This season of Opera San Jose will be the last for retiring founder Irene Dalis, and now we find out it’ll also be the last for the person who probably has appeared in the most performances of anyone in the company’s 30-year history. At least, the back of his head made appearances.
That would be Music Director David Rohrbaugh, who has been in the orchestra pit conducting more than 70 productions and 600 performances for the company. Rohrbaugh has been with Opera San Jose since the beginning when he was a music professor at San Jose State, and he and Dalis codirected the opera workshop that blossomed into the company.
“My 30 years with Opera San Jose have presented both a challenge and a great sense of satisfaction,” he said. “It’s been a long ride, and we’ve accomplished so much. With Irene’s retirement, it seems that now is the right time to step down.”
So many changes all at once with Opera San José.
