The 2019-20 San Diego Opera season debuted with "Aida" over the weekend.
San Diego Opera's General Director David Bennett has been with the company since 2015. Over the years he has instituted innovative programs such as "dētour" to present opera in new ways to different audiences, and tried to make opera more accessible to a broader community.
As we enter a new opera season he said, "I feel very good. We are in a very good place, sort of, institutionally. We're in very good shape financially, which is a good place to be having that sort of pressure off your shoulders is wonderful. And we have a very exciting season artistically."
"Aida" is not the only main stage production that is taking a "detour" from conventional approaches.
"We have a beautiful 'Hansel and Gretel' that actually involves really magical and fantastical puppetry elements," Bennett said. "So it'll be very family friendly, very engaging but also very beautiful."
"Aida" continues with three more performances through Sunday.
