Opera Blog

April 14, 2020

The Glory of Being the Middle Dog

Everyone wants to be top dog. Our collective image of the “top dog” is someone who excels in a given field and who therefore reaps the rewards: the plushest bed, the meatiest bone. But succeeding at any goal requires work: You practice, question your sanity, practice more, succeed at an interim goal, rage, rage against your shortcomings, practice more and finally take an incremental step forward.

April 14, 2020

A Page from the Past, Informing the Present

As more and more of the world is impacted by the coronavirus and the need to self-isolate, San Francisco Opera reached out to its staff for updates about what they’re doing in this time of quarantine. Composer and San Francisco Opera Orchestra double-bassist Shinji Eshima sent in this update, about how a spring cleaning led him to a curious artifact: a program-book page that connects his past and present.

February 1, 2020 The (R)evolution of Steve Jobs

Inside the mind of ‘Steve Jobs’ star Sasha Cooke

She didn’t need to audition. She was simply asked. That’s how Grammy-winning mezzo-soprano Sasha Cooke landed the role of Laurene Powell Jobs in the world premiere of The (R)evolution of Steve Jobs, itself a Grammy winner for Best Opera Recording.

September 15, 2017 Elektra

Why You Need ELEKTRA in Your Life

How serious is my Strauss addiction? Well, I recently celebrated a birthday (one that ends in zero) by going to hear his groundbreaking 1905 opera Salome at both the Met and LA Opera in the same season. My CD collection boasts over 50 recordings of Strauss operas, and my detailed reviews of each have earned me the coveted “Classical Enthusiast” title on Amazon.com. 

June 14, 2017

Teaching Artistry 101

This semester in Teaching Artistry 101 I had the amazing opportunity to work with Nick at Mission High School. The goal of our work with the two choir classes was to prepare them for an upcoming concert and to give them some necessary tools for future singing.

January 13, 2016

Adler Profile: Anthony Reed

Anthony Reed is a second-year Adler Fellow who appeared in The Magic Flute, Die Meistersinger, and The Fall of the House of Usher this past fall. Read on to learn what he compares his experience as an Adler Fellow to, his original pop music, and more.

December 7, 2015 The Magic Flute

Our Newest Collaboration with Music App Developer Smule

Over the last two years, we have been working with San Francisco-based musical app developer Smule to bring songs from productions like The Magic Flute and The Barber of Seville to the Smule Songbook, as well artist performances to the Smule app platform. Our latest collaboration gives users a taste of what it feels like to sing on stage at the War Memorial Opera House with the the “SF Opera” vocal effect in Sing! Karaoke on iOS.

December 3, 2015 The Magic Flute

A Three Year-Old's First Opera

For many, attending their first opera can occur as early as age seven or eight. However, with the right opera and some fun preparation, one patron learned that you can successfully bring a three year-old to the opera. Meet Nathaniel, one of San Francisco Opera's newest (and youngest) fans. 

November 19, 2015 Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg

5 Questions with Brandon Jovanovich

Tenor Brandon Jovanovich can currently be seen as knight Walther von Stolzing in Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg. He first made his San Francisco Opera debut in 2007 as Pinkerton in Madame Butterfly, and has been thrilling San Francisco Opera audiences ever since. Read on to learn about where he first got his love for singing, his favorite things to do in San Francisco, and more!

November 18, 2015 The Magic Flute

Adler Profile: Efraín Solís

Mexican-American baritone Efraín Solís is a second-year San Francisco Opera Adler Fellow who is currently appearing as Papageno in The Magic Flute. He made his Company debut in 2014 as Prince Yamadori (Madame Butterfly) and has appeared in our recent productions of A Masked Ball, Cinderella and Tosca. Read on to learn more about his backstage rituals, how we knew he wanted to be a performer and more.

November 16, 2015 The Magic Flute

Adler Profile: Nian Wang

Mezzo-soprano Nian Wang is a first-year San Francisco Opera Adler Fellow who made her Company debut as Ascanius in our summer 2015 production of Berlioz' The Trojans. Learn more about this brilliant young mezzo-soprano.

October 26, 2015 The Magic Flute

Live Magic – Live Tweeting The Magic Flute Dress Rehearsal

Recently a group of social-savvy tweeters gathered at the Opera House to live tweet the final dress rehearsal of Mozart’s The Magic Flute.

October 26, 2015 The Magic Flute

A Flying Start: Thoughts from a Child Spirit

Pietro Juvara is one of the three Spirits in our 2015 production of The Magic Flute. Read on to find out what was going on in this 11-year-old's mind during opening night of the production!

October 16, 2015 Lucia di Lammermoor

Tartan, Leather, and Plot Twists: Live Tweeting Lucia di Lammermoor

They came, they saw, they tweeted: last Sunday a group of social-savvy tweeters gathered at the Opera House to live tweet the final dress rehearsal of Donizetti’s Lucia di Lammermoor. As usual, the tweets ranged from personal reactions to pop culture comparisons to advice for the characters.

October 16, 2015 Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg

5 Questions With Andrea Silvestrelli

Italian bass Andrea Silvestrelli can be seen in three of our productions this fall: Luisa Miller, Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg, and The Barber of Seville. He has been performing at San Francisco Opera since 1998, and consequently knows the city well. Read on to learn about Andrea's love of motorcycles, his struggle to find shoes, and more!

October 12, 2015

Join Connor Rapier at the Opera!

My name is Connor and  I attend the San Fransisco Opera pretty regularly with my mother, Tiffany, a fellow opera member. Though I am young and only in middle school, I enjoy the performances immensely. "But, wait!" you might be thinking, "He's too young for the opera; this is abnormal!"

September 21, 2015 Sweeney Todd

5 Questions with Stephanie Blythe

Mezzo-soprano Stephanie Blythe is back in San Francisco this September starring as Mrs. Lovett in Sweeney Todd. She kindly gave us some insight into her Mrs. Lovett, her favorite things to do when she's not on stage, and what she will be doing once Sweeney Todd ends...

September 20, 2015 Sweeney Todd

5 Questions with Elliot Madore

Canadian baritone Elliot Madore made his San Francisco Opera debut this month as Anthony in Sweeney Todd. We were curious to find out what his dream roles are, and what profession he would pursue if he weren't a singer.

September 10, 2015 Sweeney Todd

Blood, Gore and Pies: Live Tweeting Sweeney Todd

San Francisco Opera has hosted tweet seaters at selected final dress rehearsals since June 2012. The latest iteration saw a group of social-savvy tweeters attend the final dress of Stephen Sondheim’s Sweeney Todd on September 9.

June 17, 2015

Live Tweeting a Marriage... of Figaro

On June 11 a brave band gathered in a box to live tweet their views from the final dress rehearsal of Mozart’s Marriage of Figaro.

June 1, 2015

The Top 6 Opera Tips

We asked and you answered! We reached out to our brilliant opera fans via social media for their top #OperaTips for people who have never attended live opera before. The top 6 suggestions may surprise you. Enjoy!

June 17, 2014

Earl & Alexis Return to SFO: Somthin' That the Angels Done Plan

It was cold in New York in February, 2008 when I flew into LaGuardia airport, but not too cold...

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