Optimistic Opera Troupe Takes a Bow in San Diego

Performers seem to possess reserves of optimism unfathomable to the rest of the population. Accompanist and coach Anne Young has launched a new local organization for young opera professionals called West Coast Lyric Opera, despite the shaky track record of such local shoestring opera companies. Last April, Pacific Chamber Opera bit the dust, closing up shop during the final rehearsals of “The Chocolate Soldier,” the second production in its four-opera 1988 season. Under the leadership of Gar Hildenbrand, Pacific Chamber Opera had been struggling along since 1985.

Young, however, sees the local music climate as favorable for a new venture.

“We are young performers interested in providing the arts awakening now happening in San Diego,” said Young, alluding to the title of a KPBS-TV special that aired last week lauding the state of theater in San Diego.

Under the logo of West Coast Lyric Opera, Young has been accompanying some of her prize sopranos this summer in Sunday afternoon recitals at Hillcrest’s Words and Music Gallery. The troupe’s first ensemble presentation will be a concert of Donizetti scenes Oct. 2 at the Hahn Cosmopolitan Theatre downtown. That evening’s conducting duties will be shared by Young and Karen Keltner, San Diego Opera’s resident associate conductor and former classmate of Young’s at Indiana University. After the Donizetti gala, West Coast Lyric Opera will mount Menotti’s “Amahl and the Night Visitors” downtown to take advantage of the Christmas holiday trade.

“We want to discover talent that has been here, especially persons who are well-known outside San Diego but not recognized here.”

In that category, Young mentioned artist DeLoss McGraw, who will be designing sets for the new company. Young collaborated with McGraw last summer in the world premiere of “Monstrom,” a jazz opera presented at San Diego City College Theatre.

In her new project, music director Young will be joined by stage director Will Roberson, who most recently directed “The Mystery of Irma Vep” for the San Diego Repertory Theatre, and executive director Kendall Klug, promotions director for the Rep.

“Kendall has a nose for the business end,” said Young, “and he knows the local audience climate better than anyone else I know.”

At least Young knows how to attend to local music politics. In West Coast Lyric Opera’s initial newsletter, she printed a welcome note from Ian Campbell, general director of San Diego Opera. Knowing the uphill battle Campbell has fought to stabilize his company in the fickle local opera market, his assertion that “San Diego is becoming an ‘opera town’ ” carries more than a touch of irony.”

Pianist Gustavo Romero, San Diego’s favorite prodigy, was hailed in the current issue of Musical America magazine as one of the upcoming young artists of 1988. Every year, the New York City-based periodical selects about 25 young performers, as well as several chamber groups, “whose recent careers promise much for the future.” Not surprisingly, Romero was the only musician with San Diego ties chosen for the select list.

On Aug. 4, the native Chula Vistan will make his solo keyboard debut with New York City’s prestigious Mostly Mozart festival in a pre-concert recital. According to his New York agent, Romero added the recital to his schedule at the last minute. He starts his European recital tour in Geneva on Sunday.

Two North County musicians, trombonist Miles Anderson and electric violinist Erica Sharp, landed a $6,000 grant from the Meet the Composer/Reader’s Digest Commissioning Program to fund a new work for their unusual duo, (trom-bown). The new piece will be written by New York composer Lois Vierk and premiered in May, 1989, at the Newport Harbor Art Museum.

Anderson, who was one of the founding members of the Los Angeles Brass Quintet, described himself and Sharp as a couple of expatriate musicians from the Los Angeles studio recording circuit. The duo, who have played music with local dance group Three’s Company, was pleased with the grant.

“There were only 20 grants given nationwide,” said Anderson. “We landed one, and entrants such as the Chicago Symphony didn’t.”

San Diego’s Installation Gallery will present (trom-bown) this September in its new music series.

Ticket sales for the La Jolla Chamber Music Society’s upcoming SummerFest ’88 are already running 10% ahead of last season’s sales, according to the society office. Because many of the concerts in previous seasons have sold out, the society last year instituted free open rehearsals on festival weekends. This year’s free previews of the area’s premiere chamber music event are scheduled for Aug. 20, 26 and 27. For details, call the society office, 459-3724.