The Association, which is comprised of donors who have given the company $100 or more, also passed a motion to increase the quorum from 10 to 25 at future association membership meetings.

Additionally, the opera's board elected new officers during a board meeting April 28. The new executive committee includes Carol Lazier as president, Courtney Ann Coyle as executive vice president, James A. Merritt, M.D. as vice president of finance and Frances R. Marshall as secretary/parliamentarian.

The company also announced that in three days of crowd sourced fundraising through its newly created escrow account, over $300,000 has been raised. Over 85% of these donations are gifts less than $1,000 and many are from first-time donors.

San Diego Opera previously announced that fundraising options for the company's 2015 season were available after the creation of an escrow account approved by the board of directors. This account enables the company to begin collecting funds that are restricted to the production of a 2015 season.

If the 2015 season is not announced, or the $1 million goal is not met by May 19, donations will not be released to the company and will be returned to the donor. The opera had announced in March that it would close just prior to its 50th anniversary due to declining ticket sales and challenges in fundraising. The announcement prompted a strong response from the artistic community, and March 31 it voted to postpone the closure for two weeks.

The opera had been scheduled to close and begin selling assets April 14, following its presentation of Don Quixote, and dismantle the company by the end of the opera's fiscal year June 30. The closure date was then extended through May 19. 

Visit sdopera.com for more information.