Dear Reason for Our Existence!

As Members of Lyric Opera San Diego and the Birch North Park Theatre, that salutation is totally appropriate, and never out of our thoughts as we work to bring you memorable musical theater. For it is you, our generous and loyal patrons, who are the people who come to experience the art we create; without you we could not, and would not, exist. Yours are the ears that hear the melodies, and for thirty years we have been helping those melodies touch your hearts and lighten your wallets. Thank you for that loyal support and thank you for being a San Diegan who “gets” what we are trying to do at Lyric Opera and the Birch North Park Theatre. It is you, our membership, who have allowed us to accomplish the things we have so far. Our celebration of “Thirty Years of Melody” this season is as much a celebration of you, as it is of the company. It takes a great audience to make great musical theater, and we have a great host of patrons.

Lyric Opera San Diego is in a better state today because of your support and your help. The City of San Diego has recognized this, and rewarded the financial benefits the Theatre has brought to the community of North Park and San Diego as a whole by making good on its pledges to us from the construction of the Theatre. The wolf has been kept from the door. Now we need your help in assuring the future.

We have a stellar season planned for our Thirtieth Anniversary celebration that will last into 2009. Bernstein’s Candide; The Daughter of the Regiment; a double bill of a professional premiere with orchestra of a new opera by Nick Reveles and J. Sherwood Montgomery of Rumpelstiltskin, presented with Gilbert and Sullivan’s Trial by Jury; and the operetta, A Waltz Dream by Oscar Straus: all of these shows are a part of our company mission and important for people to experience.

Three decades — thirty years — is a long time, and it is time enough to know that there is a place in San Diego for Lyric Opera and what we produce. Now we must look to the future and make certain we are stable and secure financially, so that we can continue to produce shows people should have the opportunity to experience, and teach new generations of artists to preserve our musical theater heritage. Your financial support for our productions, and your planned giving for the future, are an important part of making certain Lyric Opera San Diego is secure and growing.

The renewal of your membership today is an important signal to the rest of San Diego that our members understand the stewardship of our company and how
important it is to San Diego County as a whole. Our affordable musical theater
entertainment serves young artists and audiences alike, keeping alive the great
works of our repertoire and musical theater in English. In addition, we are a home for dance, concerts, and presentations of all kinds of not-for-profit companies, giving them a place to share their artistry and talent with a wide audience. When you join us as a member, you are tangibly helping to keep San Diego growing into a major
city with a cultural tradition second to none in the United States.

Please renew your membership today. Remember, you are the reason for our
existence, and with your continued generous support we will celebrate many more artistic milestones. Thank you in advance for your continued financial assistance. Bravo!

Sincerely,
Leon Natker
General Director