As if the national economic downturn weren't challenge enough, the Santa Fe Opera opens tonight amid an early beginning to our region's rainy season.

But it's sounding as if SFO, and new general director Charles MacKay are up to the task: After all, this will be the twelfth season in its new, not-so-open-to-the-elements building, so if the skies threaten this evening, the real threat would be to the tailgate parties in the parking lot. That's no small matter: For Santa Feans and operagoers from around the world, a light repast and a dab of wine under sapphire skies is a big part of this renowned seasonal festival.

A bigger part, however, is what takes place in front of the audience: world-class singers, in partnership with the perfect orchestra, performing great works of art, old and new, on an open stage adorned with one intriguing set after another.

Tonight: La Traviata, Verdi's richly melodic treatment of Alexandre Dumas' tale of The Lady of the Camellias. If there's a dry eye at the ominous opening, there won't be by the time one glorious aria after another thrilling duet leads to a heart-wrenching, if predictable, finale.

The leading role of Violetta will be sung by the renowned — and Santa Fe favorite — Natalie Dessay; tenor Saimir Pirgu plays — and marvelously sings, we hear from rehearsal-attendees — the smitten Alfredo. In the role of Germont, Alfredo's father, is Dessay's husband, baritone Laurent Nouri.

This is opera for lowbrows and longhairs alike, loaded with memorable music. It's followed tomorrow night with more of the same: bel canto in cleverly contrived melodramatic form as Donizetti's L'elisir d'amore, its plot pinned to a suspect love potion, takes the stage. Set for this season in post World War II Italy, there's even a hint of Vespa services for soprano Jennifer Black and her hastily affianced, whichever he may be — the shy Nemorino, sung by tenor Dimitri Pittas, or Patrick Carfizzi''s brash Sergeant Belcore ...

The legendary burlador de Sevilla, Mozart's grander-than-life Don Giovanni, returns to the SFO stage in mid-July for his rousing romp through the opposite gender and his dinner with just des(s)erts.

With Christine Brewer in the title role, Gluck's classical Alceste lays her life on the line for her underworld-bound royal husband, prompting response from no less than Hercules. That spellbinder, to be sung in French, begins August 1.

And there's the July 25 world premiere of composer Paul Moravec's The Letter, set in steamy Malaya and with costumes by Tom Ford. Patricia Racette plays the villainous heroine.

The two-month season beginning tonight is sure to appear as effortless as those before — but it's the follow through of demanding preparation, artistic creation, physical-plant maintenance, work and more work on sets, and painstaking rehearsals.

They add up to what promises to be a melodic and finely harmonic season; one likely to overcome the economic and meteorological obstacles between tonight and the end of August.

Given the company's packed houses of recent years, it could only go a couple of ways: along the same enormously successful path, or downward with America's prosperity. But such are Santa Fe Opera's reputation and its summer setting's appeal, that ticket sales have been highly encouraging. As word gets out about this season's many delights, we're guessing that the place will be plenty crowded. As it is, opening weekend is sold out; June sales are second-best in the opera's history, and are ahead of month-by-month projections.

Famous as it may be worldwide, SFO owes much of its success to the community where it resides: Professionals and volunteers from here and other parts of the state have been at work since the end of last season on the many details putting together what audiences have come to expect: Opera at its finest — in a highly inviting venue. We applaud all who've done so much to make it such an ongoing wonder, and urge your support in whatever form you can lend it.