Tenor Lawrence Brownlee is Count Almaviva in San Diego Opera’s production of The Barber of Seville. Photo © Ken Howard, 2006

Baritone Christopher Maltman is Figaro in San Diego Opera’s production of The Barber of Seville.Photo © Ken Howard, 2006

Tenor Lawrence Brownlee (Count Almaviva) woos mezzo-soprano Kirstin Chávez (Rosina) in San Diego Opera’s production of The Barber of Seville. Photo © Ken Howard, 2006

Bartione Christopher Maltman (Figaro) and tenor Lawrence Brownlee (Count Almaviva) in San Diego Opera’s production of The Barber of Seville. Photo © Ken Howard, 2006

The cast of San Diego Opera’s The Barber of Seville. (L-R): Mezzo-soprano Kirstin Chávez (Rosina), tenor Lawrence Brownlee (Count Almaviva), baritone Christopher Maltman (Figaro), mezzo-soprano Judith Christin (Berta), bass-baritone Eduado Chama (Dr. Bartolo) and bass Ferruccio Furlanetto (Don Basilio) in San Diego Opera’s production of The Barber of Seville. Photo © Ken Howard, 2006

Mezzo-soprano Judith Christin (Berta) and bass-baritone Eduardo Chama (Dr. Bartolo) in San Diego Opera’s production of The Barber of Seville. Photo © Ken Howard, 2006

Bass Ferruccio Furlanetto (Don Basilio) and bass-baritone Eduardo Chama (Dr. Bartolo) in San Diego Opera’s production of The Barber of Seville. Photo © Ken Howard, 2006

Baritone Christopher Maltman (Figaro) and mezzo-soprano Kirstin Chávez (Rosina) in San Diego Opera’s production of The Barber of Seville. Photo © Ken Howard, 2006

Mezzo-soprano (Kirstin Chávez), baritone Christopher Maltman (Figaro), bass-baritone Eduardo Chama (Dr. Bartolo) and tenor Lawrence Brownlee (Count Almaviva) in San Diego Opera’s production of The Barber of Seville. Photo © Ken Howard, 2006

Mezzo-soprano Kirstin Chávez (Rosina), tenor Lawrence Brownlee (Almaviva) and baritone Christopher Maltman (Figaro) in San Diego Opera’s production of The Barber of Seville. Photo © Ken Howard, 2006

The Cast of San Diego Opera’s Lucia di Lammermoor surrounded by the San Diego Opera Chorus. Kneeling (L-R) soprano Kathleen Halm (Alisa) and soprano Angela Gilbert (Lucia di Lammermoor). Standing (L-R) bass Reinhard Hagen (Raimondo), tenor Richard Leech (Edgardo), tenor Bryan Register (Arturo) and baritone Dalibor Jenis (Lord Enrico Ashton). Photo © Ken Howard, 2006

Tenor Bryan Register (Lord Arturo Bucklaw), soprano Angela Gilbert (Lucia di Lammermoor) and baritone Dalibor Jenis (Lord Enrico Ashton) in San Diego Opera’s production of Lucia di Lammermoor. Photo © Ken Howard, 2006

Soprano Angela Gilbert is Lucia di Lammermoor in San Diego Opera’s production of Lucia di Lammermoor. Photo © Ken Howard, 2006

Tenor Richard Leech (Edgardo) and soprano Angela Gilbert (Lucia di Lammermoor) in San Diego Opera’s production of Lucia di Lammermoor. Photo © Ken Howard, 2006

Tenor Richard Leech (Edgardo) and soprano Angela Gilbert (Lucia di Lammermoor) in San Diego Opera’s production of Lucia di Lammermoor. Photo © Ken Howard, 2006

Baritone Dalibor Jenis (Lord Enrico Ashton) and soprano Angela Gilbert (Lucia di Lammermoor) in San Diego Opera’s production of Lucia di Lammermoor. Photo © Ken Howard, 2006

Baritone Dalibor Jenis (Lord Enrico Ashton) and soprano Angela Gilbert (Lucia di Lammermoor) in San Diego Opera’s production of Lucia di Lammermoor. Photo © Ken Howard, 2006

Soprano Angela Gilbert (Lucia di Lammermoor) is flanked by soprano Kathleen Halm (Alisa) while bass Reinhard Hagen (Raimondo) looks on in San Diego Opera’s production of Lucia di Lammermoor. Photo © Ken Howard, 2006

Soprano Angela Gilbert (Lucia di Lammermoor) in the famous “Mad Scene” in San Diego Opera’s production of Lucia di Lammermoor. Photo © Ken Howard, 2006

Soprano Angela Gilbert (Lucia di Lammermoor) in the famous “Mad Scene” while baritone Dalibor Jenis (Lord Enrico Ashton) looks on in San Diego Opera’s production of Lucia di Lammermoor. Photo © Ken Howard, 2006

From left to right: Tenor Kenneth Morris (Normanno), tenor Bryan Register (Lord Arturo Bucklaw), soprano Angela Gilbert (Lucia di Lammermoor) and baritone Dalibor Jenis (Lord Enrico Ashton) in San Diego Opera’s production of Lucia di Lammermoor. Photo © Ken Howard, 2006

Baritone Dalibor Jenis (Lord Enrico Ashton) in San Diego Opera’s production of Lucia di Lammermoor. Photo © Ken Howard, 2006

Tenor Richard Leech (Edgardo) falls into the arms of bass Reinhard Hagen (Raimondo) in San Diego Opera’s production of Lucia di Lammermoor. Photo © Ken Howard, 2006

Soprano Angela Gilbert (Lucia di Lammermoor) in the famous “Mad Scene” in San Diego Opera’s production of Lucia di Lammermoor. Photo © Ken Howard, 2006

The Cast of San Diego Opera’s Lucia di Lammermoor. Background (L-R) tenor Bryan Register (Lord Arturo Bucklaw) and bass Reinhard Hagen (Raimondo). Foreground (L-R) tenor Richard Leech (Edgardo), soprano Angela Gilbert (Lucia di Lammermoor) and soprano Kathleen Halm (Alisa). Photo © Ken Howard, 2006

Soprano Angela Gilbert is Lucia di Lammermoor in San Diego Opera’s production of Lucia di Lammermoor. Photo © Ken Howard, 2006

Mezzo-soprano Marina Domashenko is Carmen in San Diego Opera’s production of Carmen. Photo © Cory Weaver, 2006

Tenor César Hernández is Don José and mezzo-soprano Marina Domashenko is Carmen in San Diego Opera’s production of Carmen. Photo © Cory Weaver, 2006

Tenor César Hernández is Don José in San Diego Opera’s production of Carmen. Photo © Cory Weaver, 2006

Tenor César Hernández is Don José and mezzo-soprano Marina Domashenko is Carmen in San Diego Opera’s production of Carmen. Photo © Cory Weaver, 2006

Baritone Malcolm MacKenzie is Escamillo in San Diego Opera’s production of Carmen. Photo © Cory Weaver, 2006

Soprano Malinda Haslett (Frasquita), mezzo-soprano Marina Domashenko (Carmen) and mezzo-soprano Lisa Agazzi (Mercedes) in San Diego Opera’s production of Carmen. Photo © Cory Weaver, 2006

Soprano Barbara Divis is Micaëla and tenor César Hernández is Don José in San Diego Opera’s production of Carmen. Photo © Cory Weaver, 2006

Mezzo-soprano Marina Domashenko is Carmen and baritone Malcolm MacKenzie is Escamillo in San Diego Opera’s production of Carmen. Photo © Cory Weaver, 2006

Tenor César Hernández is Don José and mezzo-soprano Marina Domashenko is Carmen in San Diego Opera’s production of Carmen. Photo © Cory Weaver, 2006

Bass-baritone Wayne Tigges is Zuniga and tenor César Hernández is Don José in San Diego Opera’s production of Carmen. Photo © Cory Weaver, 2006

Mezzo-soprano Marina Domshenko (seated) is Carmen, surrounded by (L-R) soprano Malinda Haslett (Frasquita), tenor Beau Palmer (Remendado), mezzo-soprano Lisa Agazzi (Mercedes) and baritone Jeff Mattsey (Dancaire) in San Diego Opera’s production of Carmen. Photo © Cory Weaver, 2006

Baritone Malcolm MacKenzie is Escamillo in San Diego Opera’s production of Carmen. Photo © Cory Weaver, 2006

Mezzo-soprano Marina Domashenko is Carmen in San Diego Opera’s production of Carmen. Photo © Cory Weaver, 2006

Mezzo-soprano Marina Domashenko is Carmen in San Diego Opera’s production of Carmen. Photo © Cory Weaver, 2006

Tenor César Hernández is Don José in San Diego Opera’s production of Carmen. Photo © Cory Weaver, 2006

Bass-baritone James Scott Sikon is Morales in San Diego Opera’s production of Carmen. Photo © Cory Weaver, 2006

Tenor César Hernández is Don José and mezzo-soprano Marina Domashenko is Carmen in San Diego Opera’s production of Carmen. Photo © Cory Weaver, 2006

Mezzo-soprano Marina Domashenko (Carmen), soprano Malinda Haslett (Frasquita) and mezzo-soprano Lisa Agazzi (Mercedes) in San Diego Opera’s production of Carmen. Photo © Cory Weaver, 2006

(L-R) Tenor Beau Palmer (Remendado), mezzo-soprano Marina Domashenko (Carmen), mezzo-soprano Lisa Agazzi (Mercedes), soprano Malinda Haslett (Frasquita) and baritone Jeff Mattsey (Dancaire) in San Diego Opera’s production of Carmen. Photo © Cory Weaver, 2006

Mezzo-soprano Suzanna Guzmán is Cornelia in San Diego Opera’s Julius Caesar in Egypt. Photo © Ken Howard, 2006

Countertenor Brian Asawa is Ptolemy in San Diego Opera’s Julius Caesar in Egypt. Photo © Ken Howard, 2006

Mezzo-soprano Vivica Genaux is Sextus in San Diego Opera’s Julius Caesar in Egypt. Photo © Ken Howard, 2006

Bass-baritone Alfred Walker is Achillas and mezzo-soprano Suzanna Guzmán is Cornelia in San Diego Opera’s Julius Caesar in Egypt. Photo © Ken Howard, 2006

Mezzo-soprano Suzanna Guzmán is Cornelia and mezzo-soprano Vivica Genaux is her son, Sextus, in San Diego Opera’s Julius Caesar in Egypt. Photo © Ken Howard, 2006

Soprano Lisa Saffer (standing center) is Cleopatra and contralto Ewa Podleś (sitting, far left) is Caesar in a scene from in San Diego Opera’s Julius Caesar in Egypt. Photo © Ken Howard, 2006

Soprano Lisa Saffer (Cleopatra) seduces contralto Ewa Podleś (Caesar) in San Diego Opera’s Julius Caesar in Egypt. Photo © Ken Howard, 2006

Contralto Ewa Podleś is Caesar in San Diego Opera’s Julius Caesar in Egypt. Photo © Ken Howard, 2006

Countertenor Mark Crayton is Nirenus and mezzo-soprano Suzanna Guzmán is Cornelia in San Diego Opera’s Julius Caesar in Egypt. Photo © Ken Howard, 2006

Mezzo-soprano Vivica Genaux is Sextus in San Diego Opera’s Julius Caesar in Egypt. Photo © Ken Howard, 2006

Contralto Ewa Podleś is Caesar and soprano Lisa Saffer is Cleopatra in San Diego Opera’s Julius Caesar in Egypt. Photo © Ken Howard, 2006

Countertenor Brian Asawa is Ptolemy in San Diego Opera’s Julius Caesar in Egypt. Photo © Ken Howard, 2006

Soprano Lisa Saffer is Cleopatra and countertenor Brian Asawa is her brother, Ptolemy, in San Diego Opera’s Julius Caesar in Egypt. Photo © Ken Howard, 2006,

Contralto Ewa Podleś is Caesar and soprano Lisa Saffer is Cleopatra in San Diego Opera’s Julius Caesar in Egypt. Photo © Ken Howard, 2006

Soprano Lisa Saffer is Cleopatra in San Diego Opera’s Julius Caesar in Egypt. Photo © Ken Howard, 2006

The Three Ladies (L-R) Barbara Divis, Priti Gandhi and Lisa Agazzi in San Diego Opera's production of Mozart's The Magic Flute. Photo © Ken Howard, 2006

Tamino (Rainer Trost) and a menagerie of animals in San Diego Opera's production of Mozart's The Magic Flute. Photo © Ken Howard, 2006

Sarastro (Daniel Borowski) surrounded by the San Diego Opera men's chorus in San Diego Opera's production of Mozart's The Magic Flute. Photo © Ken Howard, 2006

The Three Genies (L-R) Stacey Fraser, Sylvia Wen and Diana Tash, flanked by Tamino (Rainer Trost) and Papageno (Paul Armin Edelmann) in San Diego Opera's production of Mozart's The Magic Flute. Photo © Ken Howard, 2006

The Queen of the Night (Cheryl Evans) flanked by The Three Ladies (L-R) Lisa Agazzi, Priti Gandhi and Barbara Divis while Sarastro (Daniel Borowski) looks on in San Diego Opera's production of Mozart's The Magic Flute. Photo © Ken Howard, 2006

The Three Ladies (L-R) Barbara Divis, Priti Gandhi and Lisa Agazzi stands over Tamino (Rainer Trost) in San Diego Opera's production of Mozart's The Magic Flute. Photo © Ken Howard, 2006

Papageno (Paul Armin Edelmann) in San Diego Opera's production of Mozart's The Magic Flute. Photo © Ken Howard, 2006

Tamino (Rainer Trost) in San Diego Opera's production of Mozart's The Magic Flute. Photo © Ken Howard, 2006

The Queen of the Night (Cheryl Evans) in San Diego Opera's production of Mozart's The Magic Flute. Photo © Ken Howard, 2006

Pamina (Ute Selbig) and Papageno (Paul Armin Edelmann) in San Diego Opera's production of Mozart's The Magic Flute. Photo © Ken Howard, 2006

Tamino (Rainer Trost) and the First Priest (Reinhard Dorn) in San Diego Opera's production of Mozart's The Magic Flute. Photo © Ken Howard, 2006

Tamino (Rainer Trost) holds the magic flute in San Diego Opera's production of Mozart's The Magic Flute. Photo © Ken Howard, 2006

Papageno (Paul Armin Edelmann) and Pamina (Ute Selbig) surrounded by the slave chorus in San Diego Opera's production of Mozart's The Magic Flute. Photo © Ken Howard, 2006

Monostatos (Martin Zysset) carried away by his slave chorus in San Diego Opera's production of Mozart's The Magic Flute. Photo © Ken Howard, 2006

Papageno (Paul Armin Edelmann) and the Second Priest (Joseph Hu) in San Diego Opera's production of Mozart's The Magic Flute. Photo © Ken Howard, 2006

Monostatos (Martin Zysset) and Pamina (Ute Selbig) in San Diego Opera's production of Mozart's The Magic Flute. Photo © Ken Howard, 2006

The Queen of the Night (Cheryl Evans) in San Diego Opera's production of Mozart's The Magic Flute. Photo © Ken Howard, 2006

Tamino (Rainer Trost) and Pamina (Ute Selbig) in San Diego Opera's production of Mozart's The Magic Flute. Photo © Ken Howard

Papageno (Paul Armin Edelmann) in San Diego Opera's production of Mozart's The Magic Flute. Photo © Ken Howard, 2006

Tamino (Rainer Trost) and Pamina (Ute Selbig) in San Diego Opera's production of Mozart's The Magic Flute. Photo © Ken Howard, 2006

Papagena (Siphiwe McKenzie) and Papageno (Paul Armin Edelmann) in San Diego Opera's production of Mozart's The Magic Flute. Photo © Ken Howard, 2006