San Francisco Opera Reports Cast Changes for CARMEN and DON CARLO This Summer

San Francisco Opera today announced casting updates to the 2016 summer season which begins May 27 with the American premiere of Spanish director Calixto Bieito's production of Georges Bizet's CARMEN, followed by Giuseppe Verdi's DON CARLO opening on June 12 and Leoš Janácek's JENUFA starting on June 14.

The Company's double-cast presentation of CARMEN will now feature San Francisco Opera veteran soprano Ellie Dehn in the opening night cast as Micaëla, replacing Nadine Sierra. In addition, Russian tenor Maxim Aksenov will now make his War Memorial Opera House debut in the alternate cast as Don José replacing Riccardo Massi. Both Sierra and Massi have withdrawn for personal reasons. San Francisco Opera's new Resident Conductor Jordi Bernàcer, who hails from Valencia, Spain, will make his premiere engagement with the Company on July 3 replacing conductor Carlo Montanaro for the final performance of the CARMEN run.

San Francisco Opera's presentation of DON CARLO will now feature Puerto Rican-American soprano Ana María Martínez in the role of Elisabetta di Valois, replacing Krassimira Stoyanova who has cancelled her appearance due to ongoing health concerns that prevent her from traveling long distances. Italian bass-baritone Ferruccio Furlanetto will sing the role of King Philip II in the final performance of DON CARLO on June 29, in lieu of René Pape who has a scheduling conflict. As planned, Mr. Pape will sing the first five performances on June 12, 15, 18, 21 and 24.

There are no cast changes or updates for San Francisco Opera's presentation of Janácek's JENUFA.

Ellie Dehn has previously appeared with San Francisco Opera in 2010 as the Countess in Le Nozze di Figaro; in October 2011 as Donna Anna in Don Giovanni; followed by Fiordiligi in Così fan tutte in June 2013; and in November 2014 as Musetta in Puccini's La Bohème. Maxim Aksenov has earned international acclaim for his performances at the Netherlands Opera, the Mariinsky Theatre, Teatro Regio di Turino and recently with the Lyric Opera of Kansas City in a new production of Rusalka.

Ana María Martínez made her San Francisco Opera debut as Pamina in The Magic Flute in 2003, followed by Micaëla in CARMEN during the 2006-07 Season, and in September 2008 as Amelia Grimaldi in Verdi's Simon Boccanegra. Ferruccio Furlanetto most recently appeared with San Francisco Opera in 2011 in the title role of Verdi's Attila, following his earlier performances with the Company in La Gioconda in 1979, and Aida, Le Cid and Lucia di Lammermoor in 1981.

Jordi Bernàcer has conducted Manon Lescaut and Luisa Fernanda at Valencia's Palau de les Arts Reina Sofía; Tosca with Los Angeles Opera; and CARMEN at Warsaw's Teatr Wielki among many credits.

For complete casting and performance schedule of the 2016 summer season, visit sfopera.com.

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