San Francisco War Memorial 1997-1998 Gala Celebration Page 1 of 3 Opera Assn. Opera House

Gala Celebration

CAST (see notes)

*Role debut †U.S. opera debut PLACE AND TIME:

Friday, September 5 1997, at 7:00 PM San Francisco War Memorial 1997-1998 Gala Celebration Page 2 of 3 Opera Assn. Opera House

Sponsors:

Notes: San Francisco Opera Association presents a G a l a C o n c e r t In Celebration of San Francisco Opera's Seventy-fifth Season and the re-opening of the War Memorial Opera House

(The sold-out event was the subject of a live simulcast to Davies Symphony Hall. Tickets ranged from $10 to $ 35)

Beverly Sills, Host Derek Jacobi, Master of Ceremonies Program conceived and directed by Lotfi Mansouri

San Francisco Opera Orchestra San Francisco Opera Chorus Donald Runnicles, Richard Bonynge, Plácido Domingo, conductors

(A playback of the beginning of the broadcast made on Opening Night, October 15, 1932, will be heard to introduce the National Anthem at tonight's performance.)

Wagner, Tannhäuser -- Dich, teure Halle Deborah Voigt, soprano

Strauss, J., Jr., Die Fledermaus -- Opening Chorus, Act II: What a Joy to be Here San Francisco Opera Chorus

Puccini, La Bohème -- Che gelida manina; Mi chiamano Mimì; O soave fanciulla Patricia Racette, soprano Jerry Hadley, tenor

Puccini, Tosca -- Tre sbirri, una carozza … Te Deum James Morris, bass-baritone San Francisco Opera Chorus

Saint-Saëns, Samson et Dalila -- Mon coeur s'ouvre à ta voix Marilyn Horne, mezzo-soprano

Bizet, Carmen - Habanera Frederica con Stade, mezzo-soprano San Francisco Opera Chorus

Wagner, Die Walküre -- Winterstürme…Du bist der Lenz Deborah Voigt, soprano Plácido Domingo, tenor

INTERMISSION

Puccini, Tosca -- Vissi d'arte Carol Vaness, soprano

Verdi, Don Carlo -- Dio, che nell'alma infondere Richard Margison, tenor Paolo Gavanelli, baritone Plácido Domingo, conductor

Bellini, I Puritani -- Qui la voce sua soave Ruth Ann Swenson, soprano Richard Bonynge, conductor

Donizetti, L'Elisir d'Amore -- Una furtiva lagrima Jerry Hadley, tenor

Mussorgsky, Boris Godunov -- Boris's Monologue Samuel Ramey, bass

Gounod, Roméo et Juliette -- Je veux vivre Janet Williams, soprano

Puccini, Turandot -- Nessun dorma Richard Margison, tenor San Francisco War Memorial 1997-1998 Gala Celebration Page 3 of 3 Opera Assn. Opera House

Heggie, So Many Notes! (World Premiere; San Francisco Opera commission) Alison Buchanan, Nicolle Foland, Peggy Kriha Dye, Christina Lamberti, sopranos Zheng Cao, mezzo-soprano Stuart Skelton, tenor John Autry, David Okerlund, Mel Ulrich, baritones Chester Patton, John Relyea, bass-baritones

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For numerous film and video credits, please see program book For numerous Gala sponsors, please see program book