The Company will continue to share its performances globally through livestreams of the third performance of each opera in the repertory. Earlier this month, the Metropolitan Opera in New York, the nation's largest and most influential opera company, posted a 45-second video on Instagram boasting about the company's new COVID safety . The complete cycles in June 2011 were conducted by Donald Runnicles and featured cycle role debuts of Mark Delavan (Wotan) and Nina Stemme (Brnnhilde) as well as Jay Hunter Morris (making his role debut in the title role of Siegfried) and Ian Storey[es] (making his role debut as Siegfried in Gtterdmmerung. Tickets: Mini subscriptions (3 or 4 operas) from $78, full subscriptions . This was a momentous change in the world of opera. It became clear to Merola that a more solid financial base was needed, so he set about fundraising for a full season of opera in the fall of 1923. He is joined by several exciting artists making their first engagements with the Company. CO-COMMISSION BAY AREA PREMIERETHE (R)EVOLUTION OF STEVE JOBS music by Mason Bates, libretto by Mark CampbellSeptember 22October 7, 2023, Mason Bates; Mark Campbell; John Moore; Sasha Cooke; Bille Bruley; Wei Wu; Michael Christie. Recognized as one of the worlds foremost young artist programs, the Merola Opera Program trains tomorrows opera superstars and presents the annual Merola Summer Festival. The simulcast of "Live and in Concert: The Homecoming" at Oracle Park is free. Supertitles are now used for all San Francisco Opera productions and SFO also rents its supertitles internationally to other opera companies. The 1923-24 season, for example, included productions of Andrea Chnier (with Beniamino Gigli), Mefistofele (again with Gigli), Tosca (with Giuseppe De Luca and Martinelli), and Verdi's Rigoletto (with Queena Mario, De Luca and Gigli). The broadcasts were hosted by several well-known announcers, including Scott Beach and Fred Cherry. The event is open to the public and draws some 30,000 listeners. Paiement will also return to the Dallas Opera in April 2022 to conduct Bizet's The Pearl Fishers and to L'Opra de Montral in Season 22/23. Jim's presence, his keenness to see that audience members under his care were enjoying themselves, and his dry sense of humor will be intensely missed. Chorus Director John Keene prepares the artists of the San Francisco Opera Chorus. War Memorial Opera House 301 Van Ness Avenue San Francisco, CA 94102-4509. [16] Following the initial presentation of the four operas in movie theaters in 2008, San Francisco Opera used these four titles to create its Grand Opera Cinema Series, making these titles available to be presented by performing arts centers, theaters, and universities. He took on more and more administrative details as Merola's health and energy diminished, but Adler was not the board's natural choice to replace Merola at the time of his death in 1953. By "hand holding" her through the various stages of training, he prepared her for the role of Azucena in Il trovatore for the summer 1986 season to great acclaim. The fundraising campaign was a success. https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=San_Francisco_Opera&oldid=1142817266, This page was last edited on 4 March 2023, at 14:51. The third performance of every main-stage opera during the 202223 season will be available to view as a livestream. Box Office (415) 864-3330 Mon 10am-5pm Tue-Sat 10am-6pm. Saids two-hundred-year-old autobiography comes vividly to life on the lyric stage in Omar, the first opera by MacArthur Fellowship genius award recipient Rhiannon Giddens and composer Michael Abels, known for his music for films, including Jordan Peeles Get Out, Us and Nope. Tune in for exciting behind-the-scenes content . "[citation needed]. See all 865 reviews. The current chorus consists of two groups: the forty-eight-member Regular Chorus with twenty-six men and twenty-two women, and the Extra Chorus, which can expand the ensemble to 100 singers or more in larger operas. In the years to come, SFO would cover a broad range of Italian operas, many being presented only once or twice, over seasons lasting no more than two months, and sometimes only during September. FROM HARLEM TO JUILLIARD Born in New York City on January 30, 1928 to parents who emigrated from Barbados in the West Indies, Elayne Jones considers herself a "New Yorkerof African origin." . His passion for opera in general led him to visit the Royal Opera House in London and a lowly paid job with Decca Records in that city. Eventually, as seen in the 1961 SFO season, eleven operas were given five or six performances each on average while the season ran to late November. Additional highlights of the season include David Aldens production of Wagners Lohengrin from Londons Royal Opera, Covent Garden, with tenor Simon ONeill in the title role; Gaetano Donizettis comedic romance The Elixir of Love (LElisir dAmore) staged by director Daniel Slater and choreographed by Tim Claydon, with tenor Pene Pati as Nemorino and Slvka Zmenkov, in her American debut, as Adina; and Mozarts The Magic Flute (Die Zauberflte) conducted by Eun Sun Kim in Barrie Kosky and Suzanne Andrades inventive production that conjures the topsy-turvy delights of silent film, 1920s cabaret and early Hollywood animation. Chronicle file photo 1969 This San Francisco Opera co-commission, which was hailed as a sweeping achievement by The New York Times, comes to the War Memorial Opera House in the production by Kaneza Schaal. Can't make it to the Winspear? San Francisco Opera is a member of. Its lively arias illuminate a heros quest and the steadfastness of true love. These included more Russian operas with the highlight being Valery Gergiev's conducting of Prokofiev's War and Peace and a firm link established with the Kirov Opera. On December 1, the Company presents The Elixir of Love Encounter, a rollicking, experiential evening which activates the War Memorial Opera House around themes from The Elixir of Love and invites attendees to immerse themselves in the world of Donizettis work. The true story of a 19th century Islamic scholar from West Africa, enslaved in South Carolina, but finding identity and faith through the written word. MAR 10, 11, 12, 17, 18, 19, 24, 25, 26, 31. For more information . Soprano Angel Blue, who made her Company debut in 2009 as Clara in Porgy and Bess, returns as Leonora, one of Verdis greatest heroines. FREE AND OPEN TO ALL! On 9 January 2007, SFO announced its third music director would be the Italian conductor Nicola Luisotti, beginning with the 2009/10 season, for an initial contract of 5 years. View more property details, sales history and Zestimate data on Zillow. Composer and performer Rhiannon Giddens Photo: Ebru Yildiz "Omar," a new operatic collaboration by Grammy Award-winning musician Rhiannon Giddens and composer Michael Abels, is scheduled for a world premiere in May at the Spoleto Festival USA in Charleston, S.C, after which the piece will be performed by a consortium of co-commissioning companies, including the San Francisco Opera. Mezzo-soprano Daniela Mack reprises the role of Rosmira, tenor Alek Shrader returns as Emilio and Hadleigh Adams is Ormonte. In this, he was greatly supported by his long relationship with Jean-Pierre Ponnelle, the often-controversial stage director and designer who began his association with SFO in 1957. Miles Mykkanen portrays the Groom, bass Kristinn Sigmundsson is the Priest and Lucy Shelton is the teacher. Following Adler's retirement announcement in June 1979, Terence A. McEwen (19291998) was Adler's hand-picked successor. San Francisco Opera livestreams are made possible, in part, by Geoge and Leslie Hume. Thirdly, a characteristic of the Adler years was his interest in developing stronger connections to opera stage directors in an attempt to strengthen the dramatic and theatrical elements of the works. Originally built in 1888 by the San Francisco Masonic Lodge No. Make a gift that's meaningful to you today and start enjoying the perks of membership! The production used imagery from various eras of American history and had a feminist and environmentalist viewpoint. San Francisco (/ s n f r n s s k o /; Spanish for "Saint Francis"), officially the City and County of San Francisco, is the commercial, financial, and cultural center of Northern California.The city proper is the fourth most populous in California, with 815,201 residents as of 2021, and covers a land area of 46.9 square miles (121 square kilometers), at the end of the San . War Memorial Opera House301 Van Ness AvenueSan Francisco, CA 94102-4509, (415) 864-3330Mon 10am-5pmTue-Sat 10am-6pm, Performance days: 10am through first intermission, AboutEmployment | AuditionsPress RoomBlogVisitPerformance Archive, Opera ShopStreaming the First CenturyBohme Out of The Box, SF Opera GuildMerola Opera ProgramOpera Center, San Francisco Opera is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization. Conductor John Kennedy, who led the works 2021 world premiere at Spoleto Festival USA, leads Giddens and Abels expansive score which synthesizes strains of bluegrass, spirituals, the West African kora, folk music and jazz into a compelling theatrical experience. Eun Sun Kim said: The works of Wagner and Verdi are cornerstones of the operatic repertoire as we know it. Each composer blazed new trails in his dayand each changed the world of opera forever. Located on the 4th floor of the Veterans Building and featuring the 299-seat Dianne and Tad Taube Atrium Theater, the John M. Bryan Education Studio for student, family and adult programs and the Edward Paul Braby San Francisco Opera Archives. Description . The union of Elsa and Lohengrin is opposed by the scheming Ortrud, performed by Romanian-Hungarian mezzo-soprano Judit Kutasi in her American debut, and the Telramund of baritone Brian Mulligan. The Samoan tenor reflects on the centrality of his family in his musical journey from New Zealand to the worlds leading opera stages in this episode from the Companys award-winning In Song series. San Francisco Opera General Director Kurt Herbert Adler (third from left) is honored by members of the opera supporters' group Il Cenacolo at a Christmas dinner in 1969. Gockley also stated that Luisotti would conduct three to four productions each season, including one non-Italian opera; since 2009 these non-Italian operas have included Salome, Lohengrin, and Carmen. Make a gift that's meaningful to you today and start enjoying the perks of membership! And when her plans for vengeance go horribly awryresulting in the death of her own son Azucena decides to raise the counts kidnapped child as her own. Besides his work for SF Ballet and Opera (usually in the Orchestra), he also proudly volunteered for the San Francisco SPCA. In partnership with the Dolby family, the Company will continue its popular Dolby Family Opera for the Bay program. San Francisco, California, U.S. Many have also returned to LA Opera to sing leading roles. Make a gift that's meaningful to you today and start enjoying the perks of membership! . These included Plcido Domingo flying with no notice from New York City to San Francisco albeit three hours after curtain time to replace the ailing Carlo Cossutta on the opening night of Otello and the last-minute substitution by Leontyne Price for Margaret Price in the role of Aida. After being approached by Adler regarding the San Francisco opera job, he moved to the city in 1980 and involved himself totally in learning the running of an opera company. Incorporated within the production programming of "Animating Opera" was the America staged premiere of Messiaen's Saint-Franois d'Assise, Virgil Thomson's The Mother of Us All, as well as a commission for a new work by John Adams and Peter Sellars entitled Doctor Atomic, which premiered on 1 October 2005. Like many great ideas, it started in the shower. So far these include Philip Glass and Christopher Hampton's Appomattox in 2007;[24] Stewart Wallace and Amy Tan's The Bonesetter's Daughter in 2008;[25] and Christopher Theofanidis and Donna Di Novelli's Heart of a Soldier in 2011. The updated setting for this funny and heart-warming 1832 romance, which includes Donizettis cherished aria Una furtiva lagrima (A furtive tear), takes place on the Italian Riviera during the 1950s. Then, on Tuesday, September 12, Kim will lead the Company in the first full opera of the season, Verdis Il Trovatore. 1233 Howard St Apt 2A, San Francisco, CA 94103-2775 is an apartment unit listed for rent at /mo. San Francisco Opera created a memorable performance out of Verdi's "La Traviata," a work That once heard, will always im[act you deeply. Kurt Herbert Adler (19051988) came to the United States in 1938 after early experience and training in many aspects of music and theatre in Austria, Germany, and Italy. We are known for commissioning numerous world premieres, training some of opera's greatest young artists, and creating innovative programs and events to inspire a new generation of opera goers. The (R)evolution of Steve Jobs is the first of three San Francisco Opera co-commissions to be presented during the 202324 Season, reaffirming the Companys commitment to expanding the operatic repertoire. New Zealand-born heldentenor Simon ONeill is Lohengrin and American soprano Julie Adams, a recent San Francisco Opera Adler Fellow, portrays Elsa. The estimated base pay is $3,886 per month. era: Opera director was gambling man", "San Francisco Opera's 75th Anniversary Gala", "Runnicles Won't Renew Contract with S.F. Michael Christie conducts the fast-paced, electro-acoustic work. Handels 1730 comedy Partenope returns in the Olivier Award-winning production by director Christopher Alden. Mezzo-soprano Ruxandra Donose is the Waitress, Claire de Svign and Rod Gilfry are the Mother-in-Law and Father-in-Law. About Press Room Blog Visit Performance Archive. Our federal tax ID is 94-0836240. San Francisco Opera (SFO) is an American opera company founded in 1923 by Gaetano Merola (18811953) based in San Francisco, California. Among his successes in this regard was the mezzo-soprano Dolora Zajick from Nevada. San Francisco Opera Center is dedicated to nurturing opera's most promising young artists. Slovak soprano Slvka Zmenkov is the beautiful but aloof Adina. There are no products in your shopping cart. Tenor Pene Pati, whose fast-rising career began at San Francisco Opera with triumphs as the Duke of Mantua in Rigoletto and Romo in Romo et Juliette, returns as the lovable Nemorino. And on Friday night at the War Memorial Opera House, the San Francisco Ballet proved that . Make a gift that's meaningful to you today and start enjoying the perks of membership! Tippi (born Erik Mead ), died Aug. 25, 1991, at age 39. harp. Mezzo-soprano Sasha Cooke, who radiantly personified (Dallas Morning News) Laurene Powell Jobs at the world premiere, and bass Wei Wu, role creator of Jobs spiritual advisor, Kbun Chino Otogawa, reprise their respective parts. Characteristic of Merola's years as general director was the fact (as noted by Chatfield-Taylor) that "the great singers of the world came regularly to San Francisco, often performing several roles in deference to the short season and long travel time across the country."[2]. Lacking money, confidence and hope, a timid young waiter Nemorino gambles everything he has for a chance at an intoxicating romance with the alluring Adina. in Wagner's Ring Cycle alone, we spend 14 hours together in the dark, sharing our love for extraordinary music. By introducing his young singers to the great voices of the past, inviting them to rehearsals, and giving tickets to current productions McEwen hoped to create rounded performers who could appear in the regular Fall season. Opera", "Pamela Rosenberg's time at the Opera was as full of drama as any production", Joshua Kosman, "David Gockley seeks to overhaul S.F. Merola's road to prominence in the Bay Area began in 1906 when he first visited the city. The first official performance given by San Francisco Opera was La bohme, with Queena Mario and Giovanni Martinelli, on September 26, 1923, in the city's Civic Auditorium. It was launched with the commissioning of the following operas: Summing up his years at the SFO, the San Francisco Chronicle noted: "He's never been interested in the succs d'estime, the daring intellectual or theatrical coup that dazzles culture mavens but leaves the general public alienated or bewildered. Above: members of the young artist program perform with Susan Graham in a 2019 recital. Kim, who enters her third year as San Francisco Operas music director with the 202324 Season, continues the cycle of annual Verdi presentations begun in 2022 with La Traviata by leading another fervent 1853 work from the composer: Il Trovatore (opening September 12). Mezzo-soprano Taylor Raven, who has appeared during San Francisco Operas Centennial Season in the world premiere of John Adams Antony and Cleopatra, Poulencs Dialogues of the Carmelites and Verdis La Traviata, portrays Fatima, Omars mother who bestows wisdom on her son through dream sequences. CO-COMMISSION BAY AREA PREMIEREOMAR music by Rhiannon Giddens and Michael Abels, libretto by Rhiannon GiddensNovember 521, 2023, Rhiannon Giddens; Michael Abels; Jamez McCorkle; Taylor Raven; Brittany Renee; Daniel Okulitch; John Kennedy. One was to expand the season which in Merola's time ran from the Friday after Labor Day until early November (when the Metropolitan Opera's season began) in order to capitalize on the availability of singers by presenting up to fourteen operas with two or three performances each. MEROLA OPERA PROGRAM; 601 Van Ness Avenue - Suite S; San Francisco, CA; 94102- 3249 USA; Ph: (415) 936-2324; Email: info . Omar, the first opera by Grammy Award-winning artist Rhiannon Giddens in collaboration with composer Michael Abels, brings an urgent, American story to the War Memorial Opera House in November. Adler conducted most of the program, which featured performances by many of the surviving singers who had appeared with the company during its history. The organization was . Many went on to international careers, among them Carol Vaness and Thomas Hampson. IL TROVATORE by Giuseppe VerdiSeptember 12October 1, 2023, Arturo Chacn-Cruz; Angel Blue; George Petean; Anita Rachvelishvili; Eun Sun Kim. Verdis Il Trovatore returns in the 2009 co-production by Sir David McVicar with a powerful cast and Handels gender-bending comedy Partenope will be reprised in the award-winning staging by Christopher Alden and starring French soprano Julie Fuchs and Italian countertenor Carlo Vistoli in their American opera debuts. Fittingly, the concert featured operatic greats of the past, present and future. War Memorial Opera House 301 Van Ness Avenue San Francisco, CA 94102-4509. The rotating set of Sir David McVicars production, directed in revival by Roy Rallo, keeps the operas musical momentum and simmering intensity building to a stunning conclusion. Member benefits include attendance at vocal master classes, invitations to special events and ticketing privileges. Don't miss this chance to revel in 100 years of history as we look to the future of opera. In the early 1800s, Islamic scholar Omar Ibn Said was forcibly taken from his village in West Africa and sold into slavery in Charleston, South Carolina, where he recorded his story as an expansive canvas of testimony and faith. Other operas new to the SFO's repertoire during her directorship include Busoni's Doktor Faust, Ligeti's Le Grand Macabre and Janek's The Cunning Little Vixen. Learn More. Cory Weaver/San Francisco Opera Show More Show Less In 1986, Sir John Pritchard was appointed music director, and served until 1989. SFO presented Das Rheingold in June 2008, Die Walkre in June 2010, and three complete Ring cycles in June 2011. Dulcamara, the miracle worker whose elixir provides the liquid courage Nemorino needs to express his true feelings, is performed by Italian baritone Renato Girolami. Along with Eun Sun Kims multi-season Verdi and Wagner cycles and the repertoire expanding co-commissions, San Francisco Operas 202324 Season will witness the Company debuts of many exceptional artists on stage and in the pit.