Monday, August 27, 2018

San Francisco Opera: Celebrating the Very Exciting Fall Season

Friday September 7 is the grand opening gala.

San Francisco Opera presents six operas in this fall season, with the curtain finally coming down on December 9.

San Francisco Opera 96th Season opens Friday, September 7, with the double bill of Pietro Mascagni’s
Cavalleria Rusticana and Ruggero Leoncavallo’s Pagliacci.

I’m excited about the entire season at the War Memorial Opera House stage, including a new and very stylish staging of Giacomo Puccini’s
Tosca and the West Coast premiere of Jake Heggie’s It’s a Wonderful Life.

And I can’t wait to see
Roberto Devereux, Gaetano Donizetti’s lyric drama of Tudor-era England,(September 8–27). Stylish costumes, great artists, elegant sets. The cast is led by soprano Sondra Radvanovsky as Elisabetta (Elizabeth, Queen of England), one of the most elegant and superbly polished and passionate singers to appear at San Francisco Opera. A favorite of mine.



Sondra Radvanovsky as Elisabetta in Donizetti's "Roberto Devereux."
Photo: Michael Cooper/Canadian Opera Company

Leonardo Capalbo and Sondra Radvanovsky in  Donizetti's "Roberto Devereux."
Photo: Michael Cooper/Canadian Opera Company


Highlights of the season also include Plácido Domingo in Concert on October 21 (sold out) and a roster of returning artists, debuting soloists and conductors.

The double bill of Cavalleria Rusticana and Pagliacci, (September 7–30), last seen on the War Memorial Opera House stage 15 years ago, returns in Argentine tenor José Cura’s staging that sets the action for both operas in Buenos Aires’ La Boca district, known for its tango performances. Each of the Italian works features an international cast with mezzo-soprano Ekaterina Semenchuk, tenor Roberto Aronica and baritone Dimitri Platanias starring in Cavalleria Rusticana and soprano Lianna Haroutounian, tenor Marco Berti, baritone David Pershall and Platanias in Pagliacci.


Mascagni's "Cavalleria Rusticana"
Photo: Jacques Croisier/Opéra Royal de Wallonie-Liège

Leoncavallo's "Pagliacci."
Photo: Jacques Croisier/Opéra Royal de Wallonie-Liège

I’m looking forward to a new production of Giacomo Puccini’s Tosca (October 3–30) by director Shawna Lucey and production designer Robert Innes Hopkins. The composer’s melodrama about love and corruption stars Italian soprano Carmen Giannattasio as Tosca with tenor Brian Jagde as Cavaradossi and baritone Scott Hendricks as Baron Scarpia. In his first engagement with the Company, British conductor Leo Hussain leads the San Francisco Opera and Chorus. Puccini’s masterwork has been central to San Francisco Opera’s history as it was featured during the Company’s first season in 1923 at the Civic Auditorium.


Puccini's "Tosca," Act III set model
Photo: Scott Wall/San Francisco Opera

Puccini's "Tosca," Act I set model
Photo: Scott Wall/San Francisco Opera

Italian soprano Carmen Giannattasio, who is a brand ambassador for Bulgari, will be making her San Francisco Opera and role debuts as Tosca. The shoot took place at the Bulgari Domus on via Condotti in Rome and she is wearing Bulgari heritage jewels from the 1930s and 1950s.
Photo: Fiorenzo Niccoli, San Francisco Opera

Italian soprano Carmen Giannattasio, who is a brand ambassador for Bulgari, will be making her San Francisco Opera and role debuts as Tosca. The shoot took place at the Bulgari Domus on via Condotti in Rome and she is wearing Bulgari heritage jewels from the 1930s and 1950s.
Photo: Fiorenzo Niccoli, San Francisco Opera

Italian soprano Carmen Giannattasio, who is a brand ambassador for Bulgari, will be making her San Francisco Opera and role debuts as Tosca. The shoot took place at the Bulgari Domus on via Condotti in Rome and she is wearing Bulgari heritage jewels from the 1930s and 1950s.
Photo: Fiorenzo Niccoli, San Francisco Opera


Legendary artist Plácido Domingo returns to the War Memorial Opera House stage on Sunday, October 21 for a special concert that also features Puerto Rican soprano Ana María Martínez, Mexican tenor Arturo Chacón-Cruz and Spanish conductor Jordi Bernàcer leading the San Francisco Opera Orchestra. Tickets for this one-night-only event are sold out. 


Plácido Domingo
Photo: Kaori Suzuki


Richard Strauss’ romantic Arabella (October 16–November 3) returns to the repertory led by acclaimed German conductor Marc Albrecht in his premiere American operatic engagement. Soprano Ellie Dehn and baritone Brian Mulligan take on the roles of Arabella and Mandryka for the first time in a cast that also features soprano Heidi Stober, tenor Daniel Johansson in his Company debut and soprano Hye Jung Lee.


Strauss' "Arabella."
Photo: Michael Cooper

Strauss' "Arabella."
Photo: Michael Cooper

Strauss' "Arabella."
Photo: Michael Cooper


The 2018 Fall Season concludes with the West Coast premiere of Jake Heggie’s It’s a Wonderful Life (November 17–December 9). Based, in part, on Frank Capra’s beloved 1946 film and the story The Greatest Gift by Philip Van Doren Stern, this new work by the Bay Area composer of Dead Man Walking and Moby-Dick and set to a libretto by Gene Scheer will be staged during the holiday season in nine performances. 


Jake Heggie's "It's a Wonderful Life."
Photo: Karen Almond/Houston Grand Opera

Jake Heggie's "It's a Wonderful Life."
Photo: Karen Almond/Houston Grand Opera

Jake Heggie's "It's a Wonderful Life."
Photo: Karen Almond/Houston Grand Opera

Jake Heggie's "It's a Wonderful Life."
Photo: Karen Almond/Houston Grand Opera



What's Hot This Season

This Fall 2018 season is an exceptional one—with a new season of international conductors, and world-class artists. I love the mix of lyric opera, tragedy, romance, drama, history, intense emotion, wit and artistry.

I spoke exclusively to Jon Finck, longtime Director of Communications and Public Affairs, to get his insights and the inside scoop, for THE STYLE SALONISTE readers.



DDS: Top artists of major interest and their roles in the new season?
JF: Since all of the guest artists in the San Francisco Opera season are personally selected by the management, all of these singers bring enormous vocal and stage talent that has been applauded throughout the world. 

That said, the debuting artists to be on the watch for include the extraordinary Greek baritone Dimitri Platanias prominently featured in the opening double-bill of Cav/Pag. Mr Platanias has made a huge and positive impression on London audiences at Royal Opera, Covent Garden, and is one of the baritones to keep an eye on. Chief among the debuting singers is Italian soprano Carmen Giannattasio who joins the Company for her first Tosca. A winner of the 2002 Operalia Competition, Ms. Giannattasio is an extraordinary singer well regarded at La Scala, Naples, Rome, London, Madrid and at the New York Metropolitan. Known for her ever-changing look and hair styles, she is affectionately referred to by Plácido Domingo as “Lady Gaga” of the opera world and is a brand ambassador for Bulgari and the haute couture Milan fashion house of Antonio Riva. And in time for the holidays, don’t miss the Bay Area premiere of Jake Heggie’s It’s a Wonderful Life and the debut of acclaimed South African soprano Golda Schultz as Clara the angel.



DDS: Highlights of the season?
JF: What is so compelling about the new season under General Director Matthew Shilvock is the range of operatic works to be presented from classic favorites to new works to operas that have been absent from the War Memorial Opera House stage for many years. A personal highlight is Arabella by German composer Richard Strauss, a work of great beauty and lyrical grace set in romantic Vienna.



DDS: What may be the biggest blockbuster of the season?
JF: Hard to choose since this season’s repertory hasn’t been onstage in a while, but don’t miss the Company’s brand new production of Puccini’s drama Tosca, the Bay Area premiere of Jake Heggie’s It’s a Wonderful Life. Both have dramatic staging.



DDS: The Plácido Domingo concert in October is sold out! Months ago!
JF: Yes, tickets sold fast. Legendary Spanish singer Plácido Domingo returns to the War Memorial Opera House for a sold-out matinee concert on Sunday, October 21. Joining Mr. Domingo will be Puerto Rican soprano Ana María Martínez, Mexican tenor Arturo Chacón-Cruz and Spanish conductor Jordi Bernàcer leading the San Francisco Opera Orchestra in a program of opera arias, duets and orchestral works.

He is especially beloved in San Francisco for many reasons—but one in particular. In the title role of Verdi’s Moor, Otello, when Mr. Domingo saved the opening night in September 1983 filling in for an ailing tenor colleague. What made the “save” so famous was that he flew across the country the day of the performance arriving at the Opera House at 9.30 pm that night. The audience was waiting, seated. And with no rehearsal, Mr. Domingo jumped into costume and make-up, performed at the late hour of 10.00 pm. The applause was prolonged, dramatic, and heartfelt.



DDS: For those who want drama?
JF: It doesn’t get any more dramatic than the opening one-act operas Cavalleria Rusticana and Pagliacci, the very essence of the verismo style of opera. If this opera sounds, looks and feels like the real thing it’s because it is. Similar to Tosca and next summer’s Carmen, these operas are all about love, jealousy, betrayal, murder and revenge all sung to some of the most famous and recognizable opera music ever composed.



DDS: The new conductors? 
JF: The 2018–19 San Francisco Opera season will present eight conductors on the podium, one for each of the eight operas. Two of these conductors, Riccardo Frizza (Roberto Devereux) and Patrick Summers (It’s a Wonderful Life), are veteran maestros with San Francisco Opera and have long-established ties with the company. The other six are all making their debuts beginning with Italian conductor Daniele Callegari who will lead the double-bill of Cavalleria Rusticana and Pagliacci. Callegari is much in demand at the world’s leading opera houses and concert halls and has an extensive catalogue of recordings showcasing his brilliant talent. On the podium guiding the Company’s new presentation of Puccini’s Tosca will be notable British conductor Leo Hussain followed by the United States debut of critically acclaimed German conductor Marc Albrecht for a new to San Francisco production of Arabella by Richard Strauss. 


San Francisco War Memorial Opera House.
Photo: Joel Puliatti



CREDITS:

All photography courtesy San Francisco Opera.
Matthew Shilvock, General Director


INFORMATION AND TICKETS: 

www.sfopera.com
415-864-3330