The opera needs $6.5 million to stay open through next year. Lazier donated an additional $1 million, bringing the funds to the $3.5 million goal the directors wanted to reach before they felt comfortable announcing a 2015 season. On the fundraising side, the opera raised more than $2 million in crowd-funding campaigns. Other opera companies and the San Diego Symphony made in-kind contributions to the upcoming season, which has helped keep costs down. The company also expanded the number of orchestra seats priced at $99. Ticket prices have been reduced and will start at $35 per opera for subscribers and at $105 for the three-opera season. Staff members are willing to take a 10 percent decrease in pay next year, an opera spokesman said. Singers and other union members agreed to - or expressed a willingness to - take a 10 percent pay cut as long as similar cuts are taken throughout the company. The decision to proceed with the 2015 season hinged on the results of fundraising efforts as well as cost-cutting measures. Lawyers for the two sides are still negotiating a settlement with Campbell and his ex-wife, Ann Spira Campbell, who was the opera’s deputy director. The most dramatic moments came when a group of longtime board members, including the former board president, stormed out of a meeting and resigned, and later when the board ousted the company’s general director, Ian Campbell, who led the opera for 31 years. Some directors soon regretted it and led a revolt to keep the company open, voting twice to postpone the closing. The board voted on March 19 to close in April at the end of the 2014 season, a move that shocked many. “The support from the community and donors has been overwhelming.” I don’t know what else to say,” said Lazier. It will include three fully staged operas: “La Bohème,” “Don Giovanni” and the San Diego premiere of John Adams’ “Nixon in China.” Lazier said the 2015 season - the opera’s 50th - will go on.
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