San Francisco Opera Presents 2017 Summer Season - RIGOLETTO, DON GIOVANNI, LA BOHEME

San Francisco Opera presents a trio of operatic favorites- Giuseppe Verdi's Rigoletto, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart's Don Giovanni and Giacomo Puccini's La Bohème-at the War Memorial Opera House from May 31 through July 2. Coinciding with city-wide celebrations of 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, the Company's summer 2017 repertory explores the theme of love in its many guises. San Francisco Opera also returns to the home of the San Francisco Giants for the eleventhOpera at the Ballpark on Friday, June 30, with a free simulcast of Don Giovanni transmitted live from the stage of the War Memorial Opera House to AT&T Park's high-definition scoreboard.

Verdi: Rigoletto (May 31-July 1)

The summer season opens May 31 with Rigoletto, Verdi's fast-moving tale of a court jester, his beloved daughter and a devastating curse. San Francisco Opera Music Director Nicola Luisotti conducts the San Francisco Opera Orchestra in the composer's dramatic and melodious score. The cast includes Hawaiian baritone Quinn Kelseyin the title role, Georgian soprano Nino Machaidze in her Company debut as Gilda and New Zealand tenor and rising star Pene Pati in his role debut as the Duke of Mantua. In a remarkable coincidence of casting, Pati, a current San Francisco Opera Adler Fellow, will be joined on stage by his actual wife, second year Adler Fellow soprano Amina Edris (Countess Ceprano) and brother, first year Adler Fellow tenor Amitai Pati (Matteo Borsa). Featured performers also include mezzo-soprano Zanda Šv?de (Maddalena), bass Andrea Silvestrelli(Sparafucile) and in his Company debut bass Reginald Smith (Monterone). San Francisco Opera Resident Conductor Jordi Bernàcer will be on the podium for the final performance on July 1.

Rob Kearley, acclaimed director of Weinberg's The Passenger at Israeli Opera, Lyric Opera of Chicago and Houston Grand Opera, guides the staging of this revival in his first engagement with the Company. The production features Michael Yeargan's shadowy, Giorgio de Chirico-inspired settings, Constance Hoffman's colorful costumes and lighting by Gary Marder. Chorus Director Ian Robertson prepares the San Francisco Opera Chorus.

Mozart: Don Giovanni (June 4-30)

Mozart's Don Giovanni takes the stage for eight performances beginning June 4. One of the world's finest exponents of the title role, Italian bass-baritone Ildebrando D'Arcangelo, appears for the first time with San Francisco Opera as the seductive Don. He will be joined by soprano Erin Wall in her Company debut as Donna Anna, soprano Ana María Martínez as Donna Elvira, soprano Sarah Shafer as Zerlina, French tenor Stanislas de Barbeyrac in his first appearance with San Francisco Opera as Don Ottavio, bass Marco Vinco as Leporello, bass Michael Sumuel as Masetto and bass Andrea Silvestrelli as The Commendatore.

Renowned for his success in the field of opera and for leading the acclaimed period-instrument ensemble Les Musicians du Louvre, French conductor Marc Minkowski makes his long-awaited San Francisco Opera debut leading the San Francisco Opera Orchestra in Mozart's immortal score. Italian director Jacopo Spirei, along with projection and scenic adaptation designer Tommi Brem, make their first Company appearances with a visually daring reboot of San Francisco Opera's 2011 production.

Puccini: La Bohème (June 10-July 2)

Rounding out San Francisco Opera's Summer of Love is La Bohème, Puccini's tender opera of love and loss among a group of bohemian artists in mid-19th-century Paris. Italian soprano Erika Grimaldi, last heard at San Francisco Opera during the summer of 2016 as Micaëla in Carmen, returns to perform the role of Mimì in six performances (June 10, 15, 17, 23, 29 and July 2). American soprano Julie Adams sings Mimì on June 20 and 25. Mexican tenor Arturo Chacón-Cruz is the poet Rodolfo in all performances. Soprano Ellie Dehn is Musetta, baritone Audun Iversen is Marcello, bass-baritone Brad Walker is Schaunard, bass Scott Conner is Colline, and veteran bass Dale Travis, who has appeared with San Francisco Opera in fifteen seasons since 1988-89, sings the dual roles of Alcindoro and Benoit. Carlo Montanaro conducts the San Francisco Opera Orchestra andJohn Caird directs the 2014 co-production with Houston Grand Opera and Canadian Opera Company by designer David Farley.

Free Live Opera at the Ballpark Simulcast of Don Giovanni, AT&T Park / June 30

Continuing what has become a Bay Area tradition, San Francisco Opera partners with the San Francisco Giants for Opera at the Ballpark-a free live simulcast of Mozart's Don Giovanni at AT&T Park on Friday, June 30 at 7:30 p.m. Through state-of-the-art technology, the performance of Don Giovanni will be transmitted live from the stage of the War Memorial Opera House to AT&T Park's high-definition scoreboard. AT&T Park concessions will be open for the simulcast, providing audiences the rare opportunity to pair hot dogs, nachos and garlic fries with world-class opera. Last year's Opera at the Ballparkdrew an audience of more than 28,000 to AT&T Park for Bizet's Carmen. The June 30 Don Giovanni simulcast marks the 15th free simulcast presented by San Francisco Opera and the 11th at AT&T Park. Opera at the Ballpark is made possible by Presenting Sponsor Taube Philanthropies; Gold Sponsors Charles Schwab, Chevron and United Airlines; and the extraordinary technology of the Koret/Taube Media Suite. Free registration for early admission/best seating and entry into a special prize drawing will be available in early April at sfopera.com/simulcast.

TICKETS AND INFORMATION

Tickets for performances of Rigoletto, Don Giovanni, and La Bohème during the summer 2017 repertory season are priced from $26 to $397 (subject to change) and may be purchased at sfopera.com or through the San Francisco Opera Box Office at 301 Van Ness Avenue or by phone at (415) 864-3330. Standing Room tickets go on sale at 10 a.m. on the day of each performance; tickets are $10 each, cash only and limited to two tickets per person.

The War Memorial Opera House is located at 301 Van Ness Avenue at Grove Street. Patrons are encouraged to use public transportation to attend San Francisco Opera performances. The War Memorial Opera House is within walking distance of the Civic Center BART station and near numerous bus lines, including 5, 21, 47, 49 and the F Market Street. For more public transportation information, visit bart.gov and sfmta.com.

Casting, programs, schedules and ticket prices are subject to change. For further information about San Francisco Opera's 2017 Summer Season, please visit sfopera.com.

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