Patrick Henry PHAME Hosts Opera

Over the weekend of March 8-10, Patrick Henry High School’s PHAME auditorium was home to a production by the San Diego Opera. The chamber opera “Three Decembers” was part of the Opera’s dētour series, which their website describes as a combination of “the expressive nature of opera with the potency of intimate theater.” The opera featured a small cast of three singers, and a chamber orchestra of 11 players from the San Diego Symphony.

With this production on their campus, music students from the high school got an up-close-and-personal glimpse into the life of a professional musician. Advanced choral students were able to observe rehearsals and afterward participate in a talkback with the singers.

In this production, PHAME itself has had high praise from performers and audience members alike. In an interview with KPBS, soprano Kristin Clayton said, “This is amazing. I am just so impressed that San Diego had a theater like this built into a high school." Mezzo-soprano Frederica Von Stade echoed that sentiment in the same interview, saying, "This hall here is a dream. The acoustics are terrific.”

The run of performances was a success and practically sold out. While this may have been the first time PHAME at Patrick Henry was host to an opera production, it might not be the last.

https://www.sandiegounified.org/vapanews/patrick-henry-phame-hosts-opera