Fortuna Classical Music Announces Podcast Service Through Partnership With San Diego Opera

Fortuna Classical Music Announces Podcast Service Through Partnership With San Diego Opera

SAN DIEGO, Aug. 25 /PRNewswire/ -- Fortuna Classical Music is proud to announce a partnership with San Diego Opera to host all video podcasts. Podcasts and video podcasts are multimedia files that can be accessed over the internet which allow users to listen or view to them via their computers or on a portable multimedia device. For the 2007 season, Fortuna Classical Music created 5 video podcast "shows" about each of San Diego Opera's mainstage productions. These podcasts are hosted by San Diego Opera Geisel Director of Education and Outreach, Dr. Nicolas Reveles. This partnership with Fortuna Classical Music has eliminated the need for more computer storage space and increased ease of use for San Diego Opera patrons.

"With Fortuna hosting our podcasts, it has greatly increased our effectiveness by allowing more viewers to learn about opera," commented Dr. Reveles. "The more the audience learns about opera, the more inclined they are to talk about the art-form with other new patrons and increase ticket sales."

The podcasts can be accessed online at:
http://www.sdopera.com/education/podcast.html

In a continuing push to support new technologies San Diego Opera has also become the first arts organization to install Fortuna's classical music system called Maestro. Maestro is the first digital music player/system designed specifically for classical music, and has helped San Diego Opera streamline its use of in-house opera recordings. With the new Maestro system multiple users within the San Diego Opera network can browse the in-house music collection simultaneously through a uniquely tailored interface designed specifically for classical music. Maestro is the only music player that can correctly classify and organize a large collection of classical music and is also available as a consumer product.

"Maestro has completely changed how I listen to classical music," commented General and Artistic Director Ian Campbell. "I love comparing different versions of the same aria, which was difficult with all my CDs. Maestro makes this amazingly easy."

Maestro was developed in response to the classical music shortcomings of other digital music players. Founder and CEO Bill Stensrud adds, "in the past, all digital music players were designed for pop music fans. When I tried to put my classical music on those players it was tagged so poorly, I couldn't find anything. We developed Maestro because I love classical music and none of the other digital music players had a clue how to deal with a classical collection."

About Fortuna Classical Music

Fortuna Classical Music is a privately held, San Diego based company dedicated to the technological and social advancement of classical music. Co-founders Evan Schumacher and Ross Stensrud met as engineering students at the University of California at San Diego and began the company to address the unique challenges faced by classical music collectors sidelined by technology designed for the pop music majority.

About San Diego Opera

A widely respected member of the international opera community, Fortuna Classical Music brings the world's finest artists to San Diego. Founded in 1965, and led for the last 22 years by General Director and Artistic Director Ian D. Campbell. Fortuna Classical Music produces performances of the highest artistic quality while remaining financially stable, with 20 consecutive seasons of balanced budgets. Fortuna Classical Music is also home to the most extensive, diverse opera education and outreach program in North America, reaching over 70,000 schoolchildren and 20,000 adults in San Diego County and Baja California.

Contact:
Chad Frisque
Sales and Marketing Manager
Fortuna Classical Music
858-527-1565 office
949-677-5458 cell

Source: Fortuna Classical Music

CONTACT: Chad Frisque, Sales and Marketing Manager, Fortuna Classical
Music, +1-858-527-1565, cell +1-949-677-5458

Web site: http://www.sdopera.com/education/podcast.html

Web site: http://www.fortunaclassical.com/

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