The San Francisco Opera’s summer season will celebrate the 50th anniversary of the “Summer of Love,” a social movement that emerged in San Francisco’s Haight-Ashbury neighborhood during the summer of 1967 with three operatic gems that explore the theme of love in its many guises. The company will also returns to the home of the San Francisco Giants for the eleventh “Opera at the Ballpark” with a transmission of Mozart’s “Don Giovanni.”

Verdi: Rigoletto (May 31–July 1) 

The summer season opens with Verdi’s classic tale starring Quinn Kelsey in the title role of Rigoletto and soprano Nino Machaidze in her Company debut as Gilda. Pene Pati will make his role debut as the Duke of Mantua and he will be joined by his wife Amina Edris (Countess Ceprano) and brother Amitai Pati (Matteo Borsa).

Zanda Švēde (Maddalena) and  Andrea Silvestrelli (Sparafucile) will round out the cast with music director Nicola Luisotti in the pit.

Mozart: Don Giovanni (June 4–30)

The company will also present eight performances of Mozart’s “Don Giovanni” with Ildebrando D’Arcangelo, in his first performances of the title role at the San Francisco Opera. He will be joined by Erin Wall in her company debut as Donna Anna, Ana María Martínez as Donna Elvira, Sarah Shafer as Zerlina, Stanislas de Barbeyrac in his first appearance with San Francisco Opera as Don Ottavio, Marco Vinco as Leporello, Michael Sumuel as Masetto and Andrea Silvestrelli as The Commendatore.

Conductor Marc Minkowski makes his long-awaited San Francisco Opera debut leading the San Francisco Opera Orchestra in Mozart’s immortal score.

Puccini: La Bohème (June 10–July 2)

The final production of the season will be Puccini’s classic hit “La Bohème.”  Erika Grimaldi takes on the title role and will alternate with Julie Adams. Arturo Chacón-Cruz sings Rodolfo while Ellie Dehn is Musetta. Carlo Montanaro conducts the San Francisco Opera Orchestra and John Caird directs the 2014 co-production with Houston Grand Opera and Canadian Opera Company by designer David Farley.