Last summer San Francisco Opera (SFO) programming consisted entirely of three performances of Richard Wagner’s four-opera epic Der Ring des Nibelung (the ring of the Nibelung). This year the Summer Season will return to its usual format, offering the final three operas in the 2018–19 season. Each of these will involve a production new to San Francisco and the ability to experience both SFO debuts and role debuts. Here are the specifics about the three operas to be presented in the order of their respective first performances:
Carmen by Georges Bizet: This will be the latest addition to the repertoire of an opera staging by Francesca Zambello, perhaps best known for her impressively inventive approach to staging the Wagner Ring cycle. This production was originally created by Opera Australia, based on an earlier co-production by the Royal Opera House (at Covent Garden) and the Norwegian National Opera. The program will feature two significant role debuts by J’Nai Bridges in the title role and Matthew Polenzani as Don José, fated to fall in love with the gypsy Carmen. In addition, James Gaffigan will be making his SFO debut conducting all but one of the performances. The remaining performance will be conducted by Michelle Merrill, who will also be making her SFO debut.
Carmen will be given seven performances. These will take place at 7:30 p.m. on June 5, 11, 14, 20 (the performance that will be conducted by Merrill), 26, and 29 and at 2 p.m. on June 23. The libretto by Henri Meilhac and Ludovic Halévy will be sung in French with English supertitles. The approximate running time will be three hours.
Orlando (HWV 31) by George Frideric Handel: This opera is based on Ludovico Ariosto’s epic poem Orlando furioso (raging Roland), the tale of a Christian knight that fought with Charlemagne in his war with the Saracen army’s attempt to invade Europe. Harry Fehr will make his American opera debut reviving his production for the Scottish Opera in which the title character becomes a World War II pilot that has fallen victim to shell shock. This will be a role debut performance for mezzo Sasha Cooke.
Indeed, the opera has only five roles, all of which will be new to the vocalists. Of particular interest will be the role of the African prince Medoro, which will be sung by countertenor and Adler Fellow Aryeh Nussbaum Cohen, making his SFO debut. Angelica, the Queen of Cathay, who is in love with Medoro, will be sung by soprano Heidi Stober; and the shepherdess Dorinda will be sung by soprano Christina Gansch, who will be making her American opera debut. Finally, the magician Zoroastro, who will eventually restore Orlando’s sanity, will be sung by bass Christian Van Horn. Conductor Christopher Moulds will also be making his SFO debut.
Orlando will be given five performances. These will take place at 2 p.m. on June 9 and at 7:30 p.m. on June 15, 18, 21, and 27. The libretto by Carlo Sigismondo Capece will be sung in Italian with English supertitles. The approximate running time will be three hours and twenty minutes.
Rusalka by Antonín Dvořák: The title of this opera is the Czech word for a water sprite in Slavic mythology that can be found in both lakes and rivers. The libretto by Jaroslav Kvapil may have been inspired by Hans Christian Andersen’s “The Little Mermaid;” but Kvapil chose to reject Andersen’s happy ending, using his text to expose truths that are powerfully and painfully human. Staging will be by David McVicar for the Lyric Opera of Chicago, and this revival will be staged by Leah Hausman.
Soprano Rachel Willis-Sørensen will make her debut in the title role. Bass Kristinn Sigmundsson will sing the role of Vodník, the water goblin that rules the lake in which the rusalka swims. Tenor Brandon Jovanovich sings the role of the prince with whom the rusalka falls in love. When she wishes to become human in order to embrace the prince, Vodník send her to consult the witch Ježibaba (mezzo Jamie Barton), who enables the transformation. However, that is only the first act, leaving two more acts for the consequences to go downhill! The conductor will be Korean Eun Sun Kim, who is Principal Guest Conductor of the Houston Grand Opera, where she made her debut last season.
Rusalka will be given five performances. These will take place at 2 p.m. on June 16 and at 7:30 p.m. on June 19, 22, 25, and 28. The libretto will be sung in Czech with English supertitles. The approximate running time will be three and one-half hours.
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