Festival Opera Launches Salon Series And New Musical Residency At Historic Hotel Mac

Festival Opera will continue its 2025 season with the launch of a new Salon Series—a trio of artist-curated, Sunday afternoon chamber concerts designed to showcase intimate vocal performances in a close-up setting. The series runs July 27, August 24, and September 28 at the Piedmont Center for the Arts, with all performances beginning at 4 p.m.

Each program highlights acclaimed Bay Area singers performing rarely heard repertoire alongside celebrated instrumentalists. A post-show reception with the artists follows each performance.

“We’re thrilled to explore a broader variety of vocal music through this new series,” said Festival Opera General Director Zachary Gordin. “Our audiences can expect unforgettable performances from artists at the height of their craft in a venue that brings them closer to the music than ever before.”

Salon Series at Piedmont Center for the Arts

• Baroque Queens (July 27): Mezzo-soprano Nikola Printz joins musicians Joshua Mikus-Mahoney (cello), Jon Mendle (theorbo and Baroque guitar), and Zachary Gordin (harpsichord) for a program of dramatic works by Monteverdi, Handel, Purcell, and more.

• American Song Cycles (August 24): Soprano Carrie Hennessey and pianist Daniel Lockert perform Jake Heggie’s At the Statue of Venus and Julia Seeholzer’s Portraits of Disquiet, exploring themes of reflection and resilience.

• Bel Canto Forever (September 28): Soprano Shawnette Sulker and contralto Sara Couden perform dazzling Bel Canto arias and duets by Rossini, Bellini, Delibes, and Meyerbeer, with Gordin at the piano.

Tickets are $40 and available at festivalopera.org. The Piedmont Center for the Arts is located at 801 Magnolia Avenue, Piedmont, CA.

Festival Opera at the Mac: “First Fridays” Series

In addition to the Salon Series, Festival Opera has announced a new musical residency at the historic Hotel Mac in Point Richmond. The company will present monthly First Fridays at the newly renovated Biancoverde Restaurant—casual operatic performances featuring Bay Area favorites singing selections from opera, Broadway, and more.

Upcoming dates include August 1, September 5, October 3, November 7, and December 5 from 6:30–8:30 p.m. There is no cover charge, but reservations are recommended. Visit festivalopera.org/at-the-mac for details.

La Traviata at the Lesher Center, October 24 & 26

Festival Opera’s 2025 season concludes with a semi-staged co-production of Verdi’s La Traviata with Diablo Symphony Orchestra, conducted by Music Director Matilda Hofman. Performances will take place Friday, October 24 at 7:30 p.m. and Sunday, October 26 at 2:00 p.m. at the Lesher Center’s Hofmann Theater.

The cast includes soprano Jamie Chamberlin (Violetta) and tenor Nathan Granner (Alfredo), a real-life couple, alongside Zachary Gordin (Germont), Courtney Miller, Sonia Gariaeff, Taylor Thompson, Joseph Calzada, Liam Daley, and Chung-Wai Soong. The opera will be sung in Italian with projected English supertitles.