Proof of Vaccination Required for SFO

Two days ago the San Francisco Opera (SFO) announced that, based on the latest medical advice and patron feedback, proof of vaccination will be required for all those aged twelve and older to attend performances at the War Memorial Opera House and the Diane B. Wilsey Center for Opera. That means that patrons with only a negative COVID test will not be admitted. Under this new policy, there will be no need to provide “buffer seats” to distance patrons, meaning that as many people as possible will be able to attend performances safely. SFO has created a “Safety First” Web page, developed in partnership with a team of physicians at the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF) led by epidemiologist George Rutherford, which summarizes plans to ensure the health and safety of audiences, artists, and employees.

Finale of the first act of Tosca (photograph by Cory Weaver, courtesy of SFO)

In the near future these guidelines and measures will apply to the five performances of Giacomo Puccini’s Tosca, which will launch the 2021–22 SFO season with five performances at 7:30 p.m. on August 21 and 27 and September 3 and at 2 p.m. on August 29 and September 5. The approximate running time will be two hours and 45 minutes, including two intermissions. August 21 will mark the debut of conductor Eun Sun Kim in her new capacity as Caroline H. Hume Music Director. To provide a touchless experience, tickets will be electronic for either printing at home or display on a mobile device. Similarly, there will be no printed program books; and patrons will be provided with a hyperlink to a digital version that, again, may be printed or displayed on a mobile device.

Ticket prices range from $29 to $398. They may be purchased by calling (but not, as of this writing, visiting) the SFO Box Office at 415-864-3330. There is also a Web page with hyperlinks for purchasing tickets for all five of the Tosca performances. To ensure flexibility for patrons during this transitional season, no-fee exchanges and refunds will be provided up to two hours before performances. In particular, refunds will be available to patrons that must miss a performance due to COVID.