(Credit: Richard Termine)

San Francisco Opera’s Department of Diversity, Equity and Community will continue its online, weekly, interactive lecture series, “Opera Aficionado,” throughout the month of August with a focus on social themes in opera.

The new lectures will take a dive into the politics of composer John Adams’ work to discussions about Black voices in contemporary opera and will provide opportunities for people who are passionate about opera to explore thought-provoking topics.

This month’s lectures begin on August 2 at 1 p.m. with “Let Freedom Sing: Operas About Liberation” with San Francisco Opera Dramaturg Emeritus Kip Cranna. It will be followed on August 9 with “Politics and Social Justice in the Operas of John Adams” with Laura Prichard, and with “Politics and Social Justice in Beethoven’s ‘Fidelio'” with Robert Hartwell on August 16.

The month comes to an end with “Black Voices in Contemporary Opera” featuring San Francisco Opera Librarian Michael Bragg and composer Nkeiru Okoye on August 23 and the Panel Event “Women in Opera” with stage director Aria Umezawa (host); San Francisco Opera’s Master of Properties Lori Harrison; composer Nkeiru Okoye; Opera Parallèle’s Artistic Director and conductor Nicole Paiement; and Seattle Opera’s General Director Christina Scheppelmann on August 30.

Each conversation will last 75 minutes and is $20. Each showcase holds a maximum capacity of 20 attendees.