Santa Barbara native Eduardo Villa, now a star at the Metropolitan Opera in New York, will return home to sing at a black-tie benefit for Opera Santa Barbara.
The Dos Pueblos High School graduate recently appeared in the title role of productions of Ernani at the Met and the Boston Opera. The tenor will perform, along with noted soprano Inna Dukah, at Opera Santa Barbara’s benefit “A Night at La Scala” at 5:30 p.m. Sunday at the Four Seasons Biltmore Hotel. Reservations are required for the benefit, which includes dinner, the performances, live and silent auctions and surprises. Ticket prices start at $250 and are available at the Opera Santa Barbara offices 123 W. Padre St., Suite A, or by calling 805.898.3890.
Villa, an internationally renowned tenor, went to Santa Barbara’s Dos Pueblos High School, spent four years in the Marines and returned to Santa Barbara City College, where one of his instructors discovered his talent. Villa won the Metropolitan Opera Contest and since has performed throughout Europe and the United States.
He made his debut at the Metropolitan Opera during its 2001-02 season as Don Carlo and has sung there every season since that time. He in addition to Ernani, his other Met credits include Radames in Aida, Don Jose in Carmen and Turridu in Cavalleria Rusticana, among others.
Villa will make his Australia debut this autumn as Radames in Aida for the West Australian Opera in Perth. His frequent guest engagements have led him to Atlanta, Connecticut, Houston, Arizona, Florida, Michigan, Seattle, Shanghai, Rome, Geneva, Amsterdam, Berlin, Cologne and Hamburg. He appeared regularly on the stage of the Bavarian State Opera in Munich for more than a decade in the 1990s and at the Paris Opera.
Dukach, a Russian soprano, is making waves with the power and delicacy of her voice and beauty combined. She recently sang Mimi in New York City Opera’s La Boheme, Donna Anna in Don Giovanni with Orlando Opera, Xenia in Boris Gudunov with San Diego Opera and Violetta in La Traviata with Zagreb Opera. Upcoming performances include Liu in Turandot with Savonlinna Opera Festival and Tatiana in Eugene Onegin with Opera Lyra Ottawa.
Guests at the event will have the opportunity to bid on a number of silent and live auction items, such as the opportunity to conduct the Opera Santa Barbara orchestra during the final curtain call on opening night of March 14, 2009, production of The Merry Widow (Maestro Ryvkin will coach the winner in advance); four box seats to each of Opera Santa Barbara’s 2009 productions at the Granada Theatre, complete with champagne; a private evening cruise for 12 in the Santa Barbara Channel aboard Roger and Sarah Chrisman’s 52-foot motor yacht, including cocktails and hors d’oeuvres; “The Diver” bronze sculpture by world-renowned sculptor Danielle Anjou (a miniature of this statue was exhibited at the Louvre Museum in Paris); and a private dinner at home on Valentine’s Day featuring
performances by members of OSB’s 2009 Festival, catered by Jean Phillippe and featuring wines by Palmina.
Julie McHugh represents Opera Santa Barbara.