for a number of reasons, not the least of which is its excellent English-to-Spanish translation by Alicia Partnoy,” he states. “This is the first world premiere in Florentine Opera history, and I am especially excited that we are able to present a work in Spanish."

Principal Conductor Joseph Rescigno adds, “Don Davis’s Río de Sangre is a highly dramatic opera. The characters’ development is embedded in the music as much as in the libretto. The five leading roles require top-notch musicians – singers of the highest order, which we have in this production, able to project in the widest possible range and to handle very complex rhythms. And they need powerful acting skills, which we also have in this production."

Maestro Rescigno also notes, “In this age of operas based on movies, plays, novellas or news stories, we have here a rare bird: an original plot and libretto. Moreover, the music serves this story admirably from scene to scene, including crowd scenes as well as more intimate moments. There is even a nightclub scene which provides some hot Latin jazz, with the band on stage. This integration of music that is part of the story – playing outside the pit – is a time-honored tradition since the inception of what we call ‘grand opera.’ This is, in a sense, an homage to Mozart, Verdi, Richard Strauss, and other great composers for lyric theater. It is a tremendously challenging work for all involved, and I’m having a wonderful time preparing it.” The Florentine Opera will announce the rest of their upcoming season in February 2010.

Effective September 10, 2010 Francesca Zambello will take over reigns at Glimmerglass Opera as its General and Artistic Director. Elizabeth Eveillard, Chair of the Board of Trustees of Glimmerglass Opera, said, “Francesca Zambello brings a wealth of experience in the opera world to Glimmerglass. She will take the company to a new level of excellence.”

Zambello added, “My first experience with Glimmerglass was directing Iphigénie en Tauride in 1997. There I discovered a vibrant theater and a company renowned for innovative productions as well as a training ground for all disciplines set in stunningly beautiful surroundings. It is a great honor and personal pleasure to be invited to lead the company. I look forward to working with the board, donors and staff in enhancing our offerings, expanding our audiences, and increasing our support.”

President of the Board of Trustees Sherwin Goldman added, “I have had the joy of knowing Francesca for many years, of working with her on several productions, and of witnessing her extraordinary talents and intelligence up close. We cannot have made a better choice.”

The Metropolitan Opera today announced the winners of the 2010 National Council Auditions. They are: Leah Crocetto of Oxford, Connecticut; Lori Guilbeau of Golden Meadow, Lousiana; Elliot Madore of Toronto, Canada; Nathaniel Peake of Humble, Texas; and Rachel Willis- Sørensen of Tri-Cities, Washington. The winners were selected from nine finalists who performed arias with the Met Orchestra, conducted by Marco Armiliato. Each winner receives a cash prize of $15,000 and even more importantly, the opportunity to launch a major operatic career.

The Grand Finals Concert, hosted by legendary Met artist Marilyn Horne, took place on the Met stage. During the judges’ deliberations, Frederica von Stade, the renowned mezzo-soprano and former Auditions winner, gave a special performance featuring arias from Werther and La Périchole; this appearance marked the beloved artist’s farewell performance on the Met stage. Met General Manager Peter Gelb honored von Stade in a special on-stage presentation following her performance.

Seven outstanding singer-actors rose to the top to win prizes in the 2010 Lotte Lenya Competition, held on April 17 at the Eastman School of Music in Rochester. The First Prize of $15,000 went to Rebekah Camm, soprano, of Chicago. Camm made her operatic debut as Micaëla in “Carmen” with the Houston Grand Opera in 2005, and in October will perform the role of Susanna in “Le Nozze di Figaro” at the Los Angeles Opera, conducted by Plácido Domingo. Judges chose to forgo the Third Prize and instead awarded Second Prizes of $9,000 each to two exceptionally talented but very different performers: David Arnsperger, baritone, of Berlin, and Margaret Gawrysiak, mezzo-soprano, of New York. Arnsperger has won First Prize in Germany’s National Singing Competition (in the Musicals category), and Gawrysiak has performed with the Seattle Opera, Glimmerglass Opera, and the San Francisco Opera’s Merola Program.

NEA Chairman Rocco Landesman announced the recipients of the 2010 NEA Opera Honors: soprano Martina Arroyo, general director David DiChiera, composer Philip Glass, and music director Eve Queler.

Now in its third year, the NEA Opera Honors is the highest award our nation bestows in opera. This year, the awards will be presented at a concert and ceremony produced by the Washington National Opera on Friday, October 22, 2010 at The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington, DC. The evening will feature video tributes to each honoree created and produced by OPERA America. Admission will be free, but tickets will be required. Ticket information will be made available on Monday, September 20, 2010 at arts.gov