Pacific Symphony is bringing opera back to OC—in abbreviated form, anyway. Next April, three and a half years after Opera Pacific went bust, the symphony will present “La Boheme,” with plans for other productions in 2013 and 2014. The operas will be “semi-staged,” meaning there will be little in the way of props, scenery or extras. On the other hand, says conductor Carl St. Clair, “We get the enhanced power of the full orchestra on stage, as opposed to in the pit, and the power of the operatic voice in the superior acoustical setting of the concert hall.” Symphony official Gary Good (a former consultant to Opera Pacific) says semi-staged operas are a trend and price is key: “Boheme” will cost an estimated $250,000 to stage, only a third as much as the full opera. Good says advanced sales for “Boheme” are brisk and former Opera Pacific patrons Pat Dirk and Paul Musco are helping with fundraising …
Surterre Properties real estate agent Angela Vanproyen and homebuilder Cary Bren, son of Donald, have baby registries on Amazon.com and Babies “R” Us. Angela’s message: “It’s a girl” …
Retiring Cal State Fullerton Prez Milt Gordon and wife Margaret Faulwell Gordon are moving out of their university home of 22 years and house-hunting in North Tustin, where son Michael’s family lives …
Sharon Tanabe of Storbeck/Pimentel in Monterey Park is conducting the search for Gordon’s replacement. A selection is expected in January …
Kudos to UCI profs: Engineer Scott Samuelsen, director of UCI’s National Fuel Cell Research Center, honored at the White House as a “Champion of Change;” psychiatrist William Bunney, recipient of the National Institute of Medicine’s Sarnat Award; author Ngugi wa Thiong’o, named one of Forbes’ 40 Most Powerful Celebrities in Africa; biologist/philosopher Francisco Ayala, who recently gave $10 million to UCI’s School of Biological Sciences, recipient of an honorary degree from China’s University of Macau …
With Jefferson County, Ala.’s recent $4 billion bankruptcy eclipsing Orange County’s $1.7 billion as the largest municipal failure, Supe John Moorlach, famous for warning about OC’s 1994 debacle, quips, “I’ll have to update my bio” …
Looking to create an issues forum and raise its profile, Lutheran-run Concordia University in Irvine has launched the Center for Public Policy. Newport Beach councilman and retired public finance advisor Keith Curry is the center’s director. The “non-partisan” board ranges from Baugh and Bergeson to Barbaro and Berardino …
Happy 20th at the OCBJ to Steve Gall and Richard Loyd …
Pianist-composer Giovanni Marradi adds to the weekend romance at Romeo Cucina in Laguna Beach …
Gov. Brown’s “jobs czar” Michael Rossi addresses an OC Forum luncheon Nov. 30 at the Hilton Irvine/OC Airport …
Biomed bosses Michael Mussallem of Edwards Lifesciences, Jim Mazzo of Abbot Medical Optics and Bausch & Lomb’s Robert Grant talk with Deloitte’s Paul Keckley at a Forum for Corporate Directors dinner Nov. 29 at the Hyatt Regency Irvine.
