Ninette Paloma’s otherwise excellent article on the city’s profusion of performance venues and the arts-presenting organizations that use them had three glaring omissions in my opinion: Opera Santa Barbara, Ensemble Theatre, and SBCC Theatre Group. Each of these organizations serves a unique role in the cultural life of our community, engaging and employing hundreds of local artists and performers.
Speaking on behalf of Opera Santa Barbara, over the past two decades our company has staged more than 55 operas at the Lobero and Granada theaters, and devoted thousands of hours to educational programming. Our productions regularly attract topline talent and garner effusive reviews, including in The Santa Barbara Independent. The organization remains dedicated to the core passions that animated its founding: celebrating the breadth and beauty of opera, and contributing to the region’s cultural enrichment. We take great pride in all that we accomplish on behalf of our supporters and the wider community.
In view of our accomplishments and rich history, I believe Opera Santa Barbara (like our peer arts-presenting organizations locally) deserves prominent mention in all such discussions about our city’s unusually robust performance offerings.
Steven Sharpe is general director of Opera Santa Barbara.