Tuesday Previews

On the Tuesday evenings prior to each opening night, a preview lecture presented by Larry Hancock, with arias and ensembles performed by members of the cast, will be presented. The April 13, 2010 preview for La rondine will take place at the California Theatre, 3rd floor, located at 345 S. 1st Street in downtown San Jose. Hors d’oeuvres and wine will be served at 6:30 and the preview will begin at 7, lasting one hour.  These entertaining talks are intended to give the newcomer an understanding of the plot and characters, as well as a taste of the music itself.

Preview dates: Manon: Sept. 1, 2009; La Cenerentola (Cinderella): Nov. 3, 2009; The Marriage of Figaro: January 26, 2010; La Rondine: April 13, 2010.

Tuesday Previews tickets, priced at $25 each, may be ordered by phone (408 437-4450) Monday - Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. or online via tickets.com.

First Nighter Dinners:

General Director Irene Dalis invites all Series A subscribers (opening nights) to four sumptuous pre-performance dinners. This season, all four dinners will be held at the luxurious Silicon Valley Capital Club in downtown San José.

Each dinner is priced at $100 per person (a portion of which is a tax-deductible donation). Dates for these sparkling events are September 12, 2009, November 14, 2009, February 6, 2010, and April 24, 2010. All dinners include a superb three-course meal, wine and entertainment.

A menu selected by the General Director will be sent to all opening series ticket-holders prior to each opening night. You can order the First Nighters’ Circle Dinner package by calling the Box Office at (408) 437-4450 or online via tickets.com.

Introduction to Opera 

At 6:30 before evening performances, and 1:30 before matinees, a free talk will be presented in the California Theatre that will acquaint you with the composer’s life, his place in the history of opera, the story and its characters.

There will be no Introduction to Opera talks on opening night.

Introducing Post-Performance 'Talk Backs'

The magic doesn't end when the curtain comes down! After each first Sunday matinee, you're invited to stay in the theatre and meet the artists. Approximately ten minutes after the performance, members of the cast will return to the house to give you their thoughts, answer your questions and offer you a chance to "talk back." The event is free of charge, and offers a fun, casual setting for people to interact with the artists of the production following the performance.  The dates for these post-performance talks - which take place in the orchestra level of the California Theatre - are Sept. 13, 2009 (Manon), Nov. 15, 2009 (La Cenerentola), Feb. 7, 2010 (The Marriage of Figaro) and April 25, 2010 (La Rondine).