San Francisco Opera - San Francisco | 25 January 2021 |
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Performance reviews
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Manon LescautSan Francisco OperaNo. of reviews: 8 | ![]() ![]() |
San Francisco Opera’s magnificent “Manon Lescaut”: A second look |
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Strangers when we meet |
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Lianna Haroutounian is in her vocal prime, may it endure for years to come |
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A passionate “Manon Lescaut” led by Luisotti, Haroutounian and Jagde |
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Manon Lescaut pits love against money (and neither wins) |
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Overall, San Francisco Opera’s “Manon Lescaut” came through, and rose to a moving finale |
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Favorite principals appeal in San Francisco Opera’s ‘Manon Lescaut’ |
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A party girl gets her comeuppance |
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Hansel und GretelSan Francisco OperaNo. of reviews: 7 | ![]() ![]() |
A new “family friendly” production first seen last holiday season at London’s Royal Opera House |
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A “must see” San Francisco Opera production of “Hansel and Gretel” |
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Grimm and proper |
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Sasha Cooke and Heidi Stober shine in Disney-fied take on classic tale |
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SF Opera’s Hansel and Gretel is a visual delight |
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The kids come out on top in SF Opera’s charming ‘Hansel and Gretel’ |
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SF Opera sets holiday mood with gentler, charming ‘Hansel and Gretel’ |
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Le nozze di FigaroSan Francisco OperaNo. of reviews: 9 | ![]() ![]() |
Take care of this house |
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San Francisco Opera rolled out the first installment of its new Mozart/DaPonte trilogy ... to lively if mixed result |
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Arresting new production for “Marriage of Figaro” |
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SF Opera’s Figaro is early American: Susanna with fife |
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An American Figaro in San Francisco — and it works |
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Jeanin De Bique, Serena Malfi, Nicole Heaston lead fantastic cast in Mozart’s masterpiece |
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SF Opera’s new Figaro sets the mind soaring |
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An American ‘Figaro,’ done with beauty and verve at SF Opera |
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New production fine match for SF Opera’s ‘Marriage of Figaro’ |
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associated articles [+]
The racial fault lines in opera
Casting of San Francisco Opera’s ‘Figaro’ lays bare the racial fault lines in opera.
Casting of San Francisco Opera’s ‘Figaro’ lays bare the racial fault lines in opera.
All-American Figaro inaugurates SF Opera trilogy
The idea to link the three Mozart/Da Ponte operas — Marriage of Figaro, Don Giovanni, and Così fan tutte, — didn’t come to director Michael Cavanaugh in a flash; it was a little more gradual.
The idea to link the three Mozart/Da Ponte operas — Marriage of Figaro, Don Giovanni, and Così fan tutte, — didn’t come to director Michael Cavanaugh in a flash; it was a little more gradual.
A voice to be heard
A conversation With Jeanine De Bique.
A conversation With Jeanine De Bique.
Roméo et JulietteSan Francisco OperaNo. of reviews: 7 | ![]() ![]() |
Roméo et Juliette in San Francisco (bis) |
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The star-crossed lovers were entrapped in an opera mess worlds away from the smooth elegance of Gounod’s score |
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Pene Pati and Nadine Sierra brilliant in Gounod’s “Romeo and Juliet” |
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Get this Pati started |
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Nadine Sierra and Pene Pati deliver all you could hope for |
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In SF Opera’s ‘Romeo,’ the tenor understudy walks off with the show |
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Pene Pati, Nadine Sierra shine in titular role debuts |
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Composers beware
Shakespearean opera is a dangerous game.
Shakespearean opera is a dangerous game.
Trump protest disrupts 2019 SF Opera Ball
Two protesters of President Trump disrupted the opening of the 97th season of the San Francisco Opera, hoping to call out what they say were the GOP supporters in the crowd.
Two protesters of President Trump disrupted the opening of the 97th season of the San Francisco Opera, hoping to call out what they say were the GOP supporters in the crowd.
Tenor pulls out of SF Opera’s ‘Romeo’ days before opening night
Bryan Hymel, who was slated to sing the title role in the San Francisco Opera’s production of Gounod’s “Romeo and Juliet,” has withdrawn from the entire run of the opera, citing “personal reasons.”
Bryan Hymel, who was slated to sing the title role in the San Francisco Opera’s production of Gounod’s “Romeo and Juliet,” has withdrawn from the entire run of the opera, citing “personal reasons.”
Billy BuddSan Francisco OperaNo. of reviews: 10 | ![]() ![]() |
An exemplary cast in an exemplary production, and enlightened conducting |
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From Glyndebourne, a triumphant Billy Budd comes to San Francisco |
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SF Opera keeps the HMS Indomitable shipshape |
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An indomitable “Billy Budd” |
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Billy Budd swells SF Opera sails in billowing triumph |
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Miss me blond |
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John Chest leads a vibrant revival of Britten’s masterpiece |
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SF Opera delivers a near-perfect production of Britten’s Billy Budd |
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All male cast dazzles in Britten opera about good vs. evil |
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‘Billy Budd’ an evocative but suspect fable of good and evil at SF Opera |
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Why ‘Billy Budd’ is the opera of 2019
Benjamin Britten’s “Billy Budd” may have premiered in London in 1951, but it feels like the opera of America in 2019.
Benjamin Britten’s “Billy Budd” may have premiered in London in 1951, but it feels like the opera of America in 2019.
Baritone, John Chest
John Chest reflects on his journey to Billy Budd.
John Chest reflects on his journey to Billy Budd.
RusalkaSan Francisco OperaNo. of reviews: 9 | ![]() |
Watching ‘Rusalka,’ a liberal dystopian opera, in liberal dystopian San Francisco |
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In San Francisco, Dvořák’s magnificently dark fairy tale |
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No happy ending, but a glorious opera |
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Under the silver lake |
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San Francisco Opera offers a dark, powerful Rusalka |
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Beautiful singing, insightful drama |
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Shadowy, fairy-tale ‘Rusalka’ is SF Opera at its best |
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SF Opera bewitches with ‘Rusalka’ |
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Everything is right with Rusalka |
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OrlandoSan Francisco OperaNo. of reviews: 8 | ![]() ![]() |
Exquisite Handelian singing in San Francisco Opera's Orlando |
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Countertenor outshines flashy Orlando cast in San Francisco |
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Handel was both victim and survivor of the San Francisco Opera’s Orlando |
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A finely sung “Orlando” melds Handel’s seductive music with Harry Fehr’s surreal staging |
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Handel’s best score gets solid music performance despite questionable production |
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Handel’s Orlando is riveting at S.F. Opera |
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In SF Opera’s ‘Orlando’ a clever modern setting obscures the artistic truth |
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‘Orlando’ makes victorious return to War Memorial Opera House |
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San Francisco Opera removes David Daniels from production
The San Francisco Opera has dropped countertenor David Daniels from its June production of Handel’s “Orlando” in the wake of sexual assault allegations made against the singer.
The San Francisco Opera has dropped countertenor David Daniels from its June production of Handel’s “Orlando” in the wake of sexual assault allegations made against the singer.
CarmenSan Francisco OperaNo. of reviews: 7 | ![]() ![]() |
A razzle-dazzle, bloodless Carmen |
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Nice nice baby |
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San Francisco Opera plays Carmen with a heavy hand |
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Francesca Zambello’s theatrically compelling “Carmen” |
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In SF Opera’s ‘Carmen,’ a secondary character steals the show |
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SF Opera’s ‘Carmen’ enchants with zesty performance |
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First-timers in Bizet’s classic yield uneven results in San Francisco |
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It's a Wonderful LifeSan Francisco OperaNo. of reviews: 9 | ![]() ![]() |
It’s a wonderful opera |
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A visual treat |
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Mr. Heggie and Mr. Scheer’s It’s a Wonderful Life is a tight, beautifully crafted opera |
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It's a Wonderful Life: a new holiday tradition for the opera world |
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Sentimental, colorful, effective, and mostly ‘Wonderful’ |
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Fine singing can't lift Jake Heggie and Gene Scheer’s new opera to higher realms |
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SF Opera’s ‘Wonderful Life’ is so good — and so necessary |
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SF Opera sets holiday mood with gratifying ‘It’s a Wonderful Life’ |
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At SF Opera, new version of ‘It’s a Wonderful Life’ earns its wings |
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The movies go to the opera
It’s a Wonderful Life comes to the War Memorial Opera House.
It’s a Wonderful Life comes to the War Memorial Opera House.
ArabellaSan Francisco OperaNo. of reviews: 7 | ![]() |
Hidden trove of seductive beauty |
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Dehn and Mulligan illumine Albery’s stylish “Arabella” |
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Ellie Dehn and Brian Mulligan solid though Strauss’ work never soars |
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S.F. Opera’s Arabella plays it safe |
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Marc Albrecht makes his U.S. debut conducting Arabella |
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At SF Opera, Strauss’ ‘Arabella’ gets a workout but never takes flight |
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SF Opera’s new ‘Arabella’ makes glowing impression |
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ToscaSan Francisco OperaNo. of reviews: 8 | ![]() ![]() |
An evening of powerful theater |
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An appealing new “Tosca” for San Francisco Opera |
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Underdressed |
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Thoughtful new Tosca reflects #MeToo, and shows an eloquent orchestra |
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Forceful lovers lead S.F. Opera’s Tosca |
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Carmen Giannattasio living up to hype in SF Opera’s new ‘Tosca’ |
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SF Opera brings back ‘Tosca’ in a tame, not-so-new rendering |
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San Francisco Opera stages powerful, timely ‘Tosca’ |
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Roberto DevereuxSan Francisco OperaNo. of reviews: 11 | ![]() |
A second look at San Francisco Opera’s superb “Roberto Devereux” |
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The all American cast was in prime vocal condition |
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Radvanovsky soars as troubled Queen in superb Devereux |
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World’s best ever “Roberto Devereux” performance |
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Radvanovsky heads a gripping, radiant bel canto classic |
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The company’s return to Donizetti’s Tudor drama this fall was a triumph |
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S.F. Opera resolutely heads for for brighter future |
Challenging year spurs company to ‘look at new artistic horizons.’ |
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San Francisco Opera adds more free streams |
Nadine Sierra, Nicole Cabell and Olga Borodina lead San Francisco Opera’s January streams. |
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San Francisco Opera cancels remainder of its 2020/21 season |
The San Francisco Opera has announced it will be re-envisioning its 2021 spring schedule. |
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Waiting for S.F. Opera to take stock of the pandemic |
This would seem to be the occasion to pivot to other sorts of artistic offerings, at least as a bridge to better times. |
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SF Opera to resume streaming productions from past seasons |
The three operas being released are Puccini’s Tosca (Oct. 10-11), Verdi’s Attila (Oct. 17–18), and Mozart’s The Marriage of Figaro (Oct. 24–25). |
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