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The Santa Monica College Opera Theatre is proud to present "Mostly Mozart," a program celebrating the famed composer as well as other gems from the opera world, at 7:30 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 19. The performance will be at The Broad Stage at the SMC Performing Arts Center on Santa Monica Boulevard at 11th Street.

"Directing the Santa Monica College Opera Theater affords me the unique opportunity of not only working with our remarkably talented students at SMC, but also providing a platform for the young opera singers of our community a place to perform," said Gail Gordon, director of the SMC Opera Theater.

The SMC Opera Theater has gained an impressive reputation over the years. Several alumni have gone on to international careers, most notably Gabriel Silva and Rodel Rosell, who debuted at the Met in New York last October.

Gordon has been teaching music at SMC since 1998 and took over as SMC Opera Theatre director this semester. Gordon received her bachelor's of music degree from Cal State Northridge and her master's of music from USC. She began performing professionally in the mid-1980s for California regional opera companies and in 2000 she created the Santa Monica-based Opera Nova to support and promote aspiring young opera singers by creating performance opportunities.

Tickets are $10. Go to www.smc.edu/eventsinfo or call (310) 434-3000.