San Francisco Opera to Revive Thea Musgraves’ ‘Mary, Queen of Scots’
By Francisco Salazar(Credit: Ellie Kurttz/English National Opera)
Scottish-born composer Thea Musgrave’s 1977 opera, “Mary, Queen of Scots” is set to return to San Francisco in a new co-production between San Francisco Opera and English National Opera.
The new production will be directed and designed by Stewart Laing. Italian conductor Clelia Cafiero will make her Company debut leading the San Francisco Opera Orchestra and a cast headed by soprano Heidi Stober in the title role.
Stober will be joined by Thomas Mole, Thomas Kinch, Christopher Sokolowski, Hadleigh Adams, David Soar, Olivier Zerouali, Chance Jonas-O’Toole, Philip Skinner, Sadie Cheslak, Sofia Gotch, Mary Hoskins, and Alexa Frankian.
Regarding the opera’s return to San Francisco, composer Thea Musgrave said, “I am thrilled to have my opera Mary, Queen of Scots return to San Francisco Opera this fall. I have always felt it to be the cornerstone of my operatic repertoire. It is also very close to me personally as I am a woman, a Scot and lived for several years in Paris. It was therefore easier for me than others to get inside of Mary’s feelings as the 18-year-old widowed Queen of France returning to Scotland as the Scottish Queen. Mary grew quickly to hold her own in a land menaced by the conflicting ambitions of the men that surrounded her—only in the end—ironically to be defeated and brought down by a woman, Queen Elizabeth I. Happily, Mary won the long game when her son, James VI of Scotland, became James I of England and Scotland on Elizabeth’s death. I am hoping my opera will likewise continue to bring her valor, her strength and particularly her emotional journey to life in a meaningful way for today’s audiences at San Francisco Opera.”
“Mary, Queen of Scots” will be performed in English with English supertitles, between Sept. 20 and Oct. 4, 2026. The Sept. 26 performance will be livestreamed at 7:30 p.m. PT. and available to watch on demand for 48 hours.
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