A leader among international opera companies for nine decades, San Francisco Opera was founded by Gaetano Merola (1881–1953) and incorporated in 1923. The Company's first performance took place on September 26, 1923 in the City's Civic Auditorium (La Bohème, with Queena Mario and Giovanni Martinelli, conducted by Merola). Originally presented over two weeks, San Francisco Opera's season now contains approximately 75 performances of ten operas between September and July.
San Francisco Opera inaugurated its current home, the War Memorial Opera House, with a performance of Tosca on October 15, 1932 (Claudia Muzio, Dino Borgioli, and Alfredo Gandolfi sang the principal roles in a production conducted by Merola). The venerable beaux arts building holds the distinction of being the first American opera house that was not built by and for a small group of wealthy patrons; the funding came thanks to a group of private citizens who encouraged thousands of San Franciscans to subscribe.
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Airs Saturday, September 3, at 12 noon. This week the San Francisco Opera Orchestra and Chorus are featured in Wagner's Die Meistersinger starring James…
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Airs Saturday, August 27, at 12 noon. This week the San Francisco Opera Orchestra and Chorus are featured in Gaetano Donizetti's Lucia Di Lammermoor,…
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Airs Saturday, August 20, at 12 noon. This week the WFMT Fine Arts Network begin a series featuring the San Francisco Opera Orchestra and Chorusunder…
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Airs Saturday, October 31, at 12 noon. This week the San Francisco Opera present's Hector Berlioz's Les Troyens starring Anna CaterinaAntonacci as…
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Airs Saturday, October 24, at 12 noon. This week on the San Francisco Opera we present the opera "Two Women" by Marco Tutino and Fabio Ceresa starring…
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Airs Saturday, October 17, at 12 noon. This week on the San Francisco Opera we feature one of the great masterpiece from Puccini's pen with La Bohème…
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Airs Saturday, October 10, at 12 noon. This week from the San Francisco Opera we present Gioachino Rossini's beloved fairytale, La Cenerentola…
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Airs Saturday, October 3, at 12 noon. This week from the San Francisco Opera, Danielle de Niese takes the title role in George Frideric Handel's…
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Airs Saturday, September 26, at 12 noon. This week on the San Francisco Opera Nicola Luisotti will lead the San Francisco Opera Orchestra and Chorus in a…
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Air Saturday, September 19, at 12 noon This week from the San Francisco Opera Michael Cavanagh directs and Karen Kamensek conducts a production of…