The Opera Tattler

Love/Hate Premiere at ODC Theater

* Notes *
Love/Hate, a chamber opera by composer Jack Perla and librettist Rob Bailis, premiered to a sold-out ODC Theater on Thursday night. The collaboration between ODC Theater, American Opera Projects, and Music Without Walls features the San Francisco Opera Center's Adler Fellows singing, playing, and even conducting. The piece calls for only four musicians: a violinist, a cellist, a clarinetist, and a pianist. Likewise there are only four singers, each a different voice type. Conductor David Hanlon kept everyone together with grace.

The singing was all quite powerful. Tenor Thomas Glenn was clear and his movements smooth. Soprano Marina Boudart Harris was winsome. Ao Li (baritone, pictured above with Laura Krumm, photograph by Laura Kudritzky) was able to switch from awkward George to confident Casanova without missing a beat. Laura Krumm's mezzo-soprano voice has a lightness that does not lack for volume.

The opera itself has a wry sensibility, starting off with popular cellular phone rings, and continuing in this amusing vein for most of the evening. The words were prominent. The set, designed by Bethanie Baeyen, is effective, evoking changes in time and space with the same drollness as the libretto and music. M. Graham Smith's direction was entertaining, though the choreography from Chris Black tended toward artificial.

* Tattling *
The audience talked, especially during the beginning of the piece.

A thunderstorm during the opera was audible in the theater, but it suited the piece, since it seems our protagonists are at Muni bus stop on a rainy day.

Adlers to sing Love/Hate at ODC Theater

It seems to be the season for contemporary opera in San Francisco, as Erling Wold's Certitude and Joy and David Lang's The Little Match Girl Passion had both opened last week. San Francisco Opera Center and ODC Theater are also presenting a world premiere of Love/Hate. This chamber opera, by composer Jack Perla and librettist Rob Bailis, will be performed three times between April 12 and 15. The performances will feature soprano Marina Harris, mezzo-soprano Laura Krumm (pictured left, photograph by Laura Kudritzky), tenor Thomas Glenn, and baritone Ao Li.

Production Site | San Francisco Opera Center

SF Opera Annual Meeting 2012

* Notes *
San Francisco Opera's Annual Meeting for 2012 was held Thursday afternoon at the Intercontinental Hotel in San Francisco. Board of Directors President George H. Hume, CFO Michael Simpson, and General Director David Gockley all spoke. The outlook this year is better, though the company did run a deficit again, donations are up and they expect to break even in 2013. The most interesting plan we heard about was the Diane B. Wilsey Center for Opera, which is to be built on the fourth floor of the Veterans Building in the War Memorial complex. This will provide space to house most of the opera's operations including the costume shop, space for rehearsals, and a small performance venue. There will also be room to house an archive of San Francisco Opera's recordings on various media.

Four Adlers performed: soprano Marina Harris; mezzo sopranos Laura Krumm and Renée Rapier; and pianist Robert Mollicone. Rapier sang "All' afflitto" from Roberto Devereux , Harris sang "Einsam in trüben Tagen," from Lohengrin, and Krumm sang "Quis fais-tu, blanche tourterelle" from Roméo et Juliette.

* Tattling *
Somehow I managed to spill ink all over both my hands at the very beginning of the meeting. The people next to me offered me tissues and wipes. Three mobile phones rang at different points during the proceedings.

Meet the Adlers 2012

Last night, nine of ten Adler Fellows for 2012 were interviewed by Director of Music Administration Kip Cranna, San Francisco Opera Center Director of Musical Studies Mark Morash, and Director of Artistic Adminstration Gregory Henkel, at Cowell Theater at Fort Mason. We learnt that pianist and apprentice coach David Hanlon was off to Houston to music direct HGOco's The Bricklayer, a more than valid excuse for missing this event. The other apprentice coach, Robert Mollicone, aspires to conduct.

Marina Boudart Harris has only been singing soprano for twenty months. Nadine Sierra was somewhat ill, but earlier this year had sung Gilda in Florida Grand Opera's production of Rigoletto to great acclaim. Renée Rapier had her professional debut late last year at LA Opera's Roméo et Juliette when the person whom she was covering withdrew from the production. She is to cover Joyce DiDonato in I Capuleti e i Montecchi this fall. Laura Krumm just covered DiDonato in Jake Heggie's song cycle about Camille Claudel. Krumm also sings in Love/Hate at ODC this April. Joo Won Kang is a baseball fan. Brian Jadge was covering Don José in French, whilst singing it in English in Carmen for Families. Ryan Kuster is to singing three roles from Don Giovanni in two months at LA Phil and WolfTrap. Ao Li relates to the title character of Le Nozze di Figaro because he is "smart." Li delivered some of the English dialogue of Carmen for Families, and it was rather hilarious. 

The interviews were interspersed with selections from Così fan tutte, Les pêcheurs de perles, Mignon, and Don Carlo. Mollicone gamely accompanied all of the pieces. "È lui! desso, l'infante...Dio, che nell'alma infondere" with Jadge, Li, and Kang was perhaps most impressive.

Merola Behind the Scenes Event 2012

* Program *
Rachmaninoff's Prelude Op. 23 No. 5
Robert Mollicone, piano

Richard Rodgers' "My Funny Valentine"
David Hanlon, piano

The end of Act I Scene 2 from Dead Man Walking
Laura Krumm, mezzo-soprano and David Hanlon, piano

"Il core vi dono" from Così fan tutte
Laura Krumm, mezzo-soprano, Ao Li, baritone, and Robert Mollicone, piano

"Avant de quitter ces lieux" from Faust
Ao Li, baritone and Robert Mollicone, piano

David Hanlon's "Bang Kiss Kiss Bang"
Robert Mollicone and David Hanlon, piano

* Notes *
Mark Morash, the San Francisco Opera Center Director of Musical Studies, held an event on Thursday focusing on the collaborative pianists in the Merola Opera and Adler Fellowship programs. Current Adler Fellows David Hanlon and Robert Mollicone spoke about how they came to the collaborative arts and auditioned for Merola. Both pianists played solo pieces, Mollicone chose the more conventional Rachmaninoff, and Hanlon improvised a version of "My Funny Valentine." Hanlon coached Laura Krumm through the end of Act II, Scene 2 from Dead Man Walking with a projection of the music on a screen behind them so we could follow along. Ao Li joined Krumm for a duet from Così fan tutte. Li sang Valentin's aria "Avant de quitter ces lieux", as Mollicone played the piece transposed down a step to accommodate his voice. Both pianists played a piece for 4 hands composed by Hanlon as the finale.

* Tattling *
The event started slightly late, as traffic was rather heavy coming into San Francisco, due to President Obama being in town for a speech at the Nob Hill Masonic Center.

Medallion Society Luncheon 2012

* Notes *
San Francisco Opera's Medallion Society Luncheon was held Wednesday at the Ritz-Carlton. George Hume, the president of the San Francisco Opera Association welcomed the donors before they partook of a meal of cauliflower bisque, barbeque chicken, and pear cake. David Gockley presented Sylvia Lindsey (pictured left, photograph by Drew Altizer) with an apron signed by the opera staff and this year's Spirit of the Opera Award.

San Francisco Opera Center Director Sheri Greenawald introduced Adler Fellows David Hanlon, Marina Boudart Harris, Brian Jadge, Laura Krumm, Ryan Kuster, Ao Li, Robert Mollicone, and Renée Rapier. Pianists Hanlon and Mollicone switched off accompanying the singers, starting with Hanlon playing for Jadge and Li in "In un coupé...O Mimì, tu più non torni" from La Bohème. Harris and Rapier sang "Prenderò quel brunettino" from Così fan tutte. Kuster sang "Le veau d'or" from Faust. All the singers joined in for the opening scene from La Cenerentola. The afternoon ended with a spirited rendition of "Happy Birthday" for Ao Li, who turned 23 today.

* Tattling * 
There were the usual mobile phone rings at lunch. Mr. Feldheim and I were seated at the Orpheus table, which was a nice change from last year.

SF Opera Audited Financial Results 2010-2011

San Francisco Opera's 88th season started on September 10, 2010 and finished on July 3, 2011. Ten operas were performed in 66 performances. The Company concluded Fiscal Year 2010-11 (FY 11) with a deficit of $1,801,417 on an operating budget of $71,094,620. Total operating revenue for FY 11 grew from $27,113,297 to $35,947,397, with income from ticket sales increasing 32% to $24,633,817. Contributions to the annual fund were $33,345,806 from approximately 11,350 donors.

Press Release | Official Site | Audited Financial Results [PDF]

SF Opera's 2012-2013 Season

September 7-30 2012: Rigoletto
September 29- October 19 2012 I Capuleti e i Montecchi
October 10- November 2 2012: Moby-Dick
October 20- November 9 2012: Lohengrin
November 15- December 2 2012: Tosca
March 1-10 2013: The Secret Garden
June 5- July 6 2013: Les Contes d'Hoffmann
June 9- July 1 2013: Così fan tutte
June 19- July 7 2013: The Gospel of Mary Magdalene

San Francisco Opera's 2012-2013 season includes three contemporary American operas in English. Former Adler Fellow David Lomelí sings the Duke in Rigoletto, Albina Shagimuratova sings Gilda. Joyce DiDonato sings Romeo in I Capuleti e i Montecchi with Nicole Cabell as Giulietta. Ben Heppner and Jay Hunter Morris share the role of Ahab in Jake Heggie's Moby-Dick. Brandon Jovanovich is Lohengrin. Angela Gheorghiu and Patricia Racette share the title role in Tosca. Natalie Dessay stars in Les Contes d'Hoffmann. Nathan Gunn, William Burden, and Sasha Cooke create roles in Mark Adamo's The Gospel of Mary Magdalene.

2012-2013 Season Official Site | Press Release

San Francisco Opera's Grand Opera Cinema Series in HD 2012

January 24 & 28: The Magic Flute
February 28 & March 3: Otello
March 27 & 31: Salome
May 15 & 19: Il Trittico

Sundance Kabuki Cinemas
1881 Post Street
San Francisco, CA 94115

The Sundance Kabuki Cinemas will screen San Francisco Opera productions on certain Tuesdays at 7:00 pm and Saturdays at 10:30 am.

SF Opera's 2012-2013 Season Announcement

San Francisco Opera will announce the 2012-2013 season on January 17, 2012.

San Francisco Opera | 2012-2013 Guesses

2012 Adler Fellows

The incoming 2012 Adler Fellows are Marina Boudart Harris, Laura Krumm, Renée Rapier, Joo Won Kang, and Robert Mollicone. They join current Adlers (pictured left, photograph by Scott Wall) Nadine Sierra, Brian Jadge, Ao Li, Ryan Kuster, and David Hanlon. Outgoing 2011 Adler Fellows are sopranos Leah Crocetto, Susannah Biller, Sara Gartland; mezzo-soprano Maya Lahyani; countertenor Ryan Belongie; tenor Daniel Montenegro; and apprentice coach Tamara Sanikidze.

Press Release | Official Site

Serse Log

San Francisco Opera's Serse (Michael Sumuel and Heidi Stober pictured in the first image below, Susan Graham and Lisette Oropesa pictured in the second; photographs by Cory Weaver) just finished a run of six performances last Saturday.

31. October 2011: Opening
Media Round-Up

4. November 2011: From Orchestra Standing Room
Opera Tattler Review

8. November 2011: From Balcony Standing Room
* The audience clapped during the overture as the characters were presented in turn.
* The playing was clear.
* Lisette Oropesa got slightly behind during her aria at the end of Act I. Her breath control is incredible and she did not push her high notes.
* The bridge did not collapse before Elviro's Act II arietta, "Del mio caro baco amabile."

11. November 2011: Reading the Score
* The ornamentation is simple and elegant.
* All the repeats, da capos, and dal segnos are taken.
* There were a few times where the orchestra was a bit ahead of the singing.
* A few of Susan Graham's low notes did not float as beautifully as the others, but overall she is just an amazing singer.

16. November 2011: From Box V
* Noted that the President of the San Francisco Opera Association was present.
* There were a couple transitions in Act I that went so quickly that Maestro Summers held his baton in his mouth as he played harpsichord.
* Both Heidi Stober and the flautist sounded especially lovely in "Un cenno leggiadretto."
* The leap that Michael Sumuel before his clicking his heels ("Del mio caro baco amabile") was impressive.
* The box subscribers in U talked at times during the music. Four women (clearly not subscribers) in Box X were even worse, talking, using cellular phones, and moving to Box Z in the middle of Act II. They did not return for Act III.

19. November 2011: Orchestra Level Row P Seat 4
* There was clapping during the overture again, and my companion even joined in out of spite.
* The person in P 124 was ill-behaved. Not only did his cellular phone ring between the recitative and "Ombra ma fui," he very loudly opened a cough drop during Act I. He did not return for Act III.
* Another phone rang during Ariodate's Act I aria, from the north side of the Orchestra Level.
* The couple in R 116 and 118 must have been late, because there was no talking from that area in Act I. They talked for much of the rest of the opera, especially when David Daniels was singing.
* Though the audience was incredibly obnoxious this evening, the singing and playing was a delight. There was a wonderful ease to the proceedings, and it seemed that everyone was having a great time.

SF Opera's Turandot (November 2011 Cast)

* Notes * 
San Francisco Opera's revival of Turandot (Susan Foster and Walter Fraccaro, in Act II pictured left, photograph by D. Ross Cameron/San Francisco Opera) returned for a second time this season with three new cast members and a fresh conductor yesterday evening. There were several synchronization problems between the singing and playing, and one got the sense that there were not enough rehearsals. Nonetheless, San Francisco Opera Resident Conductor Giuseppe Finzi had the orchestra sounding luxuriant and full.

The Timur, Christian Van Horn, sang with warmth and volume. Leah Crocetto continued to excel in Liù's "Tu che di gel sei cinta." Walter Fraccaro had some lovely plaintiveness to his singing, but he did, at times, strain to be heard. He sang "Nessun dorma" in the way we are accustomed, putting a fermata into the last "Vincerò." Susan Foster was a dynamic Turandot. Her facial expressions read well. Though some of her higher, louder notes were biting, her low notes had richness and were quite pretty.

* Tattling * 
I was more discombobulated that usual, and brought a mug of tea into the orchestra level of the War Memorial without thinking. I was roundly scolded twice, and rightfully so. There was a lot of talking during the performance. A couple in L 1 and 3 spoke during the overture and were hushed by a prominent classical music critic. The person in M 5 fell asleep for most of the opera, and snored when Ping, Pang, and Pong sang at the beginning of Act II.

Anita Rachvelishvili as Carmen at SF Opera

* Notes *
Anita Rachvelishvili (pictured left, photograph by Cory Weaver) is singing five performances as the leading lady in Carmen at San Francisco Opera this month. Rachvelishvili has an arresting voice, resonant and earthy. Her pronunciation of French may have been imperfect, but she seemed fully committed to her role. Rachvelishvili never looked like she was doing something simply because the director asked her to. Though not a graceful dancer, she moved with confidence.

The orchestra, conducted by Nicola Luisotti, was a bit more restrained on last Tuesday's performance than the opening matinée. The chorus sounded fine and together. Paulo Szot was still difficult to hear as Escamillo in Act II, perhaps because of his location upstage. Szot did sound rather pretty later in Act III. Susannah Biller's bell-like tone as Frasquita was pleasing. Thiago Arancam's Don José was a bit wooden, but his voice is not without appeal.

* Tattling * 
The audience was relatively quiet, no one around me talked, and I heard no watch alarms from my favorite standing room spot at the back of the balcony.

SF Opera's Carmen Media Round-Up

Production Web Site | SF Opera's Blog

Reviews of San Francisco Opera's Carmen (Act II pictured left with Kendall Gladen as Carmen and members of the San Francisco Opera Chorus, and supernumeraries; photograph by Cory Weaver) are trickling in.

Performance Reviews: San Francisco Chronicle (Kendall Gladen) | San Francisco Chronicle (Anita Rachvelishvili) | San Francisco Classical Voice | San Francisco Examiner