Alek Shrader News

The audited financial results for San Francisco Opera's 2013–14 season (FY14) were announced today by San Francisco Opera Association President Keith Geeslin: a deficit of $348,244 on an operating budget of $74,119,493. The Company's 91st season presented eight main stage works at the War Memorial Opera House in addition to numerous concerts, recitals, workshops and community engagement events attracting more than 271,954 individuals.

Opera Philadelphia's 41st Season serves as a reminder that the company is, as The Washington Post reports, “taking chances, offering unusual and new work along with repertory staples, and carving out a place for themselves as proponents of American opera.” As General Director & President David B. Devan and Jack Mulroney Music Director Corrado Rovarisannounced today, the carefully curated 2015-2016 lineup offers two new American operas: the East Coast Premiere of Cold Mountain, by composer Jennifer Higdon and librettist Gene Scheer and starring the dream team of Nathan Gunn, Isabel Leonard, and Jay Hunter Morris (February 2016); and the World Premiere of ANDY: A Popera, a Warhol-inspired opera-cabaret featuring a score by Dan Visconti and original songs by Heath Allen (September 2015).

SAN FRANCISCO, February 4, 2015 – Twenty-three singers, five apprentice coaches, and one apprentice stage director, representing seven countries, will participate in the 58th season of the Merola Opera Program from June 8 to August 22, San Francisco Opera Center Director Sheri Greenawald announced today. More than 800 artists vied this year for the 29 coveted spots in the highly selective summer opera training program. Nearly one third of this season's artists come from countries outside the United States, including artists from Australia, China, Italy, New Zealand, Russia and South Korea, and the US artists hail from 15 states, including California, New York, Illinois, Michigan, Florida, Texas, Georgia, Pennsylvania, and Idaho.

San Francisco Opera Center and the Merola Opera Program present the 33rd season of the Schwabacher Debut Recitals, beginning February 8, 2015 with soprano Erin Johnson and pianist Sun Ha Yoon at Temple Emanu-El's Martin Meyer Sanctuary in San Francisco.

Handel's sensuous and sparkling opera Semele is coming to McCaw Hall for the first time this February. Composed to an English-language libretto, this Greek myth tells the story of a mortal woman, Semele, who aspires to live among the “beautiful people”—that is, to become a goddess. Abducted by Jupiter, king of the gods, Semele believes she has found endless love (not to mention endless pleasure!) in the divine realm. But dancing with the deities proves dangerous; Juno, Jupiter's jealous wife, will make this mere mortal pay dearly for her ambition and vanity in an opera that is both comic and tragic.

Beginning New Year's Eve, Renée Fleming has returned to the stage in her first-ever performances of 'Hanna Glawari', the title role in Lehár's THE MERRY WIDOW, at the Met. Five-time Tony Award winner Susan Stroman makes her Met debut as director and choreographer of this new production of the comic operetta, which also reunites Nathan Gunn (Danilo) and five-time Tony nominee Kelli O'Hara (Valencienne). Let's see what the critics had to say...

Renee Fleming will add a new role to her extensive repertory when she sings her first-ever performances of Hanna Glawari, the title role in Lehar's The Merry Widow, at the Met this season. Four-time Tony Award winner Susan Stroman makes her Met debut as director and choreographer of a new production of the comic operetta, in which a wealthy widow's countrymen launch a romantic plot to keep her -- and her tax dollars -- within their borders.

Renée Fleming will add a new role to her extensive repertory when she sings her first-ever performances of Hanna Glawari, the title role in Lehár's The Merry Widow, at the Met this season. Four-time Tony Award winner Susan Stroman makes her Met debut as director and choreographer of a new production of the comic operetta, in which a wealthy widow's countrymen launch a romantic plot to keep her -- and her tax dollars -- within their borders.

Renée Fleming will add a new role to her extensive repertory when she sings her first-ever performances of Hanna Glawari, the title role in Lehár's The Merry Widow, at the Met this season. Four-time Tony Award winner Susan Stroman makes her Met debut as director and choreographer of a new production of the comic operetta, in which a wealthy widow's countrymen launch a romantic plot to keep her -- and her tax dollars -- within their borders.

Renée Fleming will add a new role to her extensive repertory when she sings her first-ever performances of Hanna Glawari, the title role in Lehár's The Merry Widow, at the Met this season. Four-time Tony Award winner Susan Stroman makes her Met debut as director and choreographer of a new production of the comic operetta, in which a wealthy widow's countrymen launch a romantic plot to keep her -- and her tax dollars -- within their borders.

San Francisco Opera presents the Company premiere of George Frideric Handel's comedy Partenope in six performances October 15-November 2, 2014 at the War Memorial Opera House. Winner of London's 2009 Olivier Award for 'Best New Production,' this production is directed by Christopher Alden with sets designed by Andrew Lieberman. Set in 1920s Paris, the production's surrealist aesthetic is inspired by the artwork of Dadaist Man Ray. Lyric soprano and baroque specialist Danielle de Niese stars in the title role opposite leading countertenor David Daniels, who thrilled audiences in 2011's Xerxes, as her suitor Arsace. Argentinean mezzo-soprano Daniela Mack is the crafty Rosmira, Arsace's scorned lover who attempts to use a cross-dressing disguise to enact her revenge. Countertenor Anthony Roth Costanzo makes his Company debut as another of Partenope's admirers, Armindo, and tenor Alek Shrader is Emilio. Grammy-nominated American conductor Julian Wachner makes his San Francisco Opera debut with these performances.

The Met: Live in HD, the Metropolitan Opera's award-winning series of live transmissions to more than 2,000 movie theaters in 65 countries around the world, will feature ten operas in the 2014-15 season, including all six new productions in the Met season. All ten performances, transmitted live from the Met stage, will feature the world's finest singers, conductors, and theatrical artists.

San Francisco Opera Guild presents an Insight Panel discussion exploring George Frideric Handel's comic opera Partenope. Insight Panels feature renowned cast and production team members sharing behind-the-scenes experiences and inspirations during moderated discussions.

San Francisco Opera presents the Company premiere of George Frideric Handel's comedy Partenope in six performances October 15-November 2, 2014 at the War Memorial Opera House.

San Francisco Opera today announced that Grammy-nominated American conductor Julian Wachner will make his San Francisco Opera debut conducting George Frideric Handel's Partenope, presented October 15–November 2, 2014 at the War Memorial Opera House. Mr. Wachner replaces British conductor Christian Curnyn, who has withdrawn from the production for personal reasons. Check out a look at the cast below!

At a time when things seem challenging for opera, the Santa Fe Opera holds strong. Santa Fe is among the oldest opera festivals in America and is the largest and most important. It has made its reputation as a distinctive company with a flair for the unusual. This summer they presented operas such as “Dr. Sun Yat-Sen” by Huang Ruo, and Beethoven's “Fidelio.”

The Dallas Opera has announced the result of this year's balloting for the 2014 “Maria Callas Debut Artist of the Year” Award: American mezzo-soprano Isabel Leonard, who made a dazzling Dallas Opera stage debut as the headstrong-yet-lovable Rosina in our season finale, Rossini's The Barber of Seville.

Ten artists have been nominated and thousands of subscribers will soon be casting their vote for this year's winner of the prestigious 'Maria Callas Debut Artist of the Year' Award. The Dallas Opera bestows this award annually to the performer who makes the most unforgettable impression onstage in their company debut. The winner will be announced at the annual Dallas Opera Board and Trustee Appreciation Dinner tonight, May 22, 2014 in the Crescent Ballroom of the Rosewood Crescent Hotel, 400 Crescent Court in Uptown Dallas.

Interim General Director Plato Karayanis and Artistic Director Tobias Picker announce OPERA San Antonio's inaugural season as the Resident Opera Company of the new Tobin Center for the Performing Arts. OPERA San Antonio will present three new productions for the 2014-15 season: Tobias Picker's Fantastic Mr. Fox, Richard Strauss's Salome and a double bill of Ermanno Wolf- Ferrari's Il segreto di Susanna and La voix humaine by Francis Poulenc.

Ten artists have been nominated and thousands of subscribers will soon be casting their vote for this year's winner of the prestigious “Maria Callas Debut Artist of the Year” Award. The Dallas Opera bestows this award annually to the performer who makes the most unforgettable impression onstage in their company debut. The winner will be announced at the annual Dallas Opera Board and Trustee Appreciation Dinner on Thursday, May 22, 2014 in the Crescent Ballroom of the Rosewood Crescent Hotel, 400 Crescent Court in Uptown Dallas.