Cal Performances and San Francisco Opera Present Program

Saturday, September 6, 2008, 7:30pm Gioachino Rossini (1792–1868) Overture to La Cenerentola Zellerbach Hall Ernesto de Curtis (1875–1937) Non ti scordar di me

Léo Delibes (1836–1891) Les Filles de Cadiz

Angela Gheorghiu, soprano Pietro Mascagni (1863–1945) Intermezzo from Cavalleria Rusticana

with the Frederick Loewe (1901–1988) “I Could Have Danced All Night” from My Fair Lady

San Francisco Opera Orchestra George Grigoriu (1927–1999) Muzica Kay Stern, concertmaster

Marco Armiliato, conductor Wells Fargo Bank is the 2008–2009 Season Sponsor of Cal Performances and San Francisco Opera.

Stage direction by Sandra Bernhard

PROGRAM

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1756–1791) Overture to Le Nozze di Figaro San Francisco Opera Giuseppe Giordani (1751–1798) Caro mio ben David Gockley, General Director Giacomo Puccini (1858–1924) “Ch’il bel sogno di Doretta” from La Rondine Donald Runnicles, Music Director and Principal Conductor Nicola Luisotti, Music Director Designate Puccini Intermezzo from Act III of Manon Lescaut

Puccini “Un bel dì” from Madama Butterfly

Giuseppe Verdi (1813–1901) “Pace, pace, mio Dio” from La Forza del Destino

INTERMISSION

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San Francisco Opera Orchestra Horn Timpani William Klingelhoffer, Co-Principal John Burgardt Donald Runnicles, Music Director & Principal Conductor Kevin Rivard, Co-Principal Nicola Luisotti, Music Director Designate Keith Green Percussion Brian McCarty Richard Kvistad, Principal/Associate Timpani First Violin Double Bass Lawrence Ragent Patricia Niemi Kay Stern, Concertmaster Joseph Lescher, Principal Laura Albers, Associate Concertmaster* Jonathan Lancelle, Associate Principal* Trumpet Harp Heidi Wilcox, Assistant Concertmaster Steven D’Amico, Assistant Principal Adam Luftman, Principal Olga Ortenberg Rakitchenkov Dawn Harms Shinji Eshima William Holmes Janice McIntosh Mark Drury John Pearson* Librarian Lev Rankov Lauré Campbell Barbara Riccardi Flute Trombone Carrie Weick, Assistant Robert Galbraith Julie McKenzie, Principal McDowell Kenley, Principal Leonid Igudesman Patricia Farrell Donald Kennelly Orchestra Manager Mariya Borozina Stephanie McNab* David Ridge Tracy Davis Julia Skiff Carrie Weick, Assistant Joseph Edelberg† Piccolo Bass Trombone Marianne Wagner† Stephanie McNab David Ridge * Principal for one or more operas of the season Second Violin Oboe Tuba/Cimbasso † Regular substitute Virginia Price, Principal Laura Griffiths, Acting Principal† Zachariah Spellman ** Leave of absence Martha Simonds, Associate Principal Deborah Henry, Assistant Principal* Beni Shinohara, Assistant Principal* Janet Popesco Archibald Eva Karasik Leslie Ludena English Horn Gerard Svazlian Janet Popesco Archibald Linda Deutsch Craig Reiss Clarinet Carey Bell, Principal** Viola Jerome Simas, Acting Principal† Carla Maria Rodrigues, Principal Joanne Burke Eisler, Assistant Principal* Sergei Rakitchenkov, Associate Principal* Anthony Striplen Paul Nahhas, Assistant Principal Patricia Heller Bass Clarinet Jonna Hervig Anthony Striplen Natalia Vershilova Joy Fellows Bassoon Rufus Olivier, Principal Cello Jerry Dagg David Kadarauch, Principal Robin Elliott Thalia Moore, Associate Principal* David Budd, Assistant Principal** Contrabassoon Nora Pirquet, Acting Assistant Principal Robin Elliott Emil Miland Victoria Ehrlich Ruth Lane Eric Sung†

8 CAL PERFORMANCES CAL PERFORMANCES 9 About the Artists

and has since released a large number of recordings productions of La Bohème, L’Elisir d’Amore, Tosca, Renowned director with that label, including Duets and Arias, Verdi Werther, Don Carlos, Manon Lescaut, Il Barbiere di Sandra Bernhard per due and Angela & Roberto Forever with Roberto Siviglia, Tosca and Andrea Chénier. Sought inter- began her long Alagna; as well as complete recordings of Gounod’s nationally for his interpretation of the Italian and association with San Roméo et Juliette, Gianni Schicchi, Massenet’s French repertoire, he has led productions of Cyrano Francisco Opera in Werther and Manon, Il Trovatore and Carmen. Her de Bergerac at the Palau de les Arts in Valencia, 1990 as the assistant most recent release is the recital disc Live from La Spain; La Traviata and La Bohème at Bavarian State stage director for Scala, which features works by Bellini, Donizetti, Opera in Munich; Rigoletto at the Teatro Verdi in Rigoletto, and she Verdi and Frederick Loewe. Trieste; a new production of Puccini’s Il Tritico at the has been involved Ms. Gheorghiu’s film portrayal of Tosca, di- Théâtre du Capitole in Toulouse; andLa Rondine in more than 50 rected by Benoît Jacquot, was greeted with re- at the Théâtre du Châtelet in Paris. Mr. Armiliato productions for the company. Her San Francisco sounding acclaim upon its cinema and DVD re- conducts annually at the Metropolitan Opera, Opera directing credits include Lucio Silla (1991), lease in 2000 (Kultur). She was honored with La where his most recent productions include La Fille Ermione (1992), Daphne (1993), La Bohème Medaille Vermeille de la Ville de Paris and given du Régiment, Cavalleria Rusticana, Pagliacci, La (1993, 2004), Lucia di Lammermoor (1994, 1999), the title Officier de l’Ordre des Arts et Lettres by Traviata, Andrea Chénier, La Bohème, Turandot Madama Butterfly (1994, 1999), Carmen (1998, the French government. Upcoming engagements and Madama Butterfly. Future productions include 2006), L’Elisir d’Amore (2000), Tosca (2001, include Suzel (L’Amico Fritz) at Deutsche Oper La Rondine at the Metropolitan Opera; Le Nozze 2004), Samson and Delilah (2001, 2007) and Der Berlin, Marguerite (Faust) at Vienna State Opera, di Figaro in Toulouse; Il Trovatore in Barcelona; La Rosenkavalier (2007). Ms. Bernhard has taught for Magda de Civry and Adina (L’Elisir d’Amore) at Traviata, Lucia di Lammermoor, L’Elisir d’Amore, the both Merola Opera Program and the Adler the Met, and Violetta and the title role of Tosca at and Falstaff at Vienna State Opera; La Traviata at Fellowship Program and developed San Francisco Soprano Angela Gheorghiu made her San Deutsche Oper Berlin. Deutsche Oper Berlin; and Les Contes d’Hoffmann Opera Center’s education department, of which Francisco Opera debut last season as Magda at Paris Opéra. This September, he shares opening she was the founding director. She has directed de Civry (La Rondine) and will return to the night conducting honors at the Met with James Samson and Delilah at Lyric Opera of Chicago, Company to sing Mimì (La Bohème) later this fall. Levine, leading a gala concert featuring Renée Florida Grand Opera, and Dayton Opera, as well A native of Adjud, Romania, she graduated in 1990 Fleming. Next summer, he returns to the War as La Bohème at Washington National Opera, from the Bucharest Music Academy and made Memorial Opera House to conduct Tosca at San Cincinnati Opera and Opera Pacific;The Mother her international debut in 1992 at Royal Opera, Francisco Opera. of Us All at Baltimore Opera; Don Giovanni, Le Covent Garden, as Mimì (La Bohème). Later that Nozze di Figaro, Aida and La Bohème at Portland year, she made debuts at the Metropolitan Opera Opera; La Bohème, Un Ballo in Maschera and Street and Vienna State Opera. In 1994, she appeared Scene at Pittsburgh Opera; The Barber of Seville and at Covent Garden as Violetta (La Traviata) in a La Traviata at Utah Opera; Der Rosenkavalier at celebrated performance that was subsequently Minnesota Opera; The Barber of Seville, Rigoletto, broadcast on BBC Radio. Ms. Gheorghiu’s recent Don Pasquale and Un Ballo in Maschera at Florida appearances include Violetta (La Traviata), Amelia Grand Opera; Aida with Opera Omaha and Austin (Simon Boccanegra) and Mimì at the Met; Magda Lyric Opera; La Bohème at Opera Pacific;Les de Civry, Marguerite (Faust) and the title role of Contes d’Hoffmann at Fort Worth Opera; and Little Tosca at Covent Garden; Mimì at Vienna State Women at Dayton Opera. Upcoming engagements Opera; Nedda (Pagliacci) at Los Angeles Opera; include Aida at Portland Opera and Don Carlo at and Magda de Civry at the Théâtre du Châtelet Cincinnati Opera. Ms. Bernhard held the J. Ralph in Paris. Corbett Chair of Opera at College-Conservatory The soprano’s extensive discography includes Marco Armiliato has been a regular guest con- of Music at the University of Cincinnati from complete recordings of La Traviata with the or- ductor at San Francisco Opera since his 1997 2003 to 2007; during her tenure, she won four chestra of Royal Opera, Covent Garden; L’Elisir debut in La Bohème. He has led the Company in awards from the National Opera Association for d’Amore with the orchestra of Lyon Opera; La productions of Un Ballo in Maschera, Pagliacci, her productions there. She is currently the director Bohème with the orchestra of La Scala; as well as Cavalleria Rusticana, Il Trovatore, Tosca, Rigoletto, of HGOco at Houston Grand Opera, a unique solo discs Arias, Verdi Heroines, My World and La Traviata, La Favorite, Turandot and Madama initiative that explores ways of making opera Mysterium on the Decca label. In 1998, she signed Butterfly. A frequent conductor at Vienna State relevant to its changing audiences. an exclusive recording agreement with EMI records Opera, Mr. Armiliato recently appeared there for

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