The Dallas Opera's explosive second production of the 2014-2015 'Heights of Passion' Season is SALOME by Richard Strauss (whose libretto was based on Hedwig Lachmann's German translation of Oscar Wilde's play). SALOME, generally regarded as one of the masterpieces of the Late Romantic Era, opens on Thursday, October 30, 2014 at 7:30 p.m. in the Margot and Bill Winspear Opera House at the AT&T Performing Arts Center located in the Dallas Arts District.
San Francisco Opera General Director David Gockley and San Francisco Opera Association President Keith Geeslin today announced that Gockley will retire in July 2016, concluding a ten-year, seven-month tenure with the Company and capping an internationally acclaimed and award-winning career spanning 44 years as one of America's most prominent opera impresarios. Gockley, who will be 73 at the end of the 2015–16 season, became the Company's sixth general director when he joined San Francisco Opera in January 2006. Today's announcement was made at a War Memorial Opera House press conference.
Arrigo Boito's Mefistofele, in one of the most impressive productions ever seen at the War Memorial Opera House, comes to audiences on DVD and Blu-ray today, September 30, 2014 in San Francisco Opera's latest video release in partnership with EuroArts Music International.
The Merola Opera Program and the San Francisco Public Library Main Branch will present the second season of Merola Goes to the Movies, the free, opera-on-film series.
Arrigo Boito's Mefistofele, in one of the most impressive productions ever seen at the War Memorial Opera House, comes to audiences on DVD and Blu-ray on September 30, 2014 in San Francisco Opera's latest video release in partnership with EuroArts Music International.
The Merola Opera Program and the San Francisco Public Library Main Branch are pleased to present the second season of Merola Goes to the Movies, the free, opera-on-film series. Donizetti's powerful opera Anna Bolena will be screened this Sunday, September 21, at 1 pm in the Koret Auditorium at the San Francisco Public Library Main Branch (100 Larkin Street). Doors for first come seating open at 12:30 pm.
The Capitol Center for the Arts is pleased to announce that it will present 10 productions in next season's Met: Live in HD series, beginning with Verdi's Macbeth on Saturday, October 11, at. Single tickets for this series are on sale now for $26 Adults; $22 Seniors/Met/CCA Members; and $15 Students. Season subscriptions are also available at $208 Adults; $176 Seniors/Met/CCA Members; and $120 students.
Set in Tennessee around the time of the Dust Bowl, 'Susannah' takes its inspiration from a story in the book of Daniel. Composer Carlisle Floyd's decision to remove the original's redemptive prophet seems to condemn Christianity, but also gives his revised version the dramatic thrust needed to explore the human condition and turn out a masterpiece.
The Canadian Opera Company's beloved production of Puccini's heartbreaking masterpiece of love, longing and loss, Madama Butterfly, comes to the Four Seasons Centre for the Performing Arts this October. An exquisite production by Canadian theatrical legend Brian Macdonald, designed by Susan Benson with lighting by Michael Whitfield, the COC'sMadama Butterfly has become a Toronto favourite, playing to sold-out audiences at its 1990 premiere and subsequent revivals in 1994, 1998, 2003 and 2009. Madama Butterfly is sung in Italian with English SURTITLESTM and runs for 12 performances on October 10, 11, 15, 18, 19, 21, 22, 24, 26, 28, 30 and 31, 2014.
Tickets are now on sale for the 2014-15 season of The Met: Live in HD, the Metropolitan Opera's award-winning series of live transmissions into more than 2000 movie theaters and performing arts centers worldwide.
San Francisco Opera Guild presents an Insight Panel Discussion exploring Carlisle Floyd's iconic American opera Susannah. Insight Panels feature renowned cast and production team members, sharing behind-the-scenes experiences and inspirations during informal discussions. The Susannah Insight Panel provides the rare opportunity to learn about the opera directly from award-winning 88-year-old composer and librettist Carlisle Floyd. One of the foremost composers and librettists of opera in the United States, Floyd has written a total of 11 operas and is currently completing his twelfth. Joining Carlisle Floyd on the panel are San Francisco Opera General Director David Gockley, soprano Patricia Racette, director Michael Cavanagh and conductor Karen Kamensek. The discussion takes placeThursday, August 28 at 6 p.m. in the Concert Hall at San Francisco Conservatory of Music (50 Oak Street).
San Francisco Opera presents the Company premiere of Carlisle Floyd's two-act opera Susannah September 6 at the War Memorial Opera House. Soprano Patricia Racette returns to San Francisco Opera in her role debut as the innocent, strong-willed and falsely accused young woman Susannah Polk.
San Francisco Opera celebrates the opening of its 92nd Season on Friday, September 5, 2014 with a gala performance of Vincenzo Bellini's Norma, conducted by San Francisco Opera Music Director Nicola Luisotti and featuring an illustrious cast led by soprano Sondra Radvanovsky in the title role. The opening night festivities are highlighted by Opera Ball 2014: Passione, a benefit supporting the education programs of San Francisco Opera Guild and San Francisco Opera Education Department, and BRAVO! CLUB's Opening Night Gala.
The Warner Theatre has announced its 2014-2015 MetOpera: Live in HD Season which will feature 10 operas, 9 of which will be streaming live from the Metropolitan Opera, and 1 encore performance.
LA Opera will soon present the first full-scale production in this century of John Corigliano's grand opera buffa, one of the most acclaimed operas of our time. Extravagantly scaled, gloriously tuneful, supremely touching and yet uproariously entertaining, The Ghosts of Versailles turns history on its head as love attempts to alter the course of destiny. Running February 7- March 1, 2015, the production will feature direction by Tony winner Darko Tresnjak.
On September 13, LA Opera kicks off an exciting 2014/15 season with La Traviata. Following the success of the mesmerizingly beautiful Thais,Plácido Domingo and soprano Nino Machaidze come together once again in this Giuseppe Verdi classic under the baton of Music Director James Conlon. Maestro Conlon will also conduct our highly anticipatedFigaro Trilogy which follows the development of Figaro, one of opera's most famous characters, from barber to bridegroom to older-but-still-wily servant in Corigliano's The Ghosts of Versailles (Feb. 23-Mar. 1, 2015), Rossini's The Barber of Seville (Feb. 28-Mar. 22, 2015) and Mozart's The Marriage of Figaro (Mar. 21-Apr. 12, 2015).
The Glimmerglass Festival presents the premiere of a new version of An American Tragedy, which was originally commissioned by and premiered at the Metropolitan Opera in 2005, by composer Tobias Picker and librettist Gene Scheer on Sunday, July 20 at 1:30 p.m., with subsequent performances through Sunday, August 24. One hour prior to the opening performance and other matinee performances, Mr. Picker will preview his work in a free discussion at the Preview Pavilion next to the performance venue. The production is directed by Peter Kazaras and conducted by George Manahan, and the cast features Glimmerglass's 2014 Young Artists. Tickets range from $10-$144 and can be purchased by calling the box office at(607) 547-2255 or online at glimmerglass.org.
Center Stage Opera concludes its 2013-14 season with one of the most beloved operas of all-time, Puccini's Madama Butterfly. The tragic, tender story of a Japanese girl and and an American naval officer is told through one of Puccini's most poignant, moving scores.
Jerome Kern and Oscar Hammerstein II's Show Boat opens San Francisco Opera's Summer Season on June 1 with nine subsequent performances through July 2, 2014. A watershed of American musical theater, Show Boat receives its Company premiere in director Francesca Zambello's new grand-scale "beautifully sung, smartly staged and handsomely designed (Chicago Tribune)" production