The Pacific Lyric Association: A Southern California Community Opera Company

The Pacific Lyric Association's founders, Carlos and Teresa Oliva. Courtesy of the Pacific Lyric Association

Commentary

Mahatma Gandhi is quoted as saying, “Be the change you want to see in the world.” The popular motto reflects King Solomon’s Biblical writing, “Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with all your might.” Whether his personal beliefs align with either of these men, any person can glean the basic message: if there is something which you find amiss in the world, see if there is something you can do about it instead of just complaining.

What do Gandhi and Solomon have to do with the Pacific Lyric Association (PLA) mentioned in the title? Well, PLA is an excellent example of what can happen when people act on the impulse to fill a void in their community. Many Americans think of opera as a long, boring, and extended art form which they couldn’t possibly find relatable. For fifteen years, PLA has been challenging those stereotypes and disproving these misconceptions while creating opera lovers throughout San Diego County and providing opportunities to emerging classical artists.

The ensemble for the 2015 production of the opera "Carmen." Courtesy of the Pacific Lyric Association

I can personally attest that the organization gives opportunities to young artists, since I am currently in their internship program. My first love was singing, before I developed a passion for Hollywood history and vintage culture, and I have never lost my passion for performing, especially in productions. In the last year, I’ve become more focused on pursuing a career as an operatic soprano, largely through new singing teachers. This summer, I joined what will be the second opera performance I’ve ever done, PLA’s production of “Carmen.” Since rehearsals began in late August, I’ve had the opportunity to learn about the company firsthand. I interviewed the current directors, Justin Gray and Alexandra Keegan, along with one of the original founders, Carlos Oliva, to uncover the secret to the company’s success so far, plans for future growth, and the example it provides for other community opera companies.

About PLA

The Pacific Lyric Association puts on one opera a year. This year, for the first time, they will be performing in San Diego as well as in their usual location, Escondido. The company’s main objective is to make opera accessible to the general public. This is nothing new, since most American opera companies have been trying to attract a new generation of opera fans for decades. Most of the major companies have resorted to watering down classic operas’ integrity by translating them to English and updating them to contemporary settings, which bizarrely distorts the story and the original creators’ intentions. Instead, PLA has created a unique format for presenting classic operas in a relatable way while retaining artistic integrity. To start, the opera is shortened to retain the most famous numbers and those which are necessary for the plot. The shortened scenes are woven together by narration in English, explaining what is being said in the foreign lyrics and dialogue as well as providing context in the abridged plot. The narration is never delivered as such, however. It is always performed by an actor or actors as an integral and dramatic part of the story. For example, this production of “Carmen” will be narrated by an actor playing the leading man, Don Jose, as he recounts the events of his life which led to his current fallen state.

The Pacific Lyric Association's executive director, Justin Gray. Courtesy of the Pacific Lyric Association

PLA’s current executive director, Justin Gray, is a pianist rather than a singer. In fact, his first hands-on involvement in opera came when he was hired as PLA’s rehearsal accompanist several years ago, a role he still performs in all rehearsals. Before that, his specialties lay in other musical genres, including jazz and musical theater. When it comes to operatic experience, Gray often refers to his wife, Alexandra Keegan, PLA’s artistic director. She too comes from an instrumental background, as a violinist and conductor, but she has loved opera since her father brought her to see “La Traviata” at the Bolshoi Opera at age seven. Keegan joined PLA a few years after Gray, first to play the violin for their productions and later to conduct the live orchestra. She continues to provide musical direction for PLA singers and conduct the orchestra for performances.

The artistic team is rounded out by artists with experience performing on the opera stage. Stage director Gabriel Reoyos-Pazos, a Cuban tenor who has directed past productions for PLA, brings decades of performing experience around the country to every opera he directs. He first met the Olivas many years ago at a Santa Barbara Opera audition for “Amahl and the Night Visitors,” and they have been friends ever since. He performed in their early productions before becoming a frequent stage director.

Other local performers who have been in PLA productions for years have taken active leadership roles as board members. For instance, board member and bass-baritone Patrick Anderson, aside from playing a supporting role in “Carmen,” is the production’s assistant director and general manager of scheduling. He also uses his expertise in language to provide French pronunciation coaching to the other singers. Whether it be marketing, volunteering at special events, or carpooling other performers, all the cast members contribute whatever they can to make the production a productive, pleasant environment.

How It Began

The Pacific Lyric Association's founders, Carlos and Teresa Oliva. Courtesy of the Pacific Lyric Association

Carlos and Teresa Oliva founded PLA fifteen years ago to fill the void they found in the Southern California opera scene after singing with opera greats in Europe. The couple met in Carlos’s homeland, Spain. While there studying medicine, Carlos met the beautiful American soprano and fell in love. They married and have since used their combined experience, artistic backgrounds, and great love of singing to bring classical music and a taste of European culture to Southern California. The couple put on the company’s first few operas in Los Angeles before establishing PLA’s permanent home in North San Diego County.

Since taking over as PLA’s directors in 2018, Gray and Keegan have implemented several new programs. One of these is the internship program, which is available for singers as well as aspiring instrumentalists, conductors, and stage crewmembers. Gray explained, “We realize that from the university experience to the big professional opera houses, there’s a big chasm. So we try to be that niche where an up and coming artist can gain the necessary training and experience they need to really launch their career.”

The internship currently includes three singers, including myself, as well as a cellist, an assistant conductor, and an assistant stage manager. We singers, as well as performing in the chorus, have even had the opportunity to understudy and rehearse soloist roles! The Pacific Lyric Association Youth Symphony (PLAYS) is another new endeavor of PLA, started by Keegan. While most youth orchestras are comprised of middle school or high school students, PLAYS provides opportunities for musicians ages 18-32 who are working toward music degrees or have just graduated. These young musicians have the chance to earn a small stipend, work alongside and be mentored by twelve experienced musicians, and play harder pieces than they would in college. In addition to playing for “Carmen,” PLAYS will be performing Gustav Mahler’s Symphony No. 5 on January 13, 2023, at the California Center for the Arts in Escondido.

Pacific Lyric Association is just one example of the many regional opera companies which are keeping this beautiful art form alive. By cultivating a devoted audience at the grassroots level and providing practical experience to aspiring opera singers, small companies bring opera to people who otherwise might never have a chance to perform or see opera productions live. Here in Southern California, we have two major opera companies, LA Opera and San Diego Opera, plus many fine smaller companies, but many other areas of the United States don’t have any large companies. A few individuals or a small group of opera lovers with a dream and a lot of courage are often the ones instrumental in starting these opera companies.

The Pacific Lyric Association's artistic director, Alexandra Keegan. Courtesy of the Pacific Lyric Association

If perhaps you or someone you know is thinking about starting an opera company like PLA, the current and past directors have some advice. Becoming a nonprofit organization is an important first step, because you can then accept donations, avoid taxes, and apply for grants. Keegan pointed out that the first three years are the hardest because you can’t apply for any government financial assistance. Nonprofits must solely rely on donations and ticket sales until their fourth year of existence, when they can apply for grants. At the beginning, it’s best to seek donations such as a free place to rehearse, printing services, marketing, and perhaps items to auction off to raise funds. This a great way to get started until the first show, which will generate ticket revenue. After that, creativity is important in finding ways to fundraise and market the shows. For instance, Gray and Keegan started PLA’s Open Mic Pro, a monthly event at Escondido’s Forgotten Barrel Winery where singers perform opera and other music in a relaxed atmosphere, reminding the audience that PLA exists between shows. Carlos cautions, however, that the first step for someone who wants to start a community opera company is to be sure that an audience exists. No matter how cleverly you fundraise and market, you will not be successful without people who have some interest in classical music. He knows from personal experience, since PLA’s first production was a Spanish opera which they performed in East LA in hopes of attracting the Hispanic community there; however, that group proved to have neither the finances nor the interest needed to fill a theater, so they ended up moving future performances to San Diego County.

‘Carmen’

This year’s annual opera is PLA’s third production of “Carmen,” which was previously mounted in 2012 and 2015. Although Teresa, who played the title role in 2015, is lending her support from the audience this year, Carlos is again bringing his dramatic baritone presence to the stage as one of two singers playing Escamillo, the story’s bullfighter.

A poster for the opera "Carmen." Courtesy of the Pacific Lyric Association

In keeping with PLA’s usual traditionalism, “Carmen” is being performed in its original language of French, with plenty of Spanish flair to invoke the essence of Seville. For instance, an authentic flamenco dancer appears several times throughout the show as the dancing spirit of the titular gypsy, Carmen. In accordance with another PLA tradition, all the lead roles are double cast, giving twice as many artists a chance to perform and share their talent.

“Carmen” will be performed on two consecutive weekends in October: the 14th-16th at the California Center for the Arts, Escondido and the 21st-23rd at the Joan B. Kroc Theater in San Diego. Both weekends include 7 PM performances on Friday and Saturday and a 3 PM matinee on Sunday. To learn more, visit PLA’s website. Supporting community opera companies across the country is vital for keeping this art form alive.

Views expressed in this article are opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Epoch Times.