West Palm Beach, Florida (Oct. 4) — Palm Beach Opera’s annual summer Santa Fe trip, open to interested patrons, featured several opera performances, backstage access, exclusive receptions and dinners, and private invitation-only artist auditions.
Palm Beach Opera’s annual Santa Fe trip is a chance for interested patrons and supporters to learn more about the inner workings of opera, and broaden both their understanding and exposure to a wider variety of the art form. Home to one of the most respected summer opera festivals in the world, Santa Fe Opera boasts a beautifully designed open-air theater, offering a one-of-a-kind opera experience.
“We are thrilled to share this rare opportunity with members of our opera family,” said Managing Director David Walker. “In addition to experiencing incredible opera in Santa Fe Opera’s unique theater, the Palm Beach Opera itinerary is packed with young artist auditions, a backstage tour, exclusive receptions, and fine dining destinations, making for a truly unforgettable opera adventure.”
Guests attended Santa Fe Opera’s productions of Giacomo Puccini’s Madama Butterfly, Leonard Bernstein’s Candide, Richard Strauss’ Ariadne auf Naxos, John Adams’ Doctor Atomic, and Gioachino Rossini’s L’Italiana in Algeri. The Palm Beach Opera team also enjoyed the invitation-only Santa Fe Apprentice Artist auditions, organized for visiting industry professionals, and a private backstage tour of Santa Fe Opera.
Attendees enjoyed private dinners and luncheons, including a welcome reception hosted by Palm Beach Gardens residents Roberta and Harvey Golub in their Santa Fe home, located in the private residential community Las Campanas, and a private luncheon hosted by Palm Beach Opera Co-Producers Michael McCafferty, who is also a Santa Fe Opera Honorary Director, and Joseph Horton in their private Santa Fe home, located in the private residential community Salva Tierra.
Guests enjoyed a private dinner at Santacafé, an iconic Santa Fe fine dining restaurant, hosted by Palm Beach Opera Co-Producers Lee Ann and Jeffrey Alderton. Alderton serves on the board of directors as one of Palm Beach Opera’s Vice Presidents, and is chairing the 2019 Palm Beach Opera Gala with his wife Lee.
Participating patrons and the Palm Beach Opera team also enjoyed a preview dinner for Ariadne auf Naxos, which featured a sumptuous, themed dinner in an open-air cantina on Santa Fe’s picturesque grounds and gardens.
General Director Daniel Biaggi, Managing Director David Walker, and Director of Artistic Operations Scott Guzielek attended an exclusive pre-performance dinner for industry leaders, celebrating the legacy and upcoming retirement of current Santa Fe Opera General Director Charles Mackay.
Several of the private luncheons and dinners also featured artistic guests of honor from Santa Fe Opera, many of which had connections to Palm Beach Opera. Matthew DiBattista, who sang in Santa Fe Opera’s Madama Butterfly, was recently seen as Don Basilio in Palm Beach Opera’s Le nozze di Figaro earlier this year. Megan Marino, who also performed in Santa Fe Opera’s Madama Butterfly, is a former Palm Beach Opera Benenson Young Artist.
Palm Beach Opera staff members General Director Daniel Biaggi, Managing Director David Walker, Special Events & Corporate Relations Manager Loren Varvarigos, Director of Artistic Operations Scott Guzielek, and Assistant Director of Artistic Operations Jim Barbato were all in attendance, along with opera patrons Lee and Jeffrey Alderton, Lynn and Charles Kramer, Tom Nixon and Dan Sherbo, and Sylvia and Donald Singer. Palm Beach Opera’s Santa Fe trip took place from July 30 to Aug. 3.
To learn more about Palm Beach Opera’s annual Santa Fe trip, contact Managing Director David Walker at 561-835-7558.
For the upcoming 2018-2019 season, Palm Beach Opera will present a new concert, A night of…Rising Stars & Classic Melodies, Verdi’s La traviata, Mozart’s Don Giovanni, and Strauss II’s Die Fledermaus. For more information, visit pbopera.org or call the box office at 561-833-7888.
Palm Beach Opera is dedicated to producing live opera at an international standard of excellence and to enriching the life of the communities it serves with a diverse offering of educational programs. Founded in 1961, the fully professional Palm Beach Opera presents main stage performances at the Kravis Center for the Performing Arts in West Palm Beach and is a proud member of OPERA America and the Cultural Council of Palm Beach County.