Giuseppe Verdi's Un Ballo in Maschera (A Masked Ball) at San Francisco Opera

Full of vocal lyricism, San Francisco Opera's 2014 production of Giuseppe Verdi's Un Ballo in Maschera (A Masked Ball) features the "spectacular" (San Francisco Chronicle) Company debut of soprano Julianna di Giacomo, a Merola Opera Program graduate, as Amelia, opposite baritone Thomas Hampson who portrays her jealous husband, Count Anckarström (Renato). Mexican tenor Ramón Vargas is Amelia's admirer and the Count's close friend, King Gustavus III (Riccardo), a role Vargas has performed internationally throughout his career. Soprano Heidi Stober takes on the trouser role of the page, Oscar. A renowned interpreter of many of Verdi's mezzo-soprano roles, Dolora Zajick is the fortuneteller, Ulrica. Rounding out the cast are baritone Efraín Solís as Silvano and Christian Van Horn and Scott Conner as conspirators Sam and Tom, respectively.