BOHÈME OUT OF THE BOX to Tour Multiple Cities This April
The free afternoon performances will take place in outdoor locations in San Francisco and more.
San Francisco Opera takes opera out of the opera house and into Bay Area communities for the fourth season of Bohème Out of the Box. The very first opera to be presented by San Francisco Opera 103 years ago, La Bohème—Giacomo Puccini's beloved opera of love and loss among a group of bohemian artists—will be performed in an intimate one-hour version on a converted shipping-container stage with piano accompaniment.
The free afternoon performances will take place in outdoor locations in San Francisco (Crane Cove Park, April 11 & 12), Emeryville (Christie Park, April 18), Oakland (Henry J. Kaiser Center for the Arts, April 19), Woodside (Filoli Historic House & Garden, April 22), and Concord (Todos Santos Plaza, April 25 & 26). Families with young children are invited to participate in free First Act workshops prior to all performances.
The Bohème Out of the Box cast features current and former San Francisco Opera Adler Fellows Alexa Frankian (Mimì), Edward Graves (Rodolfo), Sofia Gotch (Musetta), Gabriel Natal-Báez (Marcello), James McCarthy (Colline), Olivier Zerouali (Schaunard) and Eugene Brancoveanu (Benoit/Alcindoro), with Adler Fellow pianists Ji Youn Lee and Brian Cho. The creative and technical team includes Jose Maria Condemi (Stage Director), Cassandra Carpenter (Costume Consultant) and Ryan O'Steen (Set Coordinator). The opera is sung in Italian; live English translations will be available online and accessible in real-time on personal mobile devices. English and Spanish translations for the sung text and opera synopsis are also available at sfopera.com/box.
Launched in 2023 as part of San Francisco Opera's Centennial Season, Bohème Out of the Box has taken La Bohème's powerful emotions and soaring music to South San Francisco, Los Gatos, Dublin, Burlingame, Alameda, Albany, Union City, Sausalito, San Ramon, Los Altos Hills and Hayward, and to Silicon Valley for staff performances at tech and corporate campuses.
San Francisco Opera's 2025–26 Season continues this summer at the War Memorial Opera House with Gioachino Rossini's immortal comedy The Barber of Seville (May 28–June 21) featuring two brilliant casts; Richard Strauss' Elektra (June 7–27), a staggering work requiring one of the largest pit orchestras in the repertoire and powerful singing artists; the popular half-opera, half-party The Barber of Seville Encounter (June 17); and the annual Pride Concert (June 26) celebrating the LGBTQIA+ community. For more information, visit sfopera.com.
FREE FIRST ACT FAMILY WORKSHOPS
Families with young children are invited to participate in free First Act family workshops 30 minutes prior to all performances of Bohème Out of the Box. Explore Puccini's La Bohème and get to know the passionate artists in the story. Bring along a favorite stuffed-animal friend and dance to “Musetta's Waltz,” one of the most famous melodies in all of opera.
BOHÈME OUT OF THE BOX — APRIL 2026
BOHÈME OUT OF THE BOX runs approximately 60 minutes with no intermission and features piano accompaniment. Performed by San Francisco Opera Adler Fellows and guest artists in Italian. Live English translations will be available via personal mobile devices. English and Spanish translations for the sung text and opera synopsis are also available at sfopera.com/box.
FIRST ACT WORKSHOPS: Families with young children are invited to participate in free First Act workshops 30 minutes before showtime at all Bohème Out of the Box performances.
REGISTRATION: Bohème Out of the Box is a free event. Registration at sfopera.com/box is encouraged for all venues but is not required, except for Filoli Historic House & Garden in Woodside, where advance registration is required (please see below for more information).
ADMISSION/SEATING is on a first-come, first-served basis.
FOOD AND BEVERAGES will be available for purchase at many of the locations or nearby, and audiences are welcome to bring their own food and beverages.
In the event of inclement weather, these outdoor performances may be cancelled or delayed. Register at sfopera.com/box to receive updates or follow @sfopera on Instagram and Facebook. Casting and schedule subject to change. For more information, visit sfopera.com/box.
Please plan for the weather and bring layers or sun hats and sun protection, accordingly.
Videos