SAN FRANCISCO OPERA

“I Feel Immersed in Music”

Vo l u m e I V • S u m m e r 2 0 1 3

S i t t i n g D o w n w i t h L i f e l o n g O p e r a L o v e r C a r o l F r a n c B u c k

CurtainB E H I N D T H E

A PUBL ICATION EXCLUSIVELY FOR SAN FRANCISCO OPERA CONTRIBUTORS

“I am grateful to

Bay Area audiences

for welcoming

American works into

the operatic canon.”

– David Gockley General Director

Let te r f rom

Dav id Gock ley

on page two

C arol Franc Buck owes a debt of gratitude to a group of ladies from the Sacramento Val-ley. So does San Francisco Opera. “I grew

up in Vacaville,” she explains. “Way back when, it was all ranching country. Some of the local ladies had season tickets to San Francisco Opera, and never missed a perfor-mance. When I was a teen-ager they started to bring me along.” Those early experiences evolved into a lifelong love of music that is disarmingly genu-ine — and utterly infectious. Later in life Ms. Buck found herself with the financial where- withal to support the art form she loved. She has been on the Opera’s Board of Directors since 1981, and the Carol Franc Buck Foundation has been support-ing various artistic endeavors for over 25 years. “It seems like the thing to do at this point in my life,” she remarks. “I mean, what else are you going to do? The kids have fled the nest. I’ve got some means. Opera has brought me so much pleasure. It’s only natural to want to give back.” Ms. Buck has provided lead support for San Francisco Opera productions such as the world premiere of A Streetcar Named Desire (1998), Kat’a Kabanova (2001-02), The Girl of the Golden West (2009-10), and Moby-Dick (2012-13). “I fund whatever speaks to me,” she says simply. “It’s al-ways a bit of a calculated risk, I suppose. Some things turn out better than others. But the impor-tant thing is to support the effort — to help things

get done. When the curtain rises it’s always a thrill to see the result.” Over the years, Ms. Buck has found herself particularly drawn to new works. In the process,

she has grown close to several living composers, including Carlisle Floyd and Jake Heg-gie. “The art form is alive and well,” she beams. “I’m inspired by so much of what is being written these days. Moby-Dick to me was perfect, both musically and visually.” “When I think about it,” she continues, “I realize that I’ve been fortunate to meet some fascinating singers and com-posers along the way.” “I feel immersed in music,” Ms. Buck observes. “Maybe it’s a gene that runs in the family. My niece [soprano Heather Buck] is an opera singer, and

my son [Christian Erdman] is on the Board of the San Fran-cisco Conservatory of Music.” “It’s up to those of us who love opera to support it,” Ms.

Buck concludes. “The same could be said of any art. We have to do it for ourselves, and out of a sense of community. Opera doesn’t exist other-wise. It doesn’t just walk down the street! For-tunately, the Bay Area has a reputation for gener-ously supporting the arts, and I’m happy to do what I can.”

If you would like to become a production spon-sor at San Francisco Opera, contact Andrew Mor-gan at (415) 565-3266 or amorgan@sfopera.com.

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“It’s up to those of

us who love opera to

support it.”

Carol Franc Buck

PA G E 2

DEAR FRIEND OF SAN FRANCISCO OPERA

This issue of Behind the Curtain highlights our ef-forts to present new operas, especially works by Ameri-can composers. In 2013, San Francisco Op-era will stage no fewer than three new operas by living composers. In March, we collaborated with Cal Performances on a new family piece by Nolan Gasser, based on the beloved book familiar to children everywhere, The Secret Garden. The op-era delighted children in attendance, and is al-ready being considered by other companies. As I write these words, we are rehearsing a profoundly moving new opera for our summer season, The Gospel of Mary Magdalene, by Mark Adamo. Drawing from ancient texts and modern scholarship, this opera re-imagines the role of the woman who may have been Jesus’ most de-voted disciple. And in our upcoming fall season, we will present Dolores Claiborne, a devastatingly powerful new work by Tobias Picker, featuring Dolora Zajick in the title role. It may be a record for a large opera company to mount three new commissions in just seven months. But it is also a testament to the intel-ligence, stamina and professionalism of our staff to pull off this amazing feat, given the complex creative process required to produce a new op-era, and Byzantine rounds of technical and artis-

tic rehearsals. This issue will spotlight some talented individuals as they approach these works for the first time, including our Mag-dalene herself, Sasha Cooke, and Ian Rob-ertson, our longtime Chorus Director. We just announced a partnership with Eu-roArts Music International, a leading distrib-utor of classical programming to internation-al television and home video. We couldn’t be more excited about beaming San Francisco Opera productions out to a digital media-sphere that spans the globe. Our new inter-national partner is especially delighted by the unique content that we provide. Thanks to our onsite Koret-Taube Media Suite, we can deliver not only beautiful recordings of the classics, but also an American opera reper-tory in demand with international audiences. It has been said that we are in a golden age for American opera. For San Francisco Op-era, a company long known for the classics, achieving the right balance between tradi-tion and innovation is essential. I am grate-ful to Bay Area audiences for welcoming American works into the operatic canon. And I am grateful beyond measure to generous donors like you, who make it all possible.

David GockleyG E N E R A L D I R E C T O R

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S U M M E R 2 0 1 3 , I S S U E N O . 8

Behind the Curtain is a publication for contributors

to San Francisco Opera.

EDITORS:

E l izabeth Hounshel lJudith Frankel

WRITER:

Mark Hernandezwww.blazingstage.com

DESIGN:

Janette Cavecchewww.cavecchegraphics.com

David GockleyGeneral Director

Nicola LuisottiMusic Director

Behind the Curtain is published semi-annually by the Development Department at San Francisco Opera. If you have any address changes or would prefer not to receive this publication please contact:

San Francisco OperaDevelopment Department

301 Van Ness AvenueSan Francisco, CA 94102

C O N TA C T U S :

General Member: (415) 565-6416

Medallion Society Information: (415) 565-6401

Donor Benefits Hotline: (415) 551-6308

membership@sfopera.com

Visit us on the web at:sfopera.com

C O M PA N Y S P O N S O R SAnn and Gordon Getty Foundation

John A. and Cynthia Fry GunnFranklin and Catherine Johnson

Mrs. Edmund W. LittlefieldBernard and Barbro Osher

Jan Shrem and Maria Manetti Shrem

S E A S O N S P O N S O R

CORPORATE PARTNERS

San Francisco Opera is supported, in part, by a grant from Grants for the Arts/San Francisco Hotel Tax Fund

PA G E 3

P ortraying an historical-religious figure on the stage can be a risky proposition. Fortunately Sasha Cooke is up to the challenge. The mezzo-soprano, creating the title role of The Gospel of

Mary Magdalene, has made a name for herself with new and unusual operas. “I love the difficult stuff,” she asserts. “When people come to a performance not knowing what to expect, you can touch their lives in surprising ways. Performing new music is living on the musical edge. I find it exhilarating.” Mary Magdalene is perhaps her most high-profile assignment to date, and Sasha has been preparing accordingly. “With a role of this size and meaning,” she remarks, “it has to have time to cook. Mark [Adamo] has been sending me music for over a year now which is a huge help. I think I email Mark more than anyone else.” She has been as meticulous with her dramatic preparation. “I’ve done a lot of reading and collected artwork,” she reveals. “I’ve also been meditating on her life, and keeping a journal of my thoughts. Mark has created a clear vision, but I have a lot of artistic freedom because this person is largely unknown to us.” Sasha’s enthusiasm for the score is palpable. “It’s quite lyrical. There are plenty of crunchy, harmonic passages, but all of the principals have moments of gorgeous melody. I can’t say that about a lot of the new music I’ve done. Mark has a great understanding of singers. The subject is close to his heart too, and that can’t help but be reflected in the writing. Every time I rehearse the resurrection scene I have a hard time not tearing up. He has truly captured that event in music.” The subject matter may raise eyebrows. “In terms of my performance,” Sasha offers, “I want people to be moved. I want them to see Mary for who she was: a strong and complex person. And if people find themselves concerned by the subject matter, I want them at least to

Sasha Cooke as Mary Magdalene.

E X P E R I E N C E T H E R E N A I S S A N C E

reflect on why.” Sasha continues, “at one point Mary sings, ‘we reach for something higher, but does that have to mean that desire has no

place?’ Is it so inconceivable that these historical figures might have experienced sensuality in their lives? Why should we be opposed to the very idea? Sensuality adds to the degree of their sacrifice. It gives them human dimension, something to lose, as well as the pain suffered.”

P R O F I L E

Becoming Mary MagdaleneI n C o n v e r s a t i o n w i t h S a s h a C o o k e

“Performing new

music i s l iv ing on the

mus ica l edge. I f ind

i t exh i larat ing.”

The Gospel of Mary Magdalene is the kind of exciting new work made possible by Camerata. These visionary donors are defining the future of San Francisco Opera by underwriting great singers, signature productions and audience development initiatives. Camerata donors enjoy unprecedented access to the creative process, and help ensure that San Francisco Opera forges a path to an exciting future.

For more information about participating in Camerata, contact Andrew Morgan, Director of Leadership Gifts, at (415) 565-3266.

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Sasha Cooke

J O I N C A M E R ATA

W hen David Gockley arrived at San Francisco Opera in 2006, he took the reins of a company

with an extraordinary classical legacy. San Francisco has long been an impor-tant stop for great traditional singers like Pavarotti and Domingo. It has provided fertile training ground for the likes of Netrebko and Graham, and launched Ring careers for Flagstad, Melchior, and Stemme. For much of its history, it has been a European-style opera house in the grandest sense. Prior to David’s arrival, the company had commissioned fewer than ten new operas in its entire history. Yet several recent works, Dead Man Walking (2000) and Doctor Atomic (2005), were already becoming part of the broader operatic repertoire. The selection of Gockley as San Francisco Opera’s sixth general director assured a shift toward a different balance of old and new.

“Opera is such a rich art form, it will always speak to the stories that bind us as human beings,” David says. “Mimi’s tragic deterioration, Alberich’s greed – these are classic situations that will always stir our emotions. But American stories have resonance too.”

In his previous 34 years as general director of Houston Grand Opera, David made Houston a showplace for works by American compos-ers: Carlisle Floyd’s Susannah, John Adams’ Nixon in China, Mark Adamo’s Little Women,

the Gershwins’ Porgy and Bess. “Long ago, I decided to make a case for the American repertory in opera,” he says. David continued this vision in San Francisco. From Appomattox (2007) by Philip Glass to Dolores Claiborne, Tobias Picker’s opera based on the Stephen King novel appearing on our stage this fall, San Francisco Opera will have commissioned or co-commissioned nearly as many new

“Long ago, I decided

to make a case for

the American

repertory in opera.”

MAJOR NEW AND AMERICAN

WORKS SPONSORS

We are deeply grateful to the following contributors for

their substantial underwriting for new and American works

at San Francisco Opera:

Carol Franc Buck Foundation A Streetcar Named Desire (1998)

Moby-Dick (2012)

Mrs. Roberta ElliottDoctor Atomic (2005)

The Bonesetter’s Daughter (2008)Nixon in China (2012)

John A. and Cynthia Fry GunnAppomattox (2007)

The Bonesetter’s Daughter (2008)Porgy and Bess (2009)

Heart of a Soldier (2011)Moby-Dick (2012)

National Endowment for the ArtsDoctor Atomic (2005)

Appomattox (2007)The Bonesetter’s Daughter (2008)

Heart of a Soldier (2011)The Gospel of Mary Magdalene (2013)

Dolores Claiborne (2013)

The Andrew W. Mellon FoundationThe Bonesetter’s Daughter (2008)

Nixon in China (2012)The Gospel of Mary Magdalene (2013)

Dolores Claiborne (2013)

Phyllis C. WattisThe Dangerous Liaisons (1994)

A Streetcar Named Desire (1998)Dead Man Walking (2000)

Opera as an American Art Form

The Bonesetter’s Daughter

Heart of a Soldier

A Streetcar Named Desire

Appomattox

Doctor Atomic

PA G E 4

Photos by Ken Fr iedman, Betsy Kershner, Ter rence McCar thy, Mar ty Soh l and Cory Weaver

D a v i d G o c k l e y R e f l e c t s o n N e w C o m m i s s i o n s i n S a n F r a n c i s c o

operas in David’s tenure as the company did in the 83 years prior to his arrival. It also has and will continue to mount major productions of beloved American titles like Porgy and Bess and Show Boat. Why new works? Aren’t they financial-ly risky? How do they fit in a company rooted in the classics? Do American stories succeed in an essentially European art form? Will they survive as opera? “In San Francisco, we have a large opera company in a community with a broad spectrum of tastes,” David says. “Our internationally famous music director, Nicola Luisotti, delivers thrilling perfor-mances of classic repertoire that fill the opera house. And contrary to expectation, it is our Tosca, Butterfly and Turandot that attract the most newcomers.” But there are also discerning opera-goers who thrive on a varied diet of both the classics and new works. David fervently believes in the vitality of new works on the operatic stage, not only in the United States but on international stages as well. In fact,

W O R L D P R E M I E R E S :

1 9 6 1Blood Moon – Norman Dello Joio

1 9 7 6Angle of Repose – Andrew Imbrie

Meeting Mr. Ives – Charles Ives

1 9 9 4The Dangerous Liaisons – Conrad Susa

1 9 9 8A Streetcar Named Desire – André Previn

2 0 0 0Dead Man Walking – Jake Heggie

2 0 0 1Arshak II – Tigran Chukhadjian

2 0 0 5Doctor Atomic – John Adams

2 0 0 7Appomattox – Philip Glass

2 0 0 8The Bonesetter’s Daughter – Stewart Wallace

2 0 1 1Heart of a Soldier – Christopher Theofanidis

2 0 1 3The Secret Garden – Nolan Gasser

The Gospel of Mary Magdalene – Mark Adamo

Dolores Claiborne – Tobias Picker

O T H E R C O - C O M M I S S I O N S :

Harvey Milk – Stewart Wallace WORLD PREMIERE: Houston Grand, January 1995 SFO PREMIERE: November 1996

Moby-Dick – Jake HeggieWORLD PREMIERE: Dallas Opera, April 2010 SFO PREMIERE: October 2012

SAN FRANCISCO OPERA PREMIERES

David Gockley with Kevin Newbury, director of The Gospel of Mary Magdalene .

the company’s embrace of new opera titles has inspired Maestro Luisotti to champion a new work, Two Women (La Ciociara), by Italian composer Marco Tutino, premiering on our stage in 2015. There is plenty of evidence that these efforts will be more than worthwhile. “San Francisco Opera took a chance in 2000 and premiered Dead Man Walking, by an unknown composer named Jake Heggie. Since then, this opera has been seen all over the U.S., in Australia, Canada and throughout Europe. It is one of the most successful new operas of our time,” David says. “So when Jake asked us to co-produce Moby-Dick, it did not seem like a risky proposition,” he says. By the time Moby-Dick played in San Francisco last fall, it had already delighted thousands of opera-goers in Dallas, San Diego, Adelaide and Calgary. Millions more will see it on November 1 on PBS’s Great Performances, and other opera companies are interested in staging it. Other American works have succeed-ed at San Francisco Opera. Recent runs of Bonesetter’s Daughter (2008) and Porgy and Bess (2009) played to over 90% capa-city audiences. San Francisco Opera is not the only American company commissioning new works. This year, exciting new titles are appearing in Minneapolis, St. Louis and Santa Fe. Other companies in the area are also staging interesting opera pro-ductions, including Opera Parallèle in San Francisco. David Gockley couldn’t be more delight-ed. “I’ve never been more optimistic about the future of opera. We’re in a golden age!”

Opera as an American Art Form

Porgy and Bess.

Heart of a Soldier

Dead Man Walking

Moby Dick

PA G E 5

The Secret Garden

Dangerous Liaisons

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PA G E 6

In the Gockley era, San Francisco Opera has produced more new works than at any other time in its history. The Secret

Garden, our March 2013 co-production with Cal Performances, was the company’s first-ever new commission family opera. One enthusiast of this project was Teresa Medearis, San Francisco Opera board member since 2010. Along with her board colleague Soo Venkatesan, Teresa has long advocated for family operas as a way to develop opera’s audience of the future. “The best way to ensure that opera will survive is to inspire the next generation,” Teresa says. “By adding to the canon of family opera programming, we offer more avenues into this art form.” Anyone who has witnessed kids in the opera house knows that as an art form, opera thrills young people. Recent family-friendly versions of The Magic Flute, Elixir of Love and Carmen played to sold-out houses and served as an effective platform for education programs in the public schools and for families pre-performance. However, family operas can sometimes fall victim to cost-cutting measures. When Teresa and Soo learned about The Secret Garden, an innovative work by local com-poser and Internet executive Nolan Gasser, they rallied their personal networks of local

parents to bring their kids to the opera – and also provide underwriting support. “I was excited about composer Nolan Gasser, a kind of Renaissance man who combines a technology background (ar- chitect of Pandora’s genome) with musical knowledge,” Teresa says. “Being an engineer

myself, I was intrigued that someone who lives in both worlds would turn a be-loved classic like The Secret Garden into an opera.” Teresa was also convinc-ed The Secret Garden would engage parents like herself,

who live on the Peninsula and who take advantage of family opportunities through-out the Bay Area. She helped to organize bus transportation from Palo Alto to Zellerbach Hall on the UC-Berkeley cam-pus for Peninsula families attending the Sunday matinees. “When San Francisco Opera commis-sions a new opera for a smaller venue like Zellerbach,” Teresa says, “we make family opera accessible to smaller regional com-panies and theaters. From a business perspective, The Secret Garden was a sound business model. We shared the expenses with Cal Performances, and as the opera is rented by other locations, we will share in the revenues.” Business considerations aside, however, Teresa found something more gratifying

“The best way to

ensure that opera will

survive is to inspire

the next generation.”

Growing the Next GenerationB o a r d M e m b e r Te r e s a M e d e a r i s A d v o c a t e s f o r F a m i l y O p e r a s

about The Secret Garden. “Seeing the child-ren’s faces at the performance was the greatest joy for me. They were engaged, excited and delighted. I know they will be inspired to engage with opera again.” Teresa also enjoyed the gift of a full day with her son Nicky, who reported “the background was cool, the songs were good, and it had a happy ending.”

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PLANTING THE SEEDS FOR THE SECRET GARDEN

San Francisco Opera gratefully acknowledges the extraordinary generosity of the following supporters of The Secret Garden:

S P O N S O R Edmund & Jeannik Littlefield Foundation Mr. & Mrs. J. Patterson McBaine Soo & Raj Venkatesan Sharon & Clark Winslow Anonymous (1)

A F F I L I AT E S P O N S O R

Jane Bernstein & Bob Ellis Paula & Bandel Carano Miles Nadal Brian & Kerith Overstreet Anonymous (1)

F R I E N D

Thomas & Lily Beischer Michele & Doug Dillard Ms. Liz Hume & Mr. Jay Jacobs Mr. & Mrs. Adam Karr Teresa & Mark Medearis Mrs. Grace Voorhis

For information about becoming an affiliate production sponsor at San Francisco Opera, contact Judith Frankel at (415) 551-6226 or jfrankel@sfopera.com

Scott Joiner and Sarah Shafer in the World Premiere of The Secret Garden

I a n R o b e r t s o n S h a p e s t h e C h o r u s f o r N e w Wo r k s

“W hen you sit down with a new score, you never know what is between the covers. And

it’s best not to make assumptions,” says Ian Robertson. He knows of what he speaks. San Francisco Opera’s Chorus Director since 1987, Maestro Robertson has prepared more than 300 productions, including most of the modern operas the Company has ever staged. “I’ve always been drawn to chorus work,” Robertson recalls. “I studied solo piano, but in my early days I earned a living by playing chorus rehearsals. Right away I felt at home.” San Francisco Opera is one of only three companies in the nation that supports a full time chorus, and under Robertson’s direction it has evolved into a premier ensemble. In 2012, in recognition of his work, he was awarded the Opera Medal, the Company’s highest award. When preparing a modern opera, Robertson takes a workmanlike approach. “I research the subject matter,” he explains. “I play the score at the piano to understand the tonality. I study how the words are wed to the music. Above all, I try to understand the choral resonance and how it relates to everything else.” Robertson’s preparation sets the tone for his singers. “We start by learning the notes, of course,” he remarks. “But our choristers are such good musicians that the notes come quickly. Sometimes the settings are dense, and you have to adjust your ears to make sure you’re being accurate. The real work is discovering what the composer is

trying to say. The text is everything.” Upcoming productions of The Gospel of Mary Magdalene and Dolores Claiborne pose different challenges, “though my singers tell me that they are fairly straightforward,” Robertson notes. “In Magdalene, the chorus provides ongoing commentary, in the style of a Greek chorus. I find parts of it re-

miniscent of Stravinsky and Britten. There are some very effective moments. Our role in Dolores Claiborne is small, but notable.” “It always amazes me how quickly our chorus can master something new and unusual,” Robertson observes. “When

we did Nixon in China last season, John Adams was so impressed at how we handled some of those notoriously difficult choruses that he told me, ‘You know, I can make it harder.’” “Working with living composers has been a blast,” Robertson continues. “I especially appreciate when they are open to sugges-tions. Philip Glass took my advice for parts of Appomattox, for example. I asked him if I could have a share of the royalties. He told me I had to get in line after his three ex-wives.” “Sometimes the music I have to prepare is off putting,” Robertson states candidly. “But that doesn’t impact my approach. You have to push yourself to make sure that you’re being true to what is on the page. It’s your duty as a performer. We want to do what the composer has written to the best of our ability and let the audience react as it will.”

“You have to push

yourself to make

sure that you’re

being true to what

is on the page.”

Preparing Modern Opera Choruses

PA G E 7

M U S I C

Plan for new theater space

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UPDATE ON THE DIANE B.

WILSEY CENTER FOR OPERA

Our building campaign is becom-ing a reality. Construction for the new Wilsey Center began on June 1, 2013. We are sincerely grateful to the following donors who have made generous gifts to the Diane B. Wilsey Center for Opera.

N A M I N G G I F T S

$ 1 , 0 0 0 , 0 0 0 A N D A B O V E

AnonymousThe Hume FamilyFranklin & Catherine JohnsonDiane B. Wilsey

$ 5 0 0 , 0 0 0 – $ 9 9 9 , 9 9 9

Anonymous Barbara Moller Ward, in honor of David Gockley

B U I L D E R ’ S C I R C L E

$ 2 5 0 , 0 0 0 – $ 4 9 9 , 9 9 9

Edward Paul Braby, M.D.Donna Dubinsky & Leonard ShustekJennifer Coslett MacCreadyBetty & Jack SchaferAnn Classen Treadwell, in memory of Zelda Ann ClassenMr. S. Shariq Yosufzai & Mr. Brian James

$ 5 0 , 0 0 0 – $ 9 9 , 9 9 9

Bruce W. Hyman & Simone M. Quarré

$ 1 0 , 0 0 0 – $ 4 9 , 9 9 9

Norby AndersonJane & David HartleyLisa P. LindelefHiro & Betty OgawaMs. Ruth A. ShortMs. Sheila WishekWard & Diane Zumsteg

Current as of May 15, 2013

For more information, visit sfopera.com/WilseyCenter

General David Gockley, Chorus Director Ian Robertson and Music Director Nicola Luisotti

u p c o m i n g e v e n t s

Recent Event Highlights

B R I N G I N G A N

O P E R A T O L I F E

ADLER FELLOW

GALA CONCERT

M e m b e r s h i p e v e n t s a re s u b j e c t t o c h a n g e . V i s i t s f o p e r a . c o m / c a l e n d a r f o r u p d a t e s .

OPERA BALL 2013 S an Francisco Opera celebrates the opening of its 91st

season on September 6, 2013 with a gala opening night like none other. San Francisco Opera Guild’s 2013

Opera Ball: The Garden of Good and Evil will be created by celebrity event designer Colin Cowie to reflect the celestial and devilish themes of the evening’s performance –– Arrigo Boito’s Mephistopheles. Always a highlight of the City’s cul-tural and philanthropic season, Opera Ball is an extraordinary event that brings together local and national corporate, po-litical, civic, and philanthropic leaders. The proceeds from this event support San Francisco Opera’s and San Francisco Opera Guild’s award-winning education and community programs throughout the Bay Area. Opera Ball 2013 is cochaired by Ann Girard and Mai Shiver; Karen Kubin is president of San Fran-cisco Opera Guild. For tickets, visit sfopera.com/guild.

9 0 T H S E A S O N C O M M U N I T Y O P E N H O U S E

Board member Barbara Ward Wonder, Adler Fellow Nadine

Sierra, and Roy Wonder

Ao Li performing at San Francisco Opera Open House

The production team for The Gospel of Mary Magdalene at a design workshop. From left to right, David Gockley, Mark Adamo, Constance Hoffman, Kevin Newbury, and David Korins

Attendee at San Francisco Opera Open House

Event Designer Colin Cowie

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JUNE JUNE 24, 2013Zheng Cao Memorial Concert3pm – Please note time changeWar Memorial Opera HouseFree and open to the public

JULY JULY 7, 2013KDFC Radio Broadcast Listener’s Choice (TBD)8pm – 90.3 in San Francisco; 89.9 in the North & East Bay; online kdfc.com

JULY 20, 2013Merola’s Schwabacher Summer Concert2pm – Yerba Buena Gardens

AUGUST

AUGUST 18, 2013Opera at Stern Grove2pm – Sigmund Stern Grove

AUGUST 31, 2013WFMT Radio Broadcast of Die Walküre10am – 102.1 in San Francisco; online wfmt.com

SEPTEMBER

SEPTEMBER 6, 2013Opening Night Gala5pm – War Memorial Opera House

SEPTEMBER 7, 2013WFMT Radio Broadcast of The Capulets and the Montagues10am – 102.1 in San Francisco; online wfmt.com

SEPTEMBER 8, 2013San Francisco Opera in the Park1:30pm – Sharon MeadowGolden Gate Park

SEPTEMBER 14, 2013WFMT Radio Broadcast of Moby-Dick10am – 102.1 in San Francisco; online wfmt.com

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