Program Announced for Schwabacher Concert

Conductor Steven White (courtesy of the Merola Opera Program)

The next Merola Opera Program production to be presented to the general public will be the two performances of the annual Schwabacher Summer Concert. As in the past, the program will be structured around staged scenes, one of which will be directed by current Merolina Tania Arazi Coambs. The remainder of the program will be directed by Omer Ben Seadia, a Merola alumnus from 2014. The conductor will be Steven White.

The program will present works by five decidedly distinctive composers as follows:

1. George Frideric Handel: The program will begin with selections from this composer’s most popular opera, Giulio Cesare (HWV 17). The core of the opera’s narrative involves Julius Caesar’s encounter with Cleopatra. However, that episode is set in the context of the Roman Civil War.
2. Gaetano Donizetti: This composer will be represented by a scene and duet from L’elisir d’amore (the elixir of love). It has been a favorite with San Francisco Opera (SFO) subscribers. In fact, its most recent staging by James Robinson transformed the setting from the Italian countryside to Napa Valley.
3. Ambroise Thomas: Hamlet was only performed by the SFO in September of 1996. (Thomas tends to be better known for Mignon, which SFO performed in only two seasons: September of 1930 and December of 1934.) Most likely, the scenes of Hamlet to be performed will be more familiar than the music!
4. Kevin Puts: The most recent work to be performed will be a scene from the first act of Kevin Puts’ Silent Night. The narrative is based on a cease fire during World War I that took place on Christmas Eve. The libretto drew upon the 2005 French film Joyeux Nöel.
5. Giuseppe Verdi: This prolific composer will be represented by excerpts from two of his operas. The first of these will be two scenes from the second act of Rigoletto. These will be followed by the second act, in its entirety, from Otello.

This program will be given two performances at 7:30 p.m. on Thursday, August 3, and 2 p.m. on Saturday, August 5. The venue will be the Concert Hall of the San Francisco Conservatory of Music. This is located at 50 Oak Street, a short walk from the Van Ness Muni station. Ticket prices at $55 and $80. Tickets are being sold through the SFO Box Office, which may be reached by telephone at 415-864-3330.