2020–21 Season

The Handmaid's Tale

MUSIC BY POUL RUDERS

BLESSED BE THE FRUIT … OF THE RESISTANCE.

In a dystopian future, fertile women deemed sinful are forced into child-bearing servitude by an extremist theocratic regime. Resistance is nearly impossible — but necessary. Based on the landmark literary work by Margaret Atwood and starring Sasha Cooke as Offred.

New to San Francisco Opera Co-Production

Meet the Cast

Libretto by Paul Bentley

Sung in English with English supertitles

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RUNNING TIME

Approximately 2 hours and 50 minutes, including one intermission

WHO SHOULD SEE IT

Fans of author Margaret Atwood; George Orwell’s 1984; actress Elizabeth Moss; and dystopian films and TV shows like A Clockwork Orange, The Manchurian Candidate, The Hunger Games, and Black Mirror.

The Handmaid’s Tale is recommended for audiences ages 16 and above. Note, this production contains scenes of violence, misogyny, and sexual assault.

FOUND IN SERIES

A, D, R/R+RBW, G, J, M, C, F, S/RBW, I, L, O, W

INVITE A FRIEND

Thursday	10/29/20	7:30PM
Sunday	11/01/20	2:00PM
Wednesday	11/11/20	7:30PM
Saturday	11/14/20	7:30PM
Tuesday	11/17/20	7:30PM
Friday	11/20/20	7:30PM
Sunday	11/22/20	2:00PM

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THE BUZZ

“The mezzo-soprano Sasha Cooke sings with both warmth and a barely concealed backbone of steel, and projects ruefulness and the tiniest touch of humor.”
—The New York Times

Mezzo-soprano Michaela Martens “slings the whole evening over her shoulder and walks away with it at the end.”
—New York Magazine

“Conductor Thomas Søndergård’s fluency in Ruders' exacting argot is absolute, his orchestra radiant.”
—The Independent

SYNOPSIS

Deprived of her rights, her child and even her name, a woman known simply as Offred starts to rebel against a regime bent on female subjugation.

READ COMPLETE SYNOPSIS

Cast and Creative

CAST

Offred	Sasha Cooke
Aunt Lydia	Sarah Cambidge
Serena Joy	Michaela Martens
Offred's Commander	James Creswell
Offred Double	Abigail Levis ^*
Janine/Ofwarren	Katrina Galka ^*
Ofglen	Rhoslyn Jones
Offred’s Mother	Nicole Birkland
Rita	Sara Couden ^*
Nick	Brenton Ryan
Doctor	Matthew DiBattista ^*

PERFORMANCES

October 29; November 1, 11, 14, 17, 20, and 22, 2020

CREATIVE

Conductor	Thomas Søndergård ^*
Production	John Fulljames ^*
Set Designer	Chloe Lamford ^*
Costume Designer	Christina Cunningham ^*
Lighting Designer	Fabiana Piccioli ^*
Projection Designer	Will Duke ^*
Fight Director	Dave Maier
Chorus Director	Ian Robertson

* San Francisco Opera debut

A San Francisco Opera and Royal Danish Opera co-production.

MADE POSSIBLE BY

This production is made possible, in part, by The Phyllis C. Wattis Fund for New Productions, and Joan and David Traitel.

This project is supported in part by an award from the National Endowment for the Arts.

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Illustration by Shawna X. Icons made by xnimrodx from www.flaticon.com