Through donations, the cash-strapped San Diego Opera now can afford to stay open and plan a 2015 season, the organization announced Monday.
The company needed $1 million by May 19 to keep the doors open and, according to the opera's website, they received more than $2 million in donations.
"The ongoing crowd funding effort has resulted in a total of $2,116,376 in donations from 2461 of donors as of midnight Sunday, May 18, 2014," San Diego Opera announced in a news release Monday.
That's enough to fund three productions: “La Boheme,” "Don Giovanni” and “Nixon in China."
In April, opera supporters will have the ability to purchase tickets to a gala concert with soprano Lise Lindstrom and the San Diego Symphony at Jacobs Music Center.
Tickets start at $35 for subscribers. Subscriptions start at $105 for three operas and $140 for a full series.
As ticket sales continued to decline and a $10.5 million endowment ran low, the board of directors voted 33-1 in March to make the 2014 season the opera’s last curtain call.
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San Diego Opera supporters rallied, arguing it was not a lack of interest in the company's productions that led to the financial problems, but rather it was a mismanagement of funds.
Karen Cohn is no longer the board's president, and 12 other directors have resigned.
The opera began as the San Diego Opera Guild in 1950 and will celebrate its 50th annivesary next year.
The company said the donations ranged from $10 to $50,000 with a median gift of $100.
San Diego Opera’s performances take place at the Civic Theatre in downtown San Diego, located at 3rd Avenue and B Street.
