I always admire the efforts The Independent makes to publicize, promote, and critique the arts in our community. However, you overlooked one important branch of Santa Barbara’s artistic life. Opera Santa Barbara presented four major productions during its recently concluded 23rd season — Carmen, The Cunning Little Vixen, La rondine,and the children’s opera Brundibár. It also offered dozens of free concerts in schools and libraries throughout the county and in Ventura by its Mosher Studio Artists. That’s no small achievement for a city our size, yet your 2017 Indy Awards found nothing in the dedicated work of our singers, designers, or musicians, many of them Santa Barbara residents, to merit even the slightest notice. Live opera in Santa Barbara is too precious to be ignored.
Nancy M. Golden chairs Opera Santa Barbara