Inside the quaint Tenth Avenue Arts Theater in downtown San Diego, music fills the air of the dark, moody building.

A new era for opera in San Diego is underway — Opera a la Carte is making its grand debut.

“We just want to introduce people perhaps who aren’t as familiar with the classical voice to our style of singing and to opera …” said the organization’s founder, Abla Lynn Hamza.

She’s excited for their inaugural production taking place this week: Giacomo Puccini’s La Boheme.

“Anybody from any walk of life can enjoy it, because the story is universal. It’s about love, it’s about struggle, it’s about the realities of life and how life can be hard sometimes,” Hamza said.

It’s a classic opera that’s being told in a bold, new way.

“It’s really written for the early 1800s and it’s usually in long dresses, you know 1800s costumes, but I’ve set it in 1941 occupied Paris,” said director Angelina Réaux. “Because I think war always intensifies people’s emotions.”

The story follows four bohemians living together, whose lives change during a freezing Christmas Eve.

Réaux sees her rendition more like a play with music.

“It’s so human. It’s just filled with humanity and all of the characters, you get to know them,” Réaux said. “They’re characters that you become familiar with and you come to love and care about.”

Soren Pedersen performs as one of the bohemians in the opera, named “Marcello.”

“He’s got a lot going on. He’s got anger, he’s got love in kind of a convoluted but very authentic way for him,” Pedersen said. “He’s got a deep care and compassion for both Rodolfo and Mimi that manifests in different ways.”

Like all of the cast bringing the story to life, Pedersen has roots in San Diego.

He’s played this role before, but not in such a close-quarter and gritty setting.

“What I’m expecting is a very fun and intimate production, because everybody is right here. You can see all of our expressions, which is not something you get to do — at least for very cheap in a real opera house,” Pedersen said.

The all-women run Opera a la Carte does more than hire local talent, they aim to fill gaps in the industry.

Their mission is to ensure that the beauty of opera and classical singing is accessible and affordable for all audiences.

Pedersen said that approach is one of the ways that “opera can stay alive in the coming generations and is a necessity I would say for our artform.”

The production is for people of all ages and experience levels with opera. So those who have never seen one before can feel at ease.

It’s created for and by the San Diego community.

“There aren’t a lot of smaller companies here and there are all these talented performers. And I really wanted to give people opportunities to perform, as well as introduce people to opera who maybe don’t know that much about it,” Hamza said.

The Opera a la Carte founder has her hands full. She’s not just producing the show — she’s performing in it too, as Mimi.

“It’s been a challenge to be honest,” Hamza said, laughing. “I bit off quite a lot — you know, live and learn. Next time there are things I would do quite differently, I’ll definitely have a lot more help in the next production.”

Réaux said the production will immerse audiences when they enter the theater doors — through propaganda posters, police barriers and a World War II-era radio.

Shows kick off Thursday and run nightly through Sunday.

SAN DIEGO – Precision micro-printing provider Boston Micro Fabrication (BMF) has launched San Diego-based BMF Biotechnology Inc., a spinout dedicated to making specialized chips through cultivated large-scale tissues in vitro, helping accelerate new drug and cosmetic development.

“BMF Biotechnology’s BioChips allow scientists to grow human-like tissues in a lab setting and because these chips mimic how substances would be processed inside the body, scientists can use them to test drugs and cosmetic products,” BMF Biotechnology Chief Scientific Officer Jennifer Sun told the Business Journal.

“These microfluidic chips are an organ-on-a-chip platform, which can replicate the physiological conditions found in the human body by controlling the flow of small amounts of fluid through micro-size channels.”

Founded in 2016, BMF says it supports more than 2,000 customers globally with offices in Boston, China, Japan and now in San Diego.

“BMF has raised over $80M in investment funding, including $24M in 2023,” added Sun. “We have over 250 employees worldwide with global revenue growth exceeding 30% in 2023.”

Wanting to be housed in San Diego’s vibrant biotech ecosystem, the company’s San Diego Research Institute was born in 2022. The newly launched biotech division will operate out of Carroll Canyon with ten or so employees to start.

Preliminary feedback has yielded promising results, says BMF.

“Specifically, significant progress has been made in terms of developing functional prototypes of the BMF Biotechnology’s BioChip, validating their efficacy in replicating human tissue models accurately,” shared Sun. “Furthermore, preliminary tests have shown encouraging outcomes of disease modeling and validating human drug responses.”

BMF is entering an arena of competitors like MIMETAS and InSphero – working to commercialize organ-on-a-chip technology. Sun says its product stands apart.

“Our BioChip platform offers distinctive features, including a micro-channel network designed to mimic blood vessels with micron level three dimensional features. This network ensures efficient nutrient delivery and waste removal throughout the chip, enabling the comprehensive replication of human tissues on a large scale.”

Hybrid Printing Solution

In recent years, micro molding and 3D printing innovations have swept the micro-manufacturing world, advancing how production companies do business.

New England-based BMF’s core tech enables highly precise, micro-scale 3D printing across industries like healthcare, life sciences, electronics and machining.

“3D printing has often been known for its ability to rapidly iterate on product design, but this same benefit can also be applied to developing custom, high-precision solutions that advance research in other ways – such as through pharmaceutical development,” said Sun. Now the industry is trending toward miniaturization. “As products and technology get smaller, the connective parts become micro and more intricate. There is an urgent need for highly precise and accurate manufacturing methods that allow engineers and product designers to consistently create small-scale parts with the precision, resolution and accuracy needed to move industries forward.”

This month, BMF announced what it calls the industry’s first line of hybrid printing solutions for micro-scale and ultra high-resolution applications that allow the user to print two resolutions within a single layer or in different layers.

“Our driving motivation for innovation has been to offer new platforms that can help realize high-value applications for 3D printing,” said BMF CEO-Global John Kawola. “Increasingly, we have been pushed by our customers to bring our technology to applications where higher precision and tighter tolerances would result in an overall increase in quality and performance, regardless of part size.”

It comes after another big win for the company. Last year it launched what it deems the world’s thinnest cosmetic dental veneer, UltraThineer™. This April, BMF secured FDA 510(k) clearance on the material.

“As we think about the future for BMF Biotechnology, we anticipate expanding our product portfolio to address a wider range of therapeutic areas and applications, revolutionizing the way drugs are developed and tested,” Sun added. “Our goal is to be a globally recognized leader in organ-on-a-chip technology, driving transformative advancements in drug discovery, cosmetic development, toxicity testing, and personalized medicine to improve human health and safety.”

Boston Micro Fabrication
FOUNDED: 2016 in Boston, San Diego Research Institute in 2022
CEO: John Kawola
LOCAL DIVISION HQ: San Diego
EMPLOYEES: 10 in San Diego; 200+ globally
BUSINESS: biotech
CAPITAL RAISED: $80 million
WEBSITE: bmf3d.com
CONTACT: info@bmf3d.com
NOTABLE: BMF was named one of the Boston Business Journal’s “Fast 50” companies, an annual honor recognizing the 50 fastest-growing private companies in Massachusetts.

By Cailin Acosta

SAN DIEGO – When I learned that the RUTH: Remember Us The Holocaust exhibit at the Rancho San Diego Library would be having its closing ceremony this weekend, I felt a little sad. It is a very thorough exhibit and I spent time reading the many stories of survivors. I am going on Thursday (tomorrow) with the Jewish Women’s Circle of Chabad East County one more time.

I will think of my dear late friend Rose Schindler who told me personally her father told her to “stay alive, so that you can tell the world what they are doing to us.” With the exhibit having its closing ceremony (it will remain open until June) I thought of Schindler’s words and wondered, now what? Who is going to continue to tell the story? Our survivors are sadly aging and passing so it relies on us to tell the stories and to not forget.

I will never forget the amazing survivors I met and the connections I had with them. At the closing ceremony, they will be showing a video presentation looking back at the then and now of the exhibit. Special guest speakers feature Matt Dunford from Love on the Spectrum, San Diego County Assessor Jordan Marks, Mayor Ron Morrison of National City, Mayor Bill Wells of El Cajon, and Roosevelt Williams the III “The Man Behind the Rose.” This event is free and starts at 3 pm.

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Chabad of Downtown is hosting a Shabbat Dinner on May 17, services start at 7 pm, and then a festive dinner to follow. If you have never been to a community Shabbat dinner, then you really should experience it. Click here to send in your reservation.

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The JCC has an action-packed event on May 19 to celebrate Israel now and forever. This free event will feature musical performances, food, and community. Click here to register.

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I love finding free family activities online to celebrate Jewish holidays together. The IAC Keshet and OFEK put together this family booklet you can print and celebrate Yom Ha’atzmaut creating some fun activities together. Click here for the free booklet.

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Hadassah is hosting a FUNdraiser for fun people on June 23 at Tifereth Israel Synagogue! Marsha Starr is the featured Hypno Diva along with the San Diego Miriam Group. If you love a show with a laugh-a-minute explosion of hilarity, then this is the show you need to attend, and you MIGHT be able to jump on stage and be a part of the show! Proceeds will be contributed to a state-of-the-art rehabilitation hospital in Israel that serves everyone regardless of religion, ethnicity, or political persuasion. Click here to attend and laugh knowing you are donating to an amazing cause.

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GOVERNMENT AND POLITICS

Congresswoman Sara Jacobs (CA-51) and Rep. Maria Salazar (FL-27) introduced the bipartisan Global Internet Freedom Act to reinforce that internet freedom is fundamental to human rights. Jacobs said: “In the 21st century, internet freedom is a human right. It’s essential to get news and information about current events, connect with loved ones, ensure transparency and accountability of elected officials, and so much more. Unfortunately, dozens of countries use censorship and suppression online or issue draconian punishments for online activity, stifling people’s freedom of expression and ability to connect and engage with others. AI also poses new and heightened risks to internet freedom, empowering governments to wage online disinformation campaigns and surveil and censor online speech, websites, and social media platforms.”

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San Diego City Councilwoman Dr. Jen Campbell has endorsed Heather Ferbert for San Diego City Attorney.  Advertisements in which she was listed as having endorsed Ferbert’s opponent, Assemblyman Brian Maienschein, were lies, according to Dan Rottenstreich, Ferbert’s campaign consultant.  Maienschein’s campaign did not return a request for comment. Ferbert is San Diego’s chief deputy city attorney.   The incumbent city attorney, Mara Elliott, is termed out.

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Cailin Acosta is the assistant editor of San Diego Jewish World.