Ian Robertson News

San Francisco Opera presents Giuseppe Verdi's Aida in a new production directed by Francesca Zambello and featuring designs by Los Angeles-based, contemporary visual artist RETNA (Marquis Duriel Lewis). A co-production with Washington National Opera, Seattle Opera and Minnesota Opera, this striking and bold vision for Verdi's enduring classic will feature soprano Leah Crocetto and tenor Brian Jagde in their role debuts as the lovers at the heart of the opera, the enslaved princess Aida and the Egyptian war hero Radames. Mezzo-soprano Ekaterina Semenchuk is Amneris, the daughter of the king who desires Radames' love, baritone George Gagnidze portrays Aida's vengeful father, Amonasro, and bass Raymond Aceto is Ramfis. The international cast and San Francisco Opera Orchestra will be conducted by Company Music DirectorNicola Luisotti. Resident Conductor Jordi Bernàcer will conduct the final performance on December 6.Ian Robertson is Chorus Director.

Earlier today, San Francisco Opera added a new attraction to its fall 2016 Season with Out of the Sh

Earlier today, San Francisco Opera added a new attraction to its fall 2016 Season with Out of the Shadows, a special, one-night-only choral concert featuring the acclaimed 48-member San Francisco Opera Chorus on Saturday, November 19. Company Chorus Director Ian Robertson conducts the uplifting program of a cappella and accompanied choral works by Brahms, Debussy, Part, Whitacre and a set of spirituals, in the Diane B. Wilsey Center for Opera's Dianne and Tad Taube Atrium Theater.

The San Francisco Symphony's 2016 holiday season at Davies Symphony Hall offers a festive array of concerts for all ages, from its traditional Christmas classical concerts to classic pop vocalists Gladys Knight and Patti Austin performing with the Orchestra; favorite films like Singin' in the Rain, The Snowman, and a Rodgers and Hammerstein music and film night; family-friendly events like A Charlie Brown Christmas-Live!, the circus feats of Cirque de la Symphonie, and the Orchestra's annual Deck the Hall concerts for children.

San Francisco Opera's 2016-17 Season continues with ten performances of Giacomo Puccini's heartbreaking drama Madama Butterfly, November 6 through December 4 at the War Memorial Opera House. The cast will feature the much-anticipated American debut of young Italian tenor Vincenzo Costanzo as Lt. B.F. Pinkerton and return of Armenian soprano Lianna Haroutounian as the tragic heroine, Cio-Cio-San. Jun Kaneko's colorful and compelling production, last seen in San Francisco during the 2013-14 Season, will be directed by Leslie Swackhamer and Maestro Yves Abel conducts the San Francisco Opera Orchestra and Chorus.

San Francisco Opera presents Giuseppe Verdi's Aida in a new production directed by Francesca Zambello and featuring designs by Los Angeles-based, contemporary visual artist RETNA(Marquis Duriel Lewis). A co-production with Washington National Opera, Seattle Opera and Minnesota Opera, this striking and bold vision for Verdi's enduring classic will feature soprano Leah Crocetto and tenor Brian Jagde in their role debuts as the lovers at the heart of the opera, the enslaved princess Aida and the Egyptian war hero Radames. Mezzo-soprano Ekaterina Semenchuk is Amneris, the daughter of the king who desires Radames' love, baritoneGeorge Gagnidze portrays Aida's vengeful father, Amonasro, and bass Raymond Aceto is Ramfis. The international cast and San Francisco Opera Orchestra will be conducted by Company Music Director Nicola Luisotti. Resident Conductor Jordi Bernacer will conduct the final performance on December 6. Ian Robertson is Chorus Director.

San Francisco Opera's 2016-17 Season continues with Donizetti's Don Pasquale in six performances from September 28-October 15, 2016. After a 32-year absence from the Company's repertory, the sparkling comedy of cruel games and young love returns in Laurent Pelly's fanciful staging, which is a co-production with Santa Fe Opera and Barcelona's Gran Teatre del Liceu.

San Francisco Opera General Director Matthew Shilvock today announced the casting and schedule for the Company's summer 2018 presentations of Richard Wagner's Der Ring des Nibelungen (The Ring of the Nibelung). The four-opera cycle of Das Rheingold,Die Walkure, Siegfried and Gotterdammerung-widely considered the greatest and most ambitious work ever conceived for the lyric stage-will be presented in three complete cycles from June 12 through July 1, 2018. 

San Francisco Opera presents the world premiere of Chinese-American composer Bright Sheng's Dream of the Red Chamber, with a libretto by the composer and David Henry Hwang, in six performances from September 10-29, 2016. Commissioned by San Francisco Opera, the work is a co-production with the Hong Kong Arts Festival and will be performed March 17-18, 2017 at the Grand Theatre in the Hong Kong Cultural Centre as part of its 45th annual festival. Based on one of the quintessential works of world literature, Sheng and Hwang's opera explores the characters at the heart of Chinese author Cao Xueqin's 18th-century novel and communicates their story as a vivid musical and theatrical experience. 

SAN FRANCISCO (July 22, 2016)—San Francisco Opera's 2016–17 Season opens Today, September 9 with a gala performance of Umberto Giordano's Andrea Chénier in a new production by Sir David McVicar. Company Music Director Nicola Luisotti leads a stellar cast, including three international stars making their San Francisco Opera debuts in the demanding lead roles: South Korean tenor Yonghoon Lee in the title role, Italian soprano Anna Pirozzi as Maddalena di Coigny and Georgian baritone George Gagnidze as Carlo Gérard. The opening night festivities are distinguished by San Francisco Opera Guild's glamorous Opera Ball 2016: La Révolution et L'Amour and BRAVO! Club's Annual Opening Night Gala. The opening of the Company's 94th season also marks the beginning of Matthew Shilvock's inaugural season as General Director. Shilvock is the seventh General Director in the Company's history.

San Francisco Opera's 2016-17 Season opens Today, September 9 with a gala performance of Umberto Giordano's Andrea Chénier in a new production by Sir David McVicar.

San Francisco Opera's 2016-17 Season continues with Donizetti'sDon Pasquale in six performances from September 28-October 15, 2016. After a 32-year absence from the Company's repertory, the sparkling comedy of cruel games and young love returns in Laurent Pelly's fanciful staging, which is a co-production with Santa Fe Opera and Barcelona's Gran Teatre del Liceu. Maestro Giuseppe Finzi conducts the San Francisco Opera Orchestra, Chorus and a cast including bass-baritone Maurizio Muraro in the title role, soprano Heidi Stober as Norina, tenor Lawrence Brownlee in his Company debut as Ernesto and baritones Lucas Meachem and Edward Nelson as Dr. Malatesta.

San Francisco Opera presents the world premiere of Chinese-American composer Bright Sheng's Dream of the Red Chamber, with a libretto by the composer and David Henry Hwang, in six performances from September 10-29, 2016.

SAN FRANCISCO (July 22, 2016)—San Francisco Opera's 2016–17 Season opens Friday, September 9 with a gala performance of Umberto Giordano's Andrea Chénier in a new production by Sir David McVicar. Company Music Director Nicola Luisotti leads a stellar cast, including three international stars making their San Francisco Opera debuts in the demanding lead roles: South Korean tenor Yonghoon Lee in the title role, Italian soprano Anna Pirozzi as Maddalena di Coigny and Georgian baritone George Gagnidze as Carlo Gérard. The opening night festivities are distinguished by San Francisco Opera Guild's glamorous Opera Ball 2016: La Révolution et L'Amour and BRAVO! Club's Annual Opening Night Gala. The opening of the Company's 94th season also marks the beginning of Matthew Shilvock's inaugural season as General Director. Shilvock is the seventh General Director in the Company's history.

San Francisco Opera's 2016-17 Season opens Friday, September 9 with a gala performance of Umberto Giordano's Andrea Chénier in a new production by Sir David McVicar.

San Francisco Opera today announced plans to return to KQED 9 for the sixth season of spectacular opera and musical theater works featuring a roster of internationally renowned singers, conductors, directors and designers, all recorded live in high-definition from the War Memorial Opera House.

San Francisco Opera today announced plans to return to KQED 9 for the sixth season of spectacular opera and musical theater works featuring a roster of internationally renowned singers, conductors, directors and designers, all recorded live in high-definition from the War Memorial Opera House.

San Francisco Opera partners again with Sundance Kabuki Cinemas to present the latest installment of the San Francisco Opera Grand Opera Cinema Series for winter 2016.

San Francisco Opera General Director David Gockley and Music Director Nicola Luisotti today announced the Company's 2016–17 Season repertory and roster of international guest artists, conductors and creative teams scheduled to appear at the War Memorial Opera House, as well as initial programming for SF Opera Lab 2017 presentations at the Diane B. Wilsey Center for Opera's Taube Atrium Theater. The Company's 94th Season will also mark Matthew Shilvock's inaugural year as San Francisco Opera's new general director, succeeding his mentor and internationally respected impresario, David Gockley, who will step down on July 31, 2016.

San Francisco Opera today announced cast changes for the Company's new production of Gaetano Donizetti's Lucia di Lammermoor, presented October 8–28, 2015, and for Mozart's The Magic Flute, presented October 20–November 20, at the War Memorial Opera House.