UCSB student Christina Pezzarossi performing in 2024 UCSB GalaUCSB Graduate Student Christina Pezzarossi performing in the 2024 Opera Gala with dancers from the UCSB Theater and Dance department and UCSB Choir ensembles. Photo courtesy of Jeff Liang

Course Information

Course Numbers: MUS A 38P, 138P, 238P

Director: Dr. Isabel Bayrakdarian

Class Times: Tuesdays and Thursdays 11 am-1 pm

Class Location: Karl Geiringer Hall

Course Description

The award-winning UC Santa Barbara Opera Theatre program stages a production each year in the Winter quarter, alternating between a fully-staged opera with chamber orchestra and an Opera Scenes program. Over 70 productions have been staged at UC Santa Barbara, including major works by Mozart, Bizet, Donizetti, Orff, Britten, Strauss, Offenbach, Verdi, and Massenet. With the expert guidance of internationally renowned faculty members Dr. John Ballerino, Dr. Isabel Bayrakdarian, and Professor Benjamin Brecher, students of the program have won prestigious competitions and roles with major opera companies around the world, as well as faculty positions at some of the country’s leading universities. 

Graduate voice majors are assigned the principal roles, while undergraduate voice majors and voice minors are assigned secondary roles and/or chorus parts.