Those that follow the San Francisco Opera (SFO) know that this is the time of the year when plans for the next season are announced. As in the past, a full subscription will account for eight main-stage productions, five in the fall and three in the summer. Also as in the past, I have used this as an occasion to reflect, rather than report, identifying “points of interest” for each of those productions. In “order of appearance,” the operas to be presented are as follows:
Il Trovatore by Giuseppe Verdi: This will be the latest revival of a production created by David McVicar, shared with the Lyric Opera of Chicago and the Metropolitan Opera in New York. For this season the Director will be Roy Rallo. It would probably be fair to say that this opera is better known for the chorus that begins the second act (generally known as the “Anvil Chorus”) than for any of the sublime arias and duets by the leading characters. That scene introduces us to the gypsy Azucena, who will be sung by mezzo Anita Rachvelishvili. The overall plot involves a “love triangle” in which the the troubadour of the title Manrico (tenor Arturo Chacón-Cruz) rivals the Conte di Luna (baritone George Petean, making his SFO debut) for the hand of the noble Leonora (soprano Angel Blue). Caroline H. Hume Music Director Eun Sun Kim will conduct.
The (R)evolution of Steve Jobs by Mason Bates: This opera was composed with an English-language libretto by Mark Campbell on a joint commission by Santa Fe Opera, Seattle Opera, SFO, and the Jacobs School of Music at Indiana University, with support from Cal Performances. It was first performed in Santa Fe in 2017, and the San Francisco debut had to be rescheduled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Staging will be by Kevin Newbury, who directed the premiere in Santa Fe. The leading male roles of the libretto will be given SFO debut performances. Jobs will be sung by baritone John Moore; and his partner “Woz” (Steve Wozniak) will be sung by tenor Bille Bruley. Mezzo Sasha Cooke sang the role of Jobs’ wife Laurene Powell in Santa Fe, and she will return to that role for the SFO performances. Michael Christie, who conducted in Santa Fe, will also conduct here in San Francisco.
Lohengrin by Richard Wagner: This will be the first American production of staging that David Alden created for The Royal Opera, based in Covent Garden in London. The title role will be performed by heldentenor Simon O’Neill. Elsa of Brabant, who will become Lohengrin’s wife (accompanied by some of the most familiar music in the repertoire) will be sung by former Adler Fellow Julie Adams. The “opposition” roles of Friedrich of Telramund and his wife Ortrud will be sung, respectively, by baritone Brian Mulligan and mezzo Judit Kutasi, making her SFO debut. Kim will conduct.
Omar by Rhiannon Giddens and Michael Abels: This opera is based on the autobiography of Omar Ibn Said, an Islamic scholar in West Africa who was sold into slavery in Charleston, South Carolina. Giddens wrote the libretto and composed the music with assistance from Abels. The work was co-commissioned and co-produced by the Spoleto Festival USA, the Carolina Performing Arts at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, the Los Angeles Opera, the Boston Lyric Opera, and the Lyric Opera of Chicago. The premiere was planned for the 2020 Spoleto Festival; but, due to the pandemic, it was postponed until 2022. The title role was sung by tenor Jamez McCorkle, who will use that role to make his SFO debut. The world premiere was conducted by John Kennedy, and he will also make his SFO debut.
L'elisir d'amore (the elixir of love) by Gaetano Donizetti: Following four serious narratives, the fall season will conclude with no-holds-barred comedy. This will be a new production directed by Daniel Slater working with choreographer Tim Clayton, who will be making his SFO debut. It was originally created by Opera North in the United Kingdom, and in the United States it is being co-produced with the Lyric Opera of Chicago. The setting for the narrative will be advanced into the 1950s. The love-struck Nemorino will be sung by tenor Pene Pati (except in November 29, when he will be replaced by Jonah Hoskins, who will be making his SFO debut). His love interest Adina will be sung by soprano Slávka Zámečníková; and bass Renato Girolami will sing the role of Dr. Dulcamara, who “invents” the elixir of the title. The conductor will be Ramón Tebar, who will be making his SFO debut.
The Magic Flute by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart: The diversity of this season is such that every opera has a different composer. Mozart will begin the summer season with his K. 620 opera The Magic Flute. The libretto by Emanuel Schikaneder provides a light-hearted approach to what narratologists often call the “hero narrative.” The “hero” is Tamino, whose role will be sung by tenor Amitai Pati. The object of his quest is Pamina (soprano Christina Gansch); and the quest is presented to him by the Queen of the Night (soprano Anna Simińska, making her SFO debut). The “hero’s assistant” is Papageno (baritone Lauri Vasar, also making his SFO debut). The staging of the narrative will be by Barrie Kosky and Suzanne Andrade (both making SFO debuts); and it amounts to a study of what happens when a hero narrative runs headlong into low comedy.This production was first presented by the Komische Oper Berlin, followed by performances in the United States by both the Los Angeles Opera and the Minnesota Opera. Kim will conduct.
“Innocence” by Kaija Saariaho: This will be the only one-act opera of the season (although its duration will be about one hour and 45 minutes). The libretto is by Sofi Oksanen, translated into English by Aleksi Barrière. However, the libretto also includes texts in Finnish, Czech, French, Romanian, Swedish, German, Spanish, and Greek. The performance also includes the Finnish folk singer Vilma Jää. The narrative is a harrowing story of emotional shock and surprise in which our understanding of innocence and guilt is continually upended. Staging will be by Simon Stone, making his SFO debut. The conductor, Clément Mao-Takacs will also be making his SFO debut.
Partenope by George Frideric Handel: The revival of Christopher Alden’s staging of George Frideric Handel’s HWV 27 Partenope was scheduled for the summer of 2020. As expected, those performances were cancelled due to lockdown conditions in response to COVID-19. Countertenor Jakub Józef Orliński was scheduled to sing the role of Armindo for his American staged opera debut. Instead, that debut took place this past fall when he sang (and danced) the role of Orpheus in Christoph Willibald Gluck’s Orpheus and Eurydice. When Partenope closes out the 2023–24 season, the pratfalls given to the role of Armindo by director Christopher Alden will be executed by countertenor Nicholas Tamagna for his SFO debut. The title role will also be an SFO debut, sung by soprano Julie Fuchs. The conductor will be Christopher Moulds, who made his SFO debut in June of 2019, when he conducted Handel’s HWV 31 Orlando.
Further information can be found on the Season at a Glance Web page on the SFO Web site. Currently, only subscription orders are being processed. A Web page has been created that summarizes both subscriber benefits and the diversity of subscription plans.
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