Heart of a Soldier Events
San Francisco Opera’s world premiere of Heart of a Soldier opens September 10, 2011. We invite you to attend special events hosted by our community partners—from lectures, discussions, performances and activities leading up to the opera’s premiere and beyond.
San Francisco Opera Guild’s East Bay Chapter presents:
A Discussion with Christopher Theofanidis & Donna Di Novelli
Sunday, August 21, 5pm
Composer Christopher Theofanidis and librettist Donna Di Novelli, joined by General Director David Gockley and Director of Music Administration Dr. Kip Cranna, will share insights and experiences on their collaboration and creation of Heart of a Soldier. Soprano Melody Moore, who will portray Rick Rescorla's widow Susan, and former Adler Fellow baritone Austin Kness as Rick Rescorla, will sing excerpts from the opera. Event includes food and wine.
Veteran’s Memorial Building
3780 Mt. Diablo Blvd, Lafayette
Tickets: $45, non-members welcome
Reservations: Silvia Lin, (925) 838-9255 or LLLLL@juno.com
sfopera.com/guild
San Francisco Opera Guild’s San Francisco, Marin, East Bay, Sonoma and South Peninsula Chapters and San Jose Opera Guild present: Heart of a Soldier Preview Lectures
September 6–8
UCLA Musicology Professor Mitchell Morris will give in-depth previews at various Bay Area locations.
Peninsula Chapter: September 6
San Jose Opera Guild: September 6
East Bay Chapter: September 7
San Francisco Chapter: September 7
Marin Chapter: September 8
Sonoma Chapter: September 8
Locations, times and admission costs vary. Please visit
sfopera.com/previews for details.
Jewish Community Center of San Francisco presents a Screening of Love Hate Love
Thursday, September 8, 7pm
Love Hate Love, a film that follows three survivors—whose lives have been shattered by terrorists—as they search for honor, meaning and a new life's path, will be screened. Following the screening is a panel discussion with members of the creative team.
Kanbar Hall, JCCSF
Tickets: $10
tickets.jccsf.org
San Francisco Opera presents: Heart of a Soldier Pre-Opera Talks
September 10–30
Informative 25-minute talks, presented by Jonathan Khuner, prepare audiences for a deeper, richer opera experience. Pre-opera Talks begin 55 minutes before each
Heart of a Soldier performance and takes place in the Opera House auditorium.
War Memorial Opera House,
San Francisco
FREE to opera ticket holders.
sfopera.com/operatalks
The Forum at Grace Cathedral presents Heart of a Soldier: How one man’s bravery on September 11 became an opera.
Sunday, September 11, 9:30am
The Very Rev. Dr. Jane Shaw, Dean of Grace Cathedral, will moderate a lively discussion with Susan Rescorla and members of
Heart of a Soldier creative team. Attend on site at Grace Cathedral, or tune in to the live audio webcast or archived recordings at
gracecathedral.org/forum.
1100 California Street,
San Francisco
FREE and open to the public.
(415) 749-6300
gracecathedral.org
San Francisco Chronicle presents San Francisco Opera in the Park
Sunday, September 11, 2pm
Join in the City's civic observance commemorating the tenth anniversary of 9/11. This free, special concert will feature the Mozart Requiem and inspirational works by some of America's great composers, including Christopher Theofanidis, composer of
Heart of a Soldier.
Sharon Meadow,
Golden Gate Park
San Francisco
FREE and open to the public.
sfopera.com/oitp
The Commonwealth Club presents
Heart of a Soldier: Honoring Strength through Song with James Stewart
Tuesday, September 13, 6pm
(5:30pm check-in)
We first heard the extraordinary story of Rick Rescorla, a military veteran who led hundreds to safety in the 9/11 World Trade Center attacks, in James Stewart’s 2002 book, Heart of a Soldier. Nine years later, Rescorla’s heroism lives on in San Francisco Opera’s commemorative production of the same name. Hear about the project’s motivations and challenges from Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist James B. Stewart, composer Christopher Theofanidis, General Director David Gockley and other members of the Heart of a Soldier creative team. These behind-the-scenes experts will discuss their collaboration and creation of this inspiring opera.
SF Club Office
595 Market Street, 2nd Floor
Cost: $20; $12 members; $7 students (with valid ID)
(415) 597-6705
commonwealthclub.org
Opera on the Couch: A Post-Performance Discussion of Heart of a Soldier
Sunday, September 18, 5pm
Join other inquiring minds for a lively post-performance discussion following the performance of
Heart of a Soldier. Members of San Francisco Center for Psychoanalysis (SFCP) will discuss the opera's theme from a psychoanalytic perspective.
Books Inc., Opera Plaza,
San Francisco
FREE and open to the public.
Complimentary light refreshments will be offered.
