“Each summer, the superbly inventive Santa Fe Opera, playing in a brilliant new theater by James Stewart Polshek on a hilltop north of town, draws visitors from all around the globe. The annual Chamber Music Festival and extensive dance and theater programs also help to make Santa Fe feel a bit like Salzburg with margaritas. There is sorcery in the air here.”
- NY Times

“Christine Brewer may have the most sumptuous middle voice on the planet: the sound suggests delicious dark chocolate.”
- Opera News, August ’08

Patricia Racette: “The American soprano had perhaps her biggest success yet at the MET, rising to every challenge with clear, flexible vocalism and dynamic involvement in the role.”
- Associated Press, review of ‘Don Carlo’ at the MET

Santa Fe’s breathtaking open-air opera house has now been successfully covered without detracting from the beauty of the extraordinary setting. The major renovation finally eliminated the risk of wet nights, while the open sides have retained the scenic view of the dramatic Southwest valley. Most importantly, the expanded and upgraded seating has enabled us to secure our ticket locations in the TOP-PRICE category. Our repeat travelers will be delighted to discover this improvement in our Santa Fe Tour.

The Santa Fe Opera’s 2009 season is the company’s 53rd and again combines an irresistible variety of proven and unfamiliar works. We will include all five major opera productions, with a performance – or a concert – every evening.

We will attend FIVE OPERATIC EVENINGS because there is none that we would want to miss during the new General Director Charles Mackay’s first season. Mr. Mackay’s outstanding record as the head of Opera Theatre of St. Louis has made him a unanimously popular choice to succeed Richard Gaddes, who has recently retired from Santa Fe. Four of the operas will be staged in new productions, and all five will be titled in English, with the titles on a screen in front of your seat, similar to the optimum solution initiated by the MET.

We will also include a concert by the revered Santa Fe Chamber Music Festival in the St. Francis Auditorium, a tradition which has enriched our Tours for many years. The concert will feature popular works by Haydn and Brahms.

In chronological order, the ’09 repertoire will encompass Gluck’s seldom encountered 18th century ‘reform opera’, Alceste (premiered in Vienna in 1767), Mozart’s immortal Don Giovanni (Prague, 1787), Donizetti’s ‘bel canto’ comedy, L’Elisir d’Amore (Milan, 1832), Verdi’s lyric tragedy, La Traviata (Venice, 1853), and the world premiere of The Letter by Paul Moravec (Santa Fe, 2009). The exciting international casts will showcase three of today’s reigning sopranos in challenging new roles – French coloratura Natalie Dessay in her first-ever portrayal of Verdi’s Violetta, American dramatic soprano Christine Brewer in the title role of Gluck’s landmark opera, and the MET’s brilliant singing actress Patricia Racette in yet another riveting role creation as the star of ‘The Letter’. Among the male artistis announced for 2009 are two of the brightest young stars from the MET roster – tenor Dimitri Pittas as the amorous Nemorino in Donizetti’s ‘Elisir’, and the handsome baritone Lucas Meachem assuming center stage as Mozart’s lustful Don.

This year, our carefully selected sightseeing excursions are concentrated on the native artists of the Santa Fe community. We will visit the remarkable outdoor Allen Houser Compound displaying the family collection of Houser’s celebrated works; and the private studio and gallery of Roxanne Swentzell, the Native American Santa Clara potter whose home is north of Santa Fe. Instead of the typical tours to such overcrowded sites as Taos and Los Alamos, our personal invitations to artists’ studios have been greatly appreciate by our travelers in recent years.

Our accommodations for six nights will be at the renovated St. Francis Hotel in the heart of downtown Santa Fe. We have always been attracted to the hotel’s quiet atmosphere, with a relaxed outdoor breakfast patio and a spacious central lobby where afternoon tea is served to the tune of classical music. The location is ideal for easy walking to the city’s principal shops and restaurants, but it is sufficiently removed from the noisy crowds which congregate on the central Plaza. Of particular note is the hotel’s excellent and experienced concierge, who is happy to assist you with any independent sightseeing and dining reservations. Nearly all of our rooms are in the desirable Superior category, which combine authentic Southwest appointments with comfortable, updated furnishings. A Saturday night stay-over is included to assure optimum air fares.

Independent arrivals should be on Monday, August 3rd. However, because there is a performance on the first evening, we are pleased to offer a limited number of rooms for the early optional night of Sunday, August 2nd, for those who wish to arrive a day before the Tour begins. You should notify us NOW if you wish the early night’s accommodation.