Preaching the Gospel of American Opera

Even with compact seasons of only three productions, such as the Opera Santa Barbara (OSB) has been presenting in recent years, statements can be made and promises fulfilled. In the current 2025-26 season, OSB has paid its dues to the ever-popular realm of Italian opera, with a provocative take on Mascagni’s Cavalleria rusticana last fall, but also the less-traveled toward Baroque opera (Handel’s Caesar & Cleopatra, in February) and, to finish things off on another ambitious note, a foray into the world of contemporary American opera, with Elmer Gantry, composed by Robert Aldridge with libretto by Herschel Garfein.

And what could be more American than this piece about high ideals, dubious morality, and hucksterism in the name of the Lord, in the very American rogue’s story of an itinerant Pentecostal preacher? Gantry was immortalized in Sinclair Lewis’s 1927 novel and then personified by Burt Lancaster in director Richard Brooks’s classic 1960 film adaptation. Now, Aldridge has translated the tale to the opera medium, in a fascinating piece blending classical, jazz, and gospel manners to suit the narrative landscape.

OSB’s next season, the 2026-27 model, follows a similar agenda as this season, with two tentpole crowd-luring standards, Rigoletto and The Barber of Seville, followed by another lesser-known American project, with a western theme this time, Riders of the Purple Sage.

This current season is also the milestone 10th year at the helm for OSB’s fearless and multi-hatted director, Kostis Protopapas, who will be leading the orchestra in the Lobero pit on May 1 and May 3, as he often does. We checked in with Protopapas to get the skinny on this opera, and what OSB is up to. 

This has been a compact but impressive and diverse season, and now with that special creature, a contemporary American opera, to cap it off. Is it important for OSB to keep its hand in the cause of promoting newer fruits of the medium, and is that a delicate process to keep that mission going?

New operas are being composed, performed, and embraced by audiences in our country faster than anywhere else in the world. New opera in America is not an academic exercise. It is proof that opera, a European transplant, is not only thriving on American soil, but has successfully cross-pollinated with our native music theater and produced an exciting and robust hybrid. 

A long time ago, producing new operas felt like a necessary and often painful experiment. At OSB, we have evolved where we produce American operas not because we think they have some special “importance,” but for the same reason we perform any operas at all: They are a lot of fun to perform, and people enjoy watching them.

I understand that you have a special relationship with this opera. What is your link to it, and how do you view its place in the pantheon of American opera?

I happened to be in the room in 2005 when some short excerpts of the opera were performed at an industry gathering in Saint Louis while it was still being written. I was just starting out in the business, and I cherish that memory. When I attended the Milwaukee premiere in 2010, I had the same experience that a critic from NewMusicUSA.com had: “the best damn time I’ve had at a new opera in years.” I think Elmer may well be the most accessible and entertaining opera of the 21st century. It’s also really funny.

Mention of the title conjures up memories of Burt Lancaster for many, of Sinclair Lewis and American literature for others, but not so many for its operatic treatment. Is there something about this story, and its themes — and in this case, musical genres — that resonate with the American story, and maybe reach across artistic media?

I think Elmer Gantry keeps being reincarnated across artistic media because it tells a quintessentially American story. Its backdrop is the revivalist movement, a uniquely American phenomenon, and it focuses on themes that the world recognizes as quintessentially American: entrepreneurialism, tenacity, showmanship, and personability. From Billy Bigelow of Carousel to Frank Underwood of House of Cards, our literature, theater, television, and public life are full of fun, outgoing characters who, like Elmer, are as irresistible as their choices are questionable. 

Opera is a way to bring a story to life on the stage, giving each character a musical voice that speaks to the audience’s ears, hearts, and memories in ways that literature and film can’t. 

Congratulations on reaching your 10th anniversary as head of OSB. I know it’s been a challenging run, especially given COVID and the struggles faced by many smaller (and larger) opera companies, in America and beyond. It’s a big question, but how do you look back on your time so far with the company, and what’s in store for the future?

It’s been the best 10 years of my life. With our board’s fearless support, I have not only been able to bring to the stage some amazingly fun shows and see the careers of some very talented young artists grow, but as general director, I have been empowered to challenge established assumptions of the performing arts business, and to chart a course that’s different from many comparable companies around the country. It seems that right now we have a strong brand, and we feel that we know what we’re doing artistically, financially, and organizationally. 

In January, we received the first installment of a five-year donation pledge from a visionary donor which has dramatically changed our future outlook. The purpose of the donation is to bolster our ability to produce great opera, and to do more of it. 

Next season, we still have three productions at the Lobero, but we have added midweek performances for Rigoletto and Barber. The classics have been selling out in the last few seasons, so the additional performance will give more people the opportunity to see the shows and will allow us to offer some lower-priced tickets. We are also planning a free outdoor concert with our stars, chorus, and orchestra in early fall.

In 2026-27, we are planning two large-scale productions in the Granada, fall and spring, while the Lobero is completing their renovation project. That season will include additional productions in smaller venues in Santa Barbara, and possibly some regional outreach. Starting with 2028-29, we hope to have one production each season in the Granada and three in the Lobero. 

Personally, I’d like to see us launch an endowment campaign soon, but that’s for the board to decide. We are currently in a financial position to envision some growth that has been off the table for a long time and take some new calculated risks. The board and I continue to be vigilant and conservative in our goals. We will calibrate any future growth to what makes sense for our market and the times.

I have noticed that you have really expanded the company’s web and social media presence in recent years — including a special page devoted to Elmer Gantry this time out (see elmergantryosb.manus.space). Is that an area you feel is important, for this company and the opera world generally, to tap more often, to reach a contemporary audience?

I think using technology to improve our communications is important across all our constituents, not just the new audiences. In the summer of 2025, I shared with the team a new goal: to be a “content” brand in addition to an arts and entertainment brand. That means creating a following not just for our shows, but also for our blogs, videos, and public communications. People are certainly tired of email and social media, but quality original content (especially long-form) still cuts through the noise. 

That’s where we are, and technology has made it easy and fun for our multitasking team of five to create and share great content with our fans.

What can you tell me about the upcoming season — which you cleverly revealed through an audience-participatory game before Caesar & Cleopatra? 

It is a trademark OSB season, except this one contains two “top-10” operas: Rigoletto and The Barber of Seville. We haven’t done Rigoletto since 2014, and Barber, which we last did in 2018, is so beloved that it became the theme of a Bugs Bunny cartoon. Probably about a third of the arias in any “opera’s greatest hits” collection come from these two shows.

The third opera is another one that I have been eyeing for a long time: Riders of the Purple Sage. It’s a western, based on a novel by Zane Grey, the “father” of the genre. The team and I love westerns (I’ve watched the entire Yellowstone [series] several times…), and the story and music of this show is just awesome. All three shows have great singers, both familiar and new, and brand-new productions designed specifically for our audiences. We’re also adding a third performance for Rigoletto and Barber — I am very interested to see if there will be demand for those extra seats, and that will inform a lot of future decisions.

Speaking of evangelism, what do you tend to say to those who are curious about experiencing opera, or those who don’t know they would like it yet? 

I say, if you’re curious, buy a ticket. Right now, you can get a seat to one of our performances next season for as little as $35. You don’t have to know anything, and there is a good chance you’ll be wowed. 

“Opera” is not a monolith. Each show is different, and different people like different things. Opera is also different from company to company. You may see an opera in L.A. and like it, and see the same one in San Francisco and not like it. Who knows?

OSB has a very distinct brand. My job and my passion is to generate excitement and loyalty around this brand. Currently, we have some very happy and generous fans, we gain a few more every year, and the seats are full. Doing amazing shows, throwing epic parties, and sharing great content online is enough to keep my team and me busy and happy. 

Elmer Gantry is at the Lobero Theatre (33 E. Canon Perdido St.) May 1 and May 3. See lobero.org/events/elmer-gantry for tickets and information.