After a two-month break July will see the return of the Opera is ON streaming service, presented free of charge by San Francisco Opera (SFO). These video streams will take place on every weekend of the month beginning on Saturday, July 10. As in the past, the selection for each weekend will become available on Saturday at 10 a.m.; and free access will expire at the end of the following day. Each video will then be added to the archive available to subscribers and those that have donated $75 or more. Specifics for the four July offerings are as follows:
July 10–11: The series will begin with the video recording of Leoš Janáček’s three-act opera Jenůfa, staged by Oliver Tambosi. He created this version for the Hamburg State Opera, but it is similar in some respects to the staging he created for the Metropolitan Opera in New York. The SFO performances took place in 2016 between June 14 and July 1. The title role was sung by Swedish soprano Malin Byström, making her SFO debut; and the crucial role of Jenůfa’s stepmother, Kostelnička Buryjovka, was sung by Finnish soprano Karita Mattila, the first time she took this role in a staged performance. Jenůfa has sustained an accidental pregnancy and is now the apex of a love triangle with Kostelnička cousins Laca Klemeň (tenor William Burden) and Števa Buryja (tenor Scott Quinn, also making his SFO debut). The performance was conducted by Jiří Bĕlohlávek. Running time is approximately two hours and ten minutes.
July 17–18: Much longer in duration will be Hector Berlioz’ opera interpretation of the first half of Virgil’s Aeneid, covering the sack of Troy by the Greeks, the Trojans’ journey to Carthage, and the ill-fated romance between the Trojan leader Aeneas and Dido, Queen of Carthage. Berlioz gave his opera the title Les Troyens. The fall of Troy was presented in the first two acts, followed by three acts set in Carthage. David McVicar prepared a staging rich with spectacle, which was revived for SFO by Leah Hausman. Donald Runnicles commanded the 95 performers in the orchestra pit. At the head of the cast, tenor Bryan Hymel sang the role of Aeneas, and mezzo Susan Graham performed Dido. Running time will be decidedly longer than that of Jenůfa, clocking in at around four hours.
July 24–25: The intensity of brevity will return the following week with a performance of Richard Strauss’ one-act opera “Elektra.” Librettist Hugo von Hofmannsthal took the play of the same name by Sophocles as his point of departure, focusing on the title character’s drive to kill her mother Klytaemnestra to avenge her mother’s killing of her father Agamemnon. Director Keith Warner chose to set the unfolding of this plot in a modern museum exhibiting Greek antiquities, thus linking an ancient legend with the immediate present. This was the second opera to be performed during the opening weekend of the fall 2017 season. Soprano Christine Goerke sang the title role in opposition to mezzo Michaela Martens’ performance of Klytaemnestra. The production marked the SFO debut of Hungarian conductor Henrik Nánási, and the duration was somewhat less than two hours.
July 31–August 1: The series will conclude by returning to Giuseppe Verdi. Performed in September 2015, this staging of Luisa Miller was produced by Francesca Zambello and revived by Laurie Feldman. The casting featured soprano (and former Adler Fellow) Leah Crocetto in the title role with tenor Michael Fabiano in the role of Rodolfo, her romantic interest. Former SFO Music Director Nicola Luisotti conducted, and the duration of this three-act opera is about two and one-half hours.
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