Here she was, Mary, Queen of Scots, right on the stage in San Francisco: impassioned, determined, a bit holier-than-thou. Thea Musgrave’s intense, dramatic opera brought us into a world of hundreds of years ago, with a story of a woman hellbent on getting her way and meeting multiple obstacles, one after the other. One woman creating another, strangled by the {…}
When Verdi sat down to write “Simon Boccanegra” in the mid 19th century, what did he want to express? What audience was he trying to reach? What has kept the opera in the background of his more popular operas? San Francisco Opera’s Claus Guth’s Hamburg production directed by Katherine M. Carter answers these questions. Especially welcome after the labor strike {…}
San Francisco Opera has announced additional casting for its June and July 2028 presentations of Wagner’s “Der Ring des Nibelungen,” with Music Director Eun Sun Kim conducting three complete cycles. Kim leads the work for the first time in Francesca Zambello’s staging, which is shared with Washington National Opera. The production debuted at the War Memorial Opera House in 2011 {…}
The San Francisco Opera is set to present a complimentary performance of “Simon Boccanegra” on Sept. 19, 2026 at 2 p.m. The performance will be held in celebration of the opening of the company’s 104th season and comes after the orchestra and management came to a new agreement following a strike that saw opening night canceled. In order to attend {…}
The San Francisco Opera Orchestra has ended its strike after reaching a tentative deal for a new contract with management. The deal comes almost a week after beginning a strike that forced the cancellation of opening night and multiple performances through Sept. 20. The San Francisco Chronicle was the first to report the news and Gabe Young, associate principal oboist {…}
The San Francisco Opera has canceled more performances due to the orchestra’s strike. The company said that “performances through Sept. 20 were cancelled today due to the strike called by the San Francisco Opera Orchestra on Sept. 12. Due to the impact of the ongoing strike on performance and rehearsal schedules, the Company has announced the cancellation of three upcoming {…}
The San Francisco Opera released a statement following the cancelation of opening night due to the San Francisco Opera Orchestra’s strike. In a statement San Francisco Opera General Director Matthew Shilvock said, ”I am very disappointed that the Orchestra has chosen to strike the opening of our 104th season, cancelling the opening performance and the beloved Opera in the Park {…}
The San Francisco Opera Orchestra has announced a strike in advance of opening night. In a statement, the orchestra said, “It is with heavy hearts that we announce that the musicians of the San Francisco Opera Orchestra are on strike and we will not be performing at tonight’s Opening Night. A strike is not something we take lightly, and we {…}
San Francisco Opera announced its 2026 “Opera Ball” is delayed as the San Francisco Opera Orchestra and Opera are still in active negotiations. Originally scheduled for Sept. 12 at San Francisco City Hall, the Opera Ball will now take place on Nov. 12. The season-opening performance of Verdi’s “Simon Boccanegra” at the War Memorial Opera House will continue as planned {…}
The San Francisco Opera Orchestra is warning audiences that it will not perform opening night of the 2026-27 season until it receives a fair contract. The orchestra released a statement noting, “Dear Friends, We are writing to let you know that the musicians of the San Francisco Opera Orchestra will not be able to perform on Opening Night, September 12, {…}
The opening weekend of San Francisco Opera’s 104th season will conclude with a performance on Sept. 13 with the company’s presentation of “Opera in the Park.” The free event, presented by the San Francisco Chronicle, features Caroline H. Hume Music Director Eun Sun Kim conducting the San Francisco Opera Orchestra and stars of the Company’s fall season at Robin Williams {…}
