San Francisco Opera presents CHRISTMAS WITH SOL3 MIO

San Francisco Opera will present two concerts on the War Memorial Opera House stage during the last two weeks of its 2017 Fall Season. On Friday, December 1, multi-platinum New Zealand trio Sol3 Mio performs with the San Francisco Opera Orchestra conducted byRobert Mollicone in a holiday concert, Christmas with Sol3 Mio. One week later, on December 8, San Francisco Opera Center's 2017 Adler Fellows perform their final concert of the year, The Future Is Now, with American conductor James Gaffigan leading the San Francisco Opera Orchestra.

Known for their impassioned singing and brotherly bonhomie onstage, Sol3 Mio (pronounced "So-le Mio") features brothers and current San Francisco Opera Adler Fellow tenors Pene Pati and Amitai Pati, and their cousin baritone Moses Mackay. Multi-platinum album sales in New Zealand and performances in Australia, Japan, Europe and Hawaii have earned Sol3 Mio an enormous audience at home and abroad. The trio of Samoan artists, who bring classically trained voices and operatic credentials to a wide repertory, will be featured with the San Francisco Opera Orchestra in a program of favorite Christmas songs and operatic selections.

To celebrate the Sol3 Mio concert and toast the start of the holiday season, the courtyard between the War Memorial Opera House and Veterans Building will be transformed into the "HoliBevvies Lounge," an open-air esplanade with hot beverages, doughnuts, a food truck and heat lamps. Open to ticket holders and the general public on Friday, December 1 from 5-7:30 p.m., the "HoliBevvies Lounge" offers a warm and festive place to gather and enjoy neighborly cheer before the performance. Hot chocolate and hot apple cider, both in alcoholic and non-alcoholic versions, and mulled wine will be served by the Sharpshooter Traveling Cocktail Bar with one complimentary beverage per guest. Additionally, Del Popolo Pizza Truck will offer wood-fired pizzas and Johnny Doughnuts will have sweet treats and coffee for sale.

Inside the War Memorial Opera House, concert attendees are invited to enjoy the use of photo booths and meet the members of Sol3 Mio, who will sign copies of their new CD, Sol3 Mio: A Very Special Christmas, after the concert in the foyer of the Opera House.

On December 8, the 2017 Adler Fellows will be featured in The Future Is Now, a semi-staged concert accompanied by the San Francisco Opera Orchestra under the baton of Maestro James Gaffigan in his Company debut. The 2017 Adlers are sopranos Sarah Cambidge, Amina Edris and Toni Marie Palmertree; tenors Amitai Pati, Pene Pati and Kyle van Schoonhoven; baritone Andrew G. Manea; bass-baritone Brad Walker; bass Anthony Reed; and pianists John Elam and Jennifer Szeto. The program of arias and operatic scenes will be directed by current Adler Fellow Aria Umezawa. This will be the last appearance as Adler Fellows of outgoing artists Amina Edris, Toni Marie Palmertree, Pene Pati, Brad Walker, Anthony Reed and Jennifer Szeto.

Tickets for the Sol3 Mio concert on December 1 range from $20 to $100; visit sfopera.com/sol3mio. Tickets for The Future Is Now Adler Fellows concert range from $30 to $80; visit sfopera.com/futureisnow. Tickets can be purchased at sfopera.com, through the San Francisco Opera Box Office at 301 Van Ness Avenue and by phone at (415) 864-3330.

The War Memorial Opera House is located at 301 Van Ness Avenue at Grove Street. Patrons are encouraged to use public transportation to attend San Francisco Opera performances. The War Memorial Opera House is within walking distance of the Civic Center BART station and near numerous bus lines, including 5, 21, 47, 49 and the F Market Street. For more public transportation information, visit bart.gov and sfmta.com.