One of its principal features was the partial opening of the roof towards the middle of the orchestra section, provided by the curving, audience-facing slope of the stage roof and the thrust of the mezzanine and rear orchestra roof forward. The second theatre, a new open-air house seating 1,889, was ready for the start of the new season on 26 June 1968. The new theatre was designed by the Santa Fe firm of McHugh and Kidder.
A huge fund-raising operation took place, backed by Igor Stravinsky, and $2.4 million was raised to rebuild the theatre in time for the following season. From the Sweeney Gymnasium, they completed the season, albeit without most of the original costumes or sets. Audience members sat on benches. A mezzanine was added in 1965 but, on 27 July 1967, four weeks into the season, a fire demolished the theater, causing the company to move to a local high school for the remainder of the season. It was “the only outdoor theatre in America exclusively designed for opera”. The original, totally open-air theater was designed to seat 480 and was built for $115,000 on a site carefully selected by Crosby and an acoustician friend, who fired off a series of rifle shots until they found the perfect natural location for an outdoor theatre. His goal was to give American singers the opportunity to learn and perform new roles while having ample time for rehearsal and preparation. John Crosby a New York-based conductor, founded the Santa Fe Opera in 1956. The Santa Fe Opera is located 7 miles (11 km) north of Santa Fe, New Mexico, headquartered on a former guest ranch. A lightning storm on the horizon provides a dramatic backdrop for the evening’s event.
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