The Opera Tattler

Reviews of Performances and their Audiences

SF Opera’s 2016-2017 Season

January 11, 2016

September 9-30 2016: Andrea Chénier
September 10-29 2016: Dream of the Red Chamber
September 28- October 15 2016: Don Pasquale
October 14-29 2016: The Makropulos Case
November 5- December 6 2016: Aida
November 6- December 4 2016: Madama Butterfly
May 31- July 1 2017: Rigoletto
June 4-30 2017: Don Giovanni
June 10-July 2 2017: La Bohème

David Gockley announced the next season at San Francisco Opera today. Lawrence Brownlee has an SF Opera debut in Don Pasquale. Nadja Michael stars in Makropulos. Ildebrando D’Arcangelo sings the title role of Don Giovanni next year and Marc Minkowski conducts.

Ted Hearne’s The Source and Poulenc’s La Voix Humane will be performed at the Dianne and Tad Taube Atrium Theater next year in February and March.

Press Release | Official Site

Posted in 2016-2017 Season Previews, San Francisco Opera

41 responses to “SF Opera’s 2016-2017 Season”

Roberto

January 11, 2016

Still no Strauss.
Cannot believe that Butterfly and La Boheme are back.
On the paper, I cannot remember to have such a non-inspiring season recently.

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Sacto OperaFan

January 11, 2016

Wow, just wow. 7/9 Italian operas. Looks like there were major cancellations for Andrea Chenier. I don’t understand why SFO is doing Makropolos Case so soon; Karita Matilla’s outstanding performance is still on people’s minds.
Selection wise, this has got to be the most disappointing season I’ve ever seen from SFO. I am waiting to hear the casting for all the operas, but with the exception of Lawrence Brownlee making his debut, there isn’t a lot of star power in the lineup. I’ll leave it at that. Thoughts?

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Sacto OperaFan

January 11, 2016

PS – I was expecting Elektra either in the Fall or Summer lineup. I mean do we have to wait until Goerke can’t sing the role anymore before SFO gets her out here?

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The Opera Tattler

January 11, 2016

Agreed.

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The Opera Tattler

January 11, 2016

It is pretty dull. My subscription has Aida, Butterfly, Rigoletto, and Don Giovanni in it, and it is hard to see why I would renew.

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The Opera Tattler

January 11, 2016

It’s disappointing.

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knights-tale

January 11, 2016

Meh. Meh. Meh.
David Gockley is only getting more and more conservative. The company is in decent financial shape. I just don’t get it. And I’m not at all optimistic about his hand-picked successor. This whole nonsense that opera should be safe and comfortable and bourgeois is ridiculous. We’re going to make Lyric Opera of Chicago look like Pina Bausch.
I’ve personally never seen “Andrea Chenier” and “Don Pasquale” so there’s at least some interest there. And “Dream of the Red Chamber” can’t be worse than “Two Women.” While I don’t understand reviving “Makropolous Case” so soon, at least it’s a brilliant production of a brilliant opera with some edge to it.
Nothing in German at all? No Strauss or Wagner? It’s embarrassing. Two Puccinis again? And that cheap-looking Kuneko production of “Butterfly” (great artist, but his work gets translated poorly onto the stage). Two Verdis? Thank goodness they ditched that horrific “Aida” they did last time, but was it really time for another one?
And I’m amused by this “re-staging” idea. It’s basically hauling out old productions and calling them new. I personally love the Yeargan “Rigoletto” but let’s not insult the audience’s intelligence.
And the voices? Yet another year without a marquee lyric tenor. Rumors of Jonas Kaufmann coming out for “Chenier” were obviously not true. Glad they FINALLY cast Lawrence Brownlee (saw him with SF Opera at Stern Grove many years ago…brilliant). Also glad to see Sarah Shafer return, so radiant in “Two Women” and “Die Zauberflote”.
My favorite is when they call it “Madame Butterfly” using the French. As if no one will understand what “Madama” means. I always know an opera company thinks we’re idiots when they do that. It makes SF Opera look sooooo parochial.
This season is a very, very bad omen for the future of this company that used to be at the cutting edge of American opera. I guess we’ll have to contend with boring for as long as the Gockley/Shilvock regime is in place.
So sad.

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knights-tale

January 11, 2016

Opera Tattler. I’m curious. Given your role in local arts press, have you asked them why this is so conservative? And why they are only getting more so with each season? Is no one asking these questions?

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The Opera Tattler

January 12, 2016

Definitely feel your pain on this one. Sadly it seems we are in the minority.

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The Opera Tattler

January 12, 2016

From going to lots of donor events, my understanding is the Butterflys, Bohemes, Carmens, and Barbers are what bring people in. Gockley has addressed this on more than one occasion in the annual meetings. Subscriptions are on the decline, so it is important to appeal to the more casual opera goer.
From what I’ve observed, lots of SF Opera donors completely love Gockley. When I was researching my KQED piece on him it was tough to get anyone to say much bad about him. There is a sense that he is keeping SF Opera from going out of business and that we should put up with conservative seasons because that’s what sells.
Unfortunately, as much as I love opera and SF Opera, even I would never go to a full subscription with seasons like this one. The half subscription I have is entirely war horses yet again and I’m considering dropping one and reshuffling the others. Definitely feeling alienated.

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Gene

January 12, 2016

“My favorite is when they call it “Madame Butterfly” using the French.” — that’s what original was called.
“Thank goodness they ditched that horrific “Aida” they did last time” — I liked that Aida.
“No Strauss or Wagner?” — Thank God! This season NM had more than half seats empty by the end of second act. My girlfriend told me she is not going to another Wagner opera for at least a year. No one wants to do endurance trials instead of opera. Wagner fans are like IPA aficionados. Like to talk a lot about their love for subject, but cannot stand the taste themselves.
” I personally love the Yeargan “Rigoletto” ” — I hated that Rigoletto production, despite the fact that I like Shagimuratova (a lot) and opera itself (a lot more than first “A lot”).
“Two Verdis? ” – I agree, can’t have enough Verdi! This season was only two as well.. I would say 3 or 4 (a year) would make a respectable opera company.
I do agree on both Puccini productions. In Butterfly Jun Kaneko is doing more damage to opera than Berg and Shoenberg combined. The Boheme production was just lame. Seriously? Painted sheets? Seriously?
All in all, I have seen worse seasons. Any season with Donizetti is a good season. They should do Bellini more (last Norma was EPIC!).
Andre Chenier I saw at Bregenz opera festival (yeah on the lake with giant head and stuff), so this should bring warm memories.

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Tom

January 12, 2016

This season is about as bad as what Rosenberg inflicted on us.
As if Italy is the only country in the world. Well, if their desire is to see subscribers drop their subscriptions, they will get to see it in my case, and after about 30 years…
Did you see the interview with the new director in Opera News?
He sounds like he came straight from IRS. Really sad.
Come visit Berlin, attend the Komische Oper, see great, creative performances at 1/3 the price of SF, and see how an opera house should be run. Shame on SFO!

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Sacto OperaFan

January 12, 2016

I do like Gockley, I didn’t care for Rosenberg. I think the difference is what one valued more – opera stars from the A group or unusual repertoire. I will always vote to hear the finest voices singing in the world today over repertoire. Gockley, until this season was announced, presented singers I wanted to hear. Even the warhorses were in general well cast and not the haphazard mess one normally finds with operas that sell well. I appreciated that. Of course the best of all is interesting repertoire cast with A group singers.
The problem I have with this season is the casting. I mean do we really need to have Andrea Chenier without a star tenor to sell tickets? It’s not that interesting an opera I hate to say (at least to me). No offense to Mr. Yonghoon Lee, but to help sell tickets today, one needs to cast this one from the A group.
With the exception of Pasquale and Red Chamber, I’ve seen everything offered at least twice, some of the operas much more than that. As much as I enjoy Boheme or Aida, I want to hear the best singers singing those roles today. Unfortunately, I don’t think I can cobble together enough interest to even purchase a half subscription.

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The Opera Tattler

January 12, 2016

Looking forward to hearing Chenier. Really hope the next season doesn’t have the same amount of cast changes as this season has though.

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The Opera Tattler

January 12, 2016

I’m really close to dropping my subscription of 10 years, it isn’t worth the effort to get seats for war horses I’ve heard 30 times before only to have audience members talk around us.
Need to read that Opera News interview, thanks for mentioning it.
I really miss Berlin.

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The Opera Tattler

January 12, 2016

Gockley has a great ear, and it is too bad it has been so difficult to bring the A list singers to SF lately.
I can at best have three operas next season in a half subscription. I will dutifully hear the others in standing room, of course.

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Richard E. Kaye

January 12, 2016

Dear Gene: The last “NORMA” was a total disaster. Sondra Radvonosky should stick to the meaty Verdian dramatic roles and NOT attempt to do BEL CANTO. I thought that she was WAY OUT OF HER LEAGUE. Her Adalgisa was, in contrast, sublimely lyrical. The production itself was a mess. Did we see the same production?????????????

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Richard E. Kaye

January 12, 2016

Dear Sacto Opera Fan: Now you have really gone out of your way to step on my toes. If there is ONE THING THAT CAN BE SAID OF UMBERTO GIORDANO’S OPERA “ANDREA CHENIER,” it is that the tenor role is one that is adored by most tenors because the tenor has one great aria or duet after another. Back in the “olden days,” the egocentric Mario Del Monaco, a big blustery fellow with a big blustery voice, was given the role of Manrico in Verdi’s “Il Trovatore” opposite the Divine Maria Callas. He did not want to be outshone by a grand diva, so he put his foot down and insisted that THE OPERA BE CHANGED TO “ANDREA CHENIER.” Callas just assumed a “What-the-Hell-Do-I-Care” attitude, and the change was made. I would like any opera devotee to purchase a DVD set of this opera and choose for himself/herself. This grand opera has NOT been done here in San Francisco for years and years, while we keep getting the same old WARHORSES trotted out year after year. i suppose that Director Gockley feels that he can offset his BORING reputation by giving us very modern new works such as the recent double-bill of two short operas based on Poe’s “The Fall of the House of Usher.” What an excruciating night at THE OPERA!!!!!!!!!! And, I must add, isn’t there anyone on THE BOARD or anyone who has given MILLIONS to The San Francisco Opera brave enough to stand up to Mr. Gockley and say, “This is San Francisco. We’re supposed to be raising the bar by setting standards for exciting repertoires. I am completely flabbergasted by THE RETURN OF “MADAM BUTTERFLY” AND “LA BOHEME” YET AGAIN. THIS IS AN OUTRAGE!!!!!!!!!!!

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Sacto OperaFan

January 12, 2016

Mr. Kaye,
No offense intended. I just don’t personally care for Chenier, but would go again if the singers, particularly the tenor or soprano is someone I’d wanted to hear. It was rumored a few years ago that Mr. Kauffmann was engaged; more recently Mr. Alagna. Since I had not heard either of these gentlemen live, I would have been much more interested in seeingg Chenier in the Fall. I just think w/out a “star tenor” SFO will have problems filling the house. I hope I’m wrong.
As pointed out by OT, Mr. Gockley, as General Director of SFO has sell tickets to performances. One of thee ways to achieve this is to present the warhorses.
The last time SFO did Butterfly for the nth time in X years, I was surprised by how sold out the performances were. I was going to take a new friend of mine to see it, but the house was nearly sold out for all the performances we could attend. I had no intention in attending Butterfly on my own – uninteresting cast in what looked like a terrible production – but did look as my friend was interested. Hence, SFO keeps on booking this opera.
I do agree with you that this is terrible as SFO offers only a very limited number of operas in a given season and if many of the selections are the same year after year, it gets tedious. However, from my point of view, if the singers booked are ones I want to hear, I”d sign up. This has been the saving grace of the Gockley administration up to this year. I do understand those fans that value choice in repertoire more than I do and I sympathize. Running SFO, given the limitations, is thankless.

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Sacto OperaFan

January 12, 2016

Hi OT,
I think Mr. Gockley is a very charismatic and charming man. I began going to SFO during the Mansouri years. I ran into him once and got the impression that I was just a member of the public. Mr. Gockley on the other hand was very personable when I met him. He was very engaging and “down to earth.” Could be I was just much younger when Mansouri ran the house and thus did not look like the typical opera patron. That said, I can understand why those who have met Gockley like him.
Gockley has been up front about why he schedules so many Butterflies and Barbers – to sell seats. I have noticed that non Warhorse operas don’t sell as well as they did when I first started coming to the opera. I never forgot that SFO put out a notice that their production of “Fiery Angel” sold 110% of the subscription. By that they meant that they resold tickets that subscribers donated back to the house and that all performances were sold out. I doubt that would happen today. Of course that Fiery Angel featured a lot of nudity….maybe that’s the key.
Because of the repeated Butterflies, Gockley has suffered in the eyes of many long time patrons. Since I value singers more than a varied repertoire, I have forgiven him as the singers booked were the ones I wanted to hear. The price we paid is almost no Strauss operas and a loss of the Russian operas. Mansouri used to present at least one Russian opera in the season and thus I got to see a lot of Russian opera.
As with you, I don’t think I can find enough operas to cobble together even a half series unfortunately. There is a good possibility I won’t go to any in 2016/17 offering. The drive from Sacramento is getting worse and worse, thus the opera had better be really worth the agony.

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knights-tale

January 12, 2016

I’ve run an arts organization. I understand the pressure to program conservatively. But it’s a dangerous game. You need to introduce some new things in order to keep things fresh. And sometimes you have to show people what to like, even if they’ll never know they like it unless you put it in front of them.
It’s classic arts management. You are NEVER going to sell 100% of every show. Ever. You program the warhorses to pay for the real art. The problem is that Gockley has only programmed safe warhorses and all but disregarded the art. Even if we think about art in financial terms, you have to have some risky stocks in your portfolio if you really want to make gains. Oh..and SF Opera is an ARTS organization for goodness’ sake.
But if you only do what’s safe you make money, but at the expense of the art. What is the purpose of an arts organization if you don’t want to be artistic? A graffiti “Aida” is not artistic innovation. What if Puccini never got backing for “La boheme” or Strauss could not get “Elektra” onstage? We have to take risks. Otherwise what’s the point?
San Francisco audiences are not as forward-thinking as people seem to think (we can be a rather parochial arts town). But SF Opera is programming as it it were in Detroit or Cleveland, not San Francisco.

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Gene

January 13, 2016

Yes, Richard. We saw same production and heard same singers, we just have different opinions.
I seem to remember standing ovation after Norma (long one). May be you just have bad taste and worse ear?
Anyhow, the audience loved both Sondra and Norma, the opera was full and tickets were sold out. It seems that whatever you “like”, on the contrary makes audiences leave (not come at all) or gag in disgust…
Now think for a minute, whose opinion will matter more for an opera that wants to sell tickets.

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Gene

January 13, 2016

World premiere of “Dream of the Red Chamber” is not artsy enough?
I don’t see a lot of people saying bring us another “Two Women” or another “Gospel”. I see people asking for more Wagner (like another Ring cycle next year is not enough) and more Strauss.
I don’t see it as “safe moneymaking”. Again, this is by no means about people complaining about “no new operas”, half of people that reply, have never seen Chenier or Don Pasquale (and no one seen Dream). So majority of audiences are getting at least 3 new operas they never seen. And yet you keep complaining… this is beyond my understanding. How much more forward thinking you need to be?
Again, think about all the people, that will see an opera for the first time. How many people will never see another opera after you show them “Nixon in China”? About 99%. How many will see if their first opera was “Butterfly”? About 99%..
There you go.

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Richard E. Kaye

January 13, 2016

Really, Sacto Opera Fan, how can we make room for “Elektra” or “Die Frau..” or any other neglected classic when we have only nine productions and two always, always have to be “Butterfly” and “Boheme”? How silly of you!

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Richard E. Kaye

January 13, 2016

Perhaps, Gene, you could have kept the level of discussion on a civilized level and ended with the first paragraph. I thought that it was enough to simply disagree and not resort to personal insults. It doesn’t become you. As for my causing audiences to leave the opera or not come at all or “gag in disgust’ (Really?), it sounds as though you were having what is often referred to as a meltdown. I would prefer not to have an ongoing battle over taste and opinion.

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Gene

January 13, 2016

I was going to, until I saw that you posed a rhetorical question wether we seen same performance. That in itself implied that your opinion somehow was more important than mine. Again, telling us that you personally did not like the opera or a singer is absolutely fine with me. Questioning wether or not I seen same opera performed by a same singer, after I specifically indicated that I did, is rude. Passive aggressive rude, but still rude.
Dear Richard, again, I voiced my opinion as in literally “I liked opera”, “I disliked production”. You are the one that started (rudely) argument about tastes. Next time keep your rhetorical questions to yourself, if you can’t handle the response

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Sacto OperaFan

January 13, 2016

Knight,
Do you find it strange that as progressive the Bay Area is politically, the Opera is very conservative in terms of it’s choice in repertoire and productions – compared to Europe?? I have thought about it but have to confess that I don’t care for opera directors who move the setting of the opera for the fun of it or for shock value. I am all for changing the setting if it helps tell the story better or to help one understand the characters’ motivations.
Let’s take this season’s Lucia. I saw no reason for setting it in what looked like some undetermined modern setting. What was the point of view? It didn’t really heighten the feud between the families or help one understand it’s effects on Lucia. I thought a “traditional” production set in long ago Scotland would have worked just as well.
On the other hand the Met’s Traviata emphasizes Violetta’s battle with time and her impending death. In my opinion it is brilliant for offering a different point of view of the story. It’s not the only point of view, but the current production beautifully makes a point.
I think SFO audiences are more open to a varied repertoire, but more critical of non-traditional productions – or used to be. I have noticed that in recent years operas outside the standard repertoire are not as well attended as they used to be. When I first started attending SFO in the 90s, it was very common for the house to be sold out and the only way to get a ticket was to try to get one on the front steps. Now, I rarely see the house sold out; even when the Opera sells tickets on discount. Thoughts?

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joggerboy

January 14, 2016

Well, I WAS excited to see Andrea Chenier, under the assumption that Kaufmann would be coming. Of course he isn’t!

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The Opera Tattler

January 14, 2016

I did renew my subscription, but dropped Butterfly and switched the Verdi operas for Donizetti and Janacek. This is the fewest operas I’ve had tickets for at SF Opera in more than a decade.
Hear you about the traffic, the trade-off for investing that amount of time and aggravation has to at least be some fantastic voices.

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The Opera Tattler

January 14, 2016

Gockley takes his risks in new work, his hallmark here and in Houston. Even that work tends to be conservative, as with Two Women, which is essentially “Puccini-lite.”
It leaves organizations like West Edge and Opera Parallele to fill in and do the edgier, more interesting works. Hopefully the pieces SF Opera is doing over at the small theater in the Veterans Building will be strong as well.

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The Opera Tattler

January 14, 2016

It’s really a shame, it would be great to hear Kaufmann out here.

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Sacto OperaFan

January 14, 2016

Chicago Lyric announced their 16/17 season – now there’s something I got excited about.
link: http://chicagoclassicalreview.com/2016/01/lyric-opera-to-launch-ring-along-with-berlioz-bizet-and-bel-canto-in-2016-17-season/

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knights-tale

January 14, 2016

Lyric Opera of Chicago announced their season today. It’s frankly not really much better than SFO’s.
Rheingold, Norma, and Troyens are at least epic but not groundbreaking. The rest is just as safe as our season. Lucia, Onegin, Carmen, Don Quichotte, Zauberflote, and My Fair Lady. Every opera was written before 1900. Lucia/Carmen/Zauberflote is much like SFO’s Don Giovanni/La boheme/Rigoletto summer.
Lyric Opera has pretty consistently played it safe and dull. But it’s never good when the SFO and LOC seasons look pretty much the same.

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Erik Blomquist

January 15, 2016

I think some of our egos are hurt when we see that San Francisco doesn’t bring in the mega star singers like the Met. But that’s just how it is, being out here on the West Coast. But for those of you who have been attending SFOpera for decades like I have, are you really concerned about the quality of the music/productions recently? In my opinion, things have never been better.
As for so many Warhorses, I’m thrilled that SF is introducing these great operas to new audiences. I think it’s great that in the Opera House more people around me are younger than I am, as it helps remind me how excited I was when i first heard these operas.

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knights-tale

January 15, 2016

Given Mr. Gockley’s salary I would not call his job thankless. Being a teacher I know what thankless is. Being the General Director at SFO is a dream job and a plum one. Not saying it’s easy, but it’s not thankless. And Gockley has managed to be very much out in front during his tenure and rather lapping it all up.
My issue with him is his taste level and commitment to the art, not his ability to sell tickets which is undeniable.

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shaun

January 17, 2016

“…featured a lot of nudity….maybe that’s the key.”
then you’ll love the up coming Carmen.
However, I doubt that families at the ballpark will enjoy watching Don Jose flapping in the breeze…
sigh.

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Tony

January 18, 2016

As a fairly new opera fan, I too am a bit disappointed in the high ratio of Italian standards for 2016-17.
However, I also understand the need to fill the seats to earn the revenue needed to program new operas and new productions.
Between FY2014 and FY2013, contributions dropped from $40m to $27m. The largest category drop was from individual contributions: $8m less in FY14 than FY13.
Meanwhile, the production and artistic expenses topped $50m in FY14.
With more technology and activities around us, the younger generation of opera goers may feel that it wants to experience the opera 1-3x a year, without committing to an entire season ticket. And in-person, live performances are not as special as they once were.
Just look at the surging popularity of the Met’s HD broadcasts in local theaters. I went to last Saturday’s live broadcast of The Pearl Fishers at Emery Bay, and the theatre was virtually sold out for a 10 am performance.
And the Met announced a live streaming channel for more than 550 of its archived performances.
So not only is the SF Opera competing for an audience with other classical events, but from all sorts of media that can bring the Opera to your local theatre, home TV, tablet, etc.
I was contemplating cutting back to a half season and save my money for the Ring, but have decided to bite the bullet and support SF Opera with a full subscription.
At about $50 for a balcony circle ticket, it is still one of the best entertainment values around!

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Tony

January 18, 2016

Here is the statement on increasing tix sales from SF Opera’s financial results press release from March 2015:
“Total operating revenue for FY14 rose from $30,808,345 to $37,013,042 with income from ticket sales for FY14 at $22,674,340 compared to the prior season (FY13) at $19,785,866.
The increase in earned income was due in part to the popularity of the season repertory including Show Boat, La Traviata, Madama Butterfly and Mefistofele.”

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SFOpera Fan

January 28, 2016

Rather dull and bland 2016-17 SF Opera schedule. Maybe one of dullest in recently memory. There are many wonderful reasons to visit the City of San Francisco.
The opera at War Memorial during the above season is not one of these reasons. There are almost four centuries of opera masterworks that have never been performed at SF Opera right through the 21st century.
So, what’s the problem? The company wants international recognition.Let’s not slip into wooden provincial Bay Area Ears and Eyes mode!
A Medallion Society Member!

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prose

April 30, 2016

There is a lot of buzz about Anna Pirozzi, she is the next big dramatic soprano. Should go watch her you get the chance. Hopefully, she is the one who is cast in Norma and other bel canto/Verdi roles, not verismo.

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Margot de Jong

May 16, 2016

Ik ontvang graag de data voor opera’s.
In Gouda schijnt dat wel lukken maar hier in Moordrecht niet.
Mijn adres: Uiterwaard 27, 2841 BL MOORDRECHT
0624213212

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