Photograph by Vincent Pontet, courtesy of SFO
The third opera to be presented during the Centennial Season of the San Francisco Opera (SFO) is “historical” for two reasons. Francis Poulenc’s three-act opera, which he completed in 1956, presents a fictionalized account of a critical event in French history. This involves the so-called “Martyrs of Compiègne,” sixteen Carmelite nuns that were executed by guillotine on July 17, 1794, one of the atrocities of what is now known as the Reign of Terror. Poulenc wrote his own libretto for this opera, drawing upon a screenplay by Georges Bernanos for a film entitled Dialogues des Carmélites (dialogues of the Carmelites), which became the opera’s title.
The protagonist of Poulenc’s libretto, which was set largely in recitative, is Blanche de la Force (soprano Heidi Stober, performing this role for the first time), the aristocratic daughter of the Marquis de la Force (bass-baritone Dale Travis, an Adler alumnus). The scenes alternate between the Carmelite Order in Compiègne, led by the Mother Superior, Madame de Croissy (mezzo Michaela Schuster, making debuts in both the role and her performing with SFO), and the Paris implicitly dominated by Maximilian Robespierre, determined to bring all aristocrats to the guillotine. Robespierre never appears in Poulenc’s libretto; but it is worth noting that he, himself, was guillotined ten days after the execution of the Carmelites.
This opera also plays a significant role in SFO history. It was given its world premiere at La Scala (with a libretto translated from French to Italian) on January 26, 1957, after which the original libretto was given its premiere the following June 21 at the Opéra National de Paris. The United States premiere then took place the following September 20, when it was performed by SFO. The role of Blanche was sung by Dorothy Kirsten. Other vocalists of note at that performance included Leontyne Price as Madame Lidoine, who becomes the new Mother Superior after the death of Madame de Croissy, and Blanche Thebom as the assistant to the Mother Superior. The opera was sung in English, using a translation by Joseph Machlis.
The coming production will be a new staging by Olivier Py, making his American debut. It will be the first time that SFO will present the performance sung in French. The production is being shared with the Théâtre de Champs-Elysées in Paris and the Théâtre Royal de la Monnaie in Brussels. Py’s staging will be directed here in San Francisco by Daniel Izzo with sets and costumes by Production Designer Pierre-André Weitz and lighting designed by Bertrand Killy. Like Py, Izzo will be making his American debut; and Weitz and Killy will be making their SFO debuts. SFO Music Director Eun Sun Kim will conduct, and the SFO Chorus will be prepared by Chorus Director John Keene.
This production will be given five performances at 7:30 p.m. on October 5, 18, 21, and 26 and at 2 p.m. on October 30. Ticket prices range from $26 to $408; and, depending on location, there is a facility fee of either $2 or $3 per ticket. There will also be a livestream of the October 21 performance. Virtual tickets are currently being sold for $27.50, processed through the Web page for digital content. All other tickets may be purchased in the outer lobby of the War Memorial Opera House at 301 Van Ness Avenue or by calling the Box Office at 415-864-3330. Box Office hours are 10 a.m.–5 p.m. on Monday and 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Tuesday through Saturday. There is also a Web page with hyperlinks for purchasing tickets for all five of the performances.
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