Ring Withdrawal
 I am suffering Ring withdrawal! Coming to work and seeing an empty stage at the Opera House where just ten days ago Rhinemaidens cavorted, giants plodded and swords flashed leaves a huge void in my life. My career has always been about the curtain going up and audiences being enthralled. Now I have to wait two months for the Fall 2011 season to open with Turandot and Heart of a Soldier. But oh the recent memories! [Left: General Director David Gockley in front of an empty stage. Photo by Terrence McCarthy]
...more
By David Gockley (General Director) on Tuesday, July 12, 2011
|
Ring Symposia
 In June the members of the Education Department were very excited to present three Ring symposia, one on each Tuesday of every Cycle.
During the morning session of each symposium, lecturers Jonathan Khuner and Peter Susskind presented lively introductions to the story and characters of the Ring. After a break for lunch, Kip Cranna, San Francisco Opera’s Director of Music Administration, moderated a panel discussion with various experts.
...more
By San Francisco Opera Education Department on Thursday, July 7, 2011
|
Ring Cycle Cast Party
The cast, production team and crew for the Ring celebrated the end of the first cycle after this past Sunday's performance of Götterdämmerung.
...more
By Photos by Kristen Loken on Wednesday, June 22, 2011
|
Mission Control
 As a kid growing up near Houston, I got to tour NASA several times. On school trips we crawled around inside a lunar module, walked through the flight simulator, and even saw the actual mission control with its rows of desks and screens. I remembered all the movies I saw with the stressed out people running around and, of course, “Houston, we have a problem.” Little did I know that I would actually be in a similar situation as an adult. [Micah and his colleagues in the Media Suite. Photo by Cory Weaver]
...more
By Micah Standley (Media Team Score Reader) on Friday, June 17, 2011
|
Ring Training
I have been a member of the San Francisco Opera Orchestra for 10 year and my first complete Ring cycle this summer is an experience that I will remember forever. My usual chair is Associate Concertmaster, and due to an unfortunate accident, Kay Stern, our Concertmaster, is unable to play the summer season. When I received the official call I’d be moving over to sit Concertmaster a week before rehearsals began, I was glad for the serious preparation I’d done. Below is an excerpt from my Laura’s Training on the Go fitness blog. I wrote this post well into Wagner preparation when I realized that my practicing had become my main physical workout each day.
...more
By Laura Albers (Ring Cycle Concertmaster) on Tuesday, June 14, 2011
|