#San francisco opera fall 2021 series#

The “Cosi fan Tutte” sisters Fiordiligi and Dorabella were sung respectively by Nicole Cabell and Irene Roberts, their suitors Ferrando and Guglielmo by Ben Bliss and John Brancy. The “Don Giovanni” will take place in the future.

#San francisco opera fall 2021 series#

The second in the series is this production of “Cosi fan Tutte”.Įach of the three productions (which include “Don Giovanni”, scheduled for June 2022) take place in a American Colonial-era mansion – “Figaro” around the American Revolution and “Cosi” in the 1930s when the house has been repurposed as a country club. In 2019, a San Francisco Opera Michael Cavanagh production of Mozart’s “The Marriage of Figaro” initiated a trio of new Cavanagh productions of Mozart operas with libretti by Lorenzo da Ponte. Anne-Marie Mackintosh and Christopher Oglesby were respectively Marzelline and Jacquino. Greer Grimsley was the villainous Don Pizzaro and James Creswell the Jailer Rocco. Russell Thomas was Fidelio’s husband, Florestan. Massive sets were created for the production by Andrew Nichols to give the appearance of a contemporary prison. South African soprano Elza van den Heever returned to the San Francisco Opera for the first time in 14 seasons, to take on the lead role in a new Michael Ozawa production of Beethoven’s “Fidelio”. Maestra Eun Sun Kim conducted, in her first assignment as assuming the role of San Francisco Opera Music Director. I reviewed the fifth and final performance, which included a surprise event during final curtain calls when the bass-baritone performing the Angelotti (Soloman Howard) proposed marriage to the Tosca (Ailyn Pérez) who accepted the proposal with the entire San Francisco Opera audience as witnesses. New Jersey tenor Michael Fabiano added the role of Mario Cavaradossi to his San Francisco Opera triumphs, as did Alfred Walker as the Baron Scarpia. Puccini’s “Tosca” has deep historical links with the San Francisco Opera’s War Memorial Opera House, being the opera chosen for the 1932 opening of the opera house, and for its re-opening after two disasters, the 1989 Loma Prieta Earthquake and the 2020-21 Covid-19 pandemic, forced its closure over lengthy periods.Īn illustrious cast was chosen for the War Memorial’s Fall 2021 reopening, led by Illinois soprano Ailyn Pérez’ impressive role debut as Tosca. (I do not use the performance review to discuss whether the company’s management should have chosen a different opera, different director, or different cast, but review whatever opera performances the company has chosen to present.)īased on these criteria, these are the ratings for 20: In previous calendar years, I have given grades as low as a “C”, but in the most recent years, “B” and “C” grades have been rare. In those cases in which I believe the performance was of more than routine interest (and excellence) I give an A+. programs, I do not grade “on a curve”, but, instead expect that a San Francisco Opera performance of any opera, like a seminar grade for a doctoral student, should be an “A”. Performances resumed in late August, 2021, under comprehensive public health protocols, that included proof of vaccination against Covid-19 and mask-wearing during the performances. Since the year 2006, I have reviewed each of the opera productions mounted by the San Francisco Opera in the War Memorial Opera House, providing each with a letter grade.Īs a consequence of the Covid-19 pandemics, all of the War Memorial Opera House performances scheduled in 2020 and in the first seven months of 2021 had to be canceled.