S.D. Opera to Expand Events in ’92 Season : Music: But in the 1993 season, 20th-Century opera will disappear from the local schedule of productions.

In his announcement Wednesday of San Diego Opera’s next two seasons--1992 and 1993--general director Ian Campbell kept one promise and broke another.

As anticipated, in 1992 the local company will expand the number of Civic Theatre performances from four to five of each of the five opera productions.

But in 1993, 20th-Century opera will disappear from the local lineup. Starting with San Diego Opera’s 1990 production of Francis Poulenc’s “Les Dialogues des Carmelites,” Campbell had vowed to stage one 20th-Century opera each season. The 1991 season, for example, included both Benjamin Britten’s 1947 “Albert Herring” and Carlisle Floyd’s newly revised 1962 grand opera “The Passion of Jonathan Wade.”

“In light of the current economy and the need to consolidate our audience base with the newly added series, it seemed prudent to stick with conservative choices and repertory,” Campbell said.

He added that a 20th-Century American opera will be part of the 1994 San Diego season.

The 1992 season opens Jan. 18 with Richard Strauss’ popular comic opera “Der Rosenkavalier,” with soprano Ashley Putnam as the Marschallin, mezzo-soprano Susanne Mentzer as Octavian, and bass Artur Korn as Baron Ochs. Wolfgang Weber will direct the production, and Heinz Fricke, who conducted the company’s 1990 Wagner concert, will conduct.

Mozart’s “Le Nozze di Figaro” opens Feb. 8, with Australian baritone John Pringle making his local debut in the title role. Soprano Cheryl Parrish will sing Susanna, and baritone David Malis will be Count Almaviva. John Copley, who staged the company’s 1985 “Figaro” production, will return in the same capacity; Edoardo Muller will conduct.

“The Rape of Lucretia,” Benjamin Britten’s 1946 tragic opera, will be given its first professional local staging Feb. 29 under the direction of Jonathan Eaton. Tenor Robert Tear will sing the role of Male Chorus and soprano Rita Cullis the Female Chorus. Christopher Keene will conduct “Lucretia.”

Soprano Glenys Fowles will sing the title role in the April 4 production of Franz Lehar’s “The Merry Widow,” which will be sung in English. Canadian baritone Theodore Baerg will sing Danilo and Sunny Joy Langton will sing Valencienne. San Diego Opera associate conductor Karen Keltner will conduct the production, and Lou Galterio will direct.

The season will close with Bizet’s “Carmen,” with mezzo-soprano Adria Firestone singing the title role. Baritone Richard Paul Fink will sing Escamillo, and tenor Arthur Davies will be Don Jose. Kees Bakels will return to the local podium to conduct the production, and Rosalind Elias will make her San Diego debut as director.

Next season’s Sherwood Auditorium recitals will be given by noted German baritone Hermann Prey on Feb. 15 and by American mezzo-soprano Delores Ziegler on Feb. 23. Both singers have performed with San Diego Opera.

The 1993 season will open in January, with Rossini’s “Il Barbiere di Siviglia” with Jeffrey Black in the title role. Puccini’s “Madama Butterfly” will be staged in February, for which no cast has been announced. Italian bass-baritone Ferruccio Furlanetto will sing Don Giovanni in the March production of Mozart’s classic tragedy. He will be joined by tenor Hans Peter Blochwitz as Don Ottavio. Bizet’s “other opera,” “Les Pecheurs de Perles,” will be sung in April, and Jules Massent’s “Werther” will return to the local stage to close the season in May.

Campbell said the company has not yet planned for the proposed 1993 city arts festival as the city council has yet to finalize a theme or date for the event.