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The Santa Fe Opera is an opera company located 7 miles north of Santa Fe in the U.S. state of New Mexico on a former guest ranch of 199 acres where, in addition to the theatre, the site offered a variety of facilities such as office space, rehearsal space and housing. The first season began on 3 July 1957.
It is internationally known for introducing new and innovative operas as well as for its productions of works from the standard operatic repertoire. Since its inception, the Santa Fe Opera has staged over forty American premieres and has commissioned nine new operas.
Founded by John Crosby
The Santa Fe Opera was founded in 1956 as the Opera Association of New Mexico by John Crosby, a New York-based conductor whose goal was to give American singers the opportunity to learn and perform new roles while having ample time for rehearsal and preparation. Crosby remained as general director (with the longest tenure in US opera history) until late 2001. Since that time, the company has been under the direction of Richard Gaddes, who took over from John Crosby. Alan Gilbert was named the company's first music director in 2003.
The company's season runs annually from late June or the beginning of July to the third week of August, with five operas presented in rotating repertory. From the beginning, certain characteristics of a typical season emerged: generally two popular operas were augmented by an American (or world) premiere; a Richard Strauss opera (Crosby presented many American premieres of the composer’s work) was regularly scheduled; and, finally, the fifth opera was often a work which is rarely performed. In 2006, the 50th anniversary season, this program concept is represented by Carmen and The Magic Flute; by Thomas Ades’ The Tempest, an American premiere; by Strauss’ Salome; and by Massenet’s Cinderella, each with a new production.
Performances begin close to sunset to give opera-goers the opportunity to take advantage of the full flavor of a New Mexico sunset and the tradition of tailgate dining.
The Apprentice Program for Singers (and Apprentice Program for Technicians)
In his first season, Crosby created the apprentice system whereby eight young people were to be given living expenses and paid per performance to be members of the chorus and to understudy major roles.
The Apprentice Program, the most revolutionary in the world of opera in America in the 1950s, was established assist young singers in making the transition from academic to professional life and, to date, over 1,500 aspiring opera singers have participated. The Apprentice Program for Technicians was added in 1965.
The Program has formal academic goals in addition to the "hands on" experience provided by the preparation for and participation in professional productions. Seminars and master classes are conducted; singers receive coaching in voice, music, body movement, career counseling, and diction. Technical apprentices are provided with instruction in stage operations, stage properties, costume and wig construction, scenic art, wigs and make up, music services, and stage lighting. As Crosby noted, “In this country young artists have to do something which is impossible – gain experience. But with our plan, these young people will be scheduled in small roles and will have the opportunity of working with their older brothers and sisters who have already won their spurs. To get such experience now, a young artist has to go to Europe.”
The Apprentice Program for Singers and Technicians is very much alive and well at the Santa Fe Opera today. Typically, about 1,000 aspiring young singers and 600 technicians apply; in 2006, 41 singers and 61 technical apprentices will be working at the opera.
The singers act as the chorus for each opera, as well as filling some of the smaller roles. In addition, one apprentice "covers" (understudies) for a leading performer. The technical apprentices perform a variety of backstage functions (including costumes, props, and scenery making and painting) as well as being responsible for presenting the technical aspects of two semi-staged public "Apprentice Scenes" performances given by the singers.
Apprentices who have gone on to major singing careers
Some of the major names in American and international opera who have been apprentices since 1957 include the sopranos Judith Blegen (1961), Ashley Putnam (1973 and 1975), and Celena Shafer (1999-2000); mezzos Joyce DiDonato (1995) and Susan Quittmeyer (1978); tenors William Burden (1989-90), Richard Croft (1978), Chris Merritt (1974-75), and Neil Shicoff (1973); baritones David Gockley (1965-67) and Sherill Milnes (1959); and basses Mark Doss (1983), James Morris (1969) and Samuel Ramey (1966).Theaters and other facilities
There have been three theaters on the present site of the Santa Fe Opera. Each has been located on a mesa, with the audience facing west toward an ever-changing horizon of sunsets and thunderstorms, frequently visible throughout many productions when no backdrops are used. Over the years, due to the first and second theaters’ exposure, rainstorms drenched both audiences (and orchestra members), requiring occasional cancellations, postponements, or extended intermissions. This fact (plus several others, such as the desire to improve acoustics, to comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act, to improve patron facilities, and to provide more seating) led to the need to reconstruct the third theater.
Two key features of all three theaters has been the fact that, unlike a conventional theater, there is no fly system to allow for scenery to be lowered from above and the sides of the house are open, nor is there a curtain.
The present theatre features the Electronic Libretto System designed by Figaro Systems of Santa Fe. Each seat back is equipped with a small display screen which can present an English or Spanish translation of the words being sung on stage.
Original theatre, 1957 to 1967
The totally open-air theater was designed to seat 480 and was built for $115,000 on a site carefully selected by Crosby and an acoustician friend, who fired off a series of rifle shots until they found the perfect natural location for an outdoor theatre. It was “the only outdoor theatre in America exclusively designed for opera” (Scott). Audience members sat on benches.This was the location of the first performance of Madama Butterfly to a sold-out crowd on opening night, 3 July 1957. By the end of the eight-week season, the 12,000 people who attended accounted for sales at 90% of capacity.
A mezzanine was added in 1965 but, on 27 July 1967, four weeks into the season, a fire demolished the theater, causing the company to move to a local high school for the remainder of the season; from the Sweeney Gymnasium, they created the "Sweeney Opera House", and completed the season, albeit without most of the original costumes or sets. A huge fund-raising operation took place, and $2.4 million was raised to rebuild the theatre in time for the following season.
Rebuilt theatre, 1968 to 1997
The second theatre, a new open-air house seating 1,889, was ready for the start of the new season on 26 June 1968. Just like its opening night in 1957, the company presented Puccini’s Madama Butterfly. The theatre was designed by the Santa Fe firm of McHugh and Kidder.One of its principal features of the new house was the partial opening of the roof towards the middle of the orchestra section, provided by the curving, audience-facing slope of the stage roof and the thrust of the mezzanine and rear orchestra roof forward. Also, the auditorium’s sides were open, as was the rear of the stage (although sliding doors could be closed). It provided for spectacular westward views - as well as giving some centrally-located audience members a view of the sky.
Most of the new theatre's backstage facilities were actually constructed below the stage level in order to preserve the open views to the West.
Present theatre, since 1998
The present theatre, renamed as “The Crosby Theater” following the founder’s death in 2002, was designed by the New York firm of Polshek and Partners and built during extensive reconstruction between the end of the 1997 season in late August and the beginning of the 1998 season in early July. That season opened with Madama Butterfly, just as it had in the re-openings of 1957 and 1968.With fewer storm-related problems (and, with a higher stage roof, a better view of the westward landscape), the theater now seats 2,128 plus 106 standees, but it has a strikingly intimate feel. It added a wider and more complete roof structure, joining the front and rear portions (by means of a cantilevered structure supported by cables) with a clerestory window, which offers protection from the sky, but with the sides still remaining open to the elements. The presence of wind baffles and Stiernan Hall has helped improve exposure on the windward side of the auditorium.
Stiernan Orchestra Hall
Completed for the 2001 season under the patronage of Arthur and Jane Stiernan, the hall fulfills the long-standing need for an orchestra rehearsal hall. Constructed on three levels with a total of 12,650 square feet, the building is also used for lectures, recitals, and social events. Its main level features a space which is the replica of the main stage and offstage wings, and is thus used for stage rehearsals.External link
See also
References
- Huscher, Phillip, The Santa Fe Opera: an American pioneer, Santa Fe, New Mexico: Sunstone Press, June 2006. ISBN 0-86534-550-3
- Scott, Eleanor, The First Twenty Years of the Santa Fe Opera, Santa Fe, New Mexico: Sunstone Press, 1976.
- Unk., The Santa Fe Opera − Miracle in the Desert, Santa Fe Opera Shop, 2003.
- Various authors, The Santa Fe Opera - 50th Anniversary supplement to The Santa Fe New Mexican, 28 June 2006. (An illustrated overview of the SFO's 50 years).
"Santa Fe Opera"