Curtain S A N F R A N C I S C O OPER A
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PHOTO BY ED ANDERSON
A P U B L I C AT I O N E X C L U S I V E LY F O R SAN FRANCISCO OPERA CONTRIBUTORS
“Without the dedicated men and women of our stage crew, the curtain would not rise on a single performance.”
Hidden in Plain Sight The San Francisco Opera Stage Crew
– David Gockley
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known—involves removing all the scenery currently hen the season at San Francisco Opera on stage and suspended overhead. Then the new rigis in full swing, audiences have the ging goes up for the scenery suspended over the stage. opportunity to experience three or four Lights are adjusted and focused. The new scenery is completely different productions in a matter of placed on the stage and in the wings. The carpentry days. The Company is one of only a small handful of crew handles the scenery, electricians take care of all repertory opera houses that offer several rotating the lighting and the properties (props) crew dresses productions at the same time. In order to make the set. The sound crew manages archival recording, that possible, a crew of more than fifty stagehands sound effects and audio and visual communication works tirelessly behind the scenes, in a role that is between the departments. vital to the success of each perA crew of more “Scenery usually arrives on formance but is largely hidden trucks and has to be bolted tofrom the audience’s eyes. than fifty stagehands gether for a production, but by “Right now A Masked Ball works tirelessly the time we have several sets is on stage for rehearsal” says behind the scenes. assembled for multiple operas, Master Carpenter David Hatch. it’s all big pieces of a puzzle that “But between now and tomorhave to move out of the way before something row evening, this will all change. We finish at 5 p.m.; else can move in. We call that ‘the shuffle,’” tomorrow at 8 a.m. we change the set for the perexplains Master of Properties Lori Harrison. formance of Norma that night. We keep going until Each of the different crews works on their own we are done, if necessary right up to curtain time. part of the backstage puzzle, but they all interweave At the same time, we are packing up the set of in an elaborate backstage choreography. A 2013 Susannah that closed earlier this week, and working video, available on the Company’s YouTube on the set of Partenope that opens in two weeks’ channel, shows a changeover at San Francisco time. There’s never a dull moment!” A day in the life of “the deck”—as the stage is cont in u e d o n pa ge 6
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Behind the Curtain is a semi-annual publication for contributors to San Francisco Opera.
E DITORS:
R o y a C lu n e Randi Paul N ic o la R e e s M i ca h S t a n d le y W RITE RS:
Mark Hernandez N ie l s S w in k e l s DE SIG N :
J a n e t t e C a v e cc h e w w w.c a v e c c h e g r a p h i c s.c o m
David Gockley G e n e r a l D i re c t o r Nicola Luisotti Mu s ic D ire c t o r
San Francisco Opera Development Department 301 Van Ness Avenue San Francisco, CA 94102 C O N TA C T U S :
Membership: (415) 565-6416 membership@sfopera.com Medallion Society: (415) 565-6401 Visit us on the web at:
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C O M PA N Y S P O N S O R S Norby Anderson Ann and Gordon Getty Foundation John A. and Cynthia Fry Gunn Franklin and Catherine Johnson Edmund W. & Jeannik Méquet Littlefield Fund Steven M. Menzies Bernard and Barbro Osher Jan Shrem and Maria Manetti Shrem Phyllis C. Wattis Endowment Funds Diane B. Wilsey SEASON SPONSOR
CORPORATE PARTNERS
A few weeks ago I announced that I will retire as San Francisco Opera’s General Director at the end of the 2015–16 Season. After ten years and seven months in this position, following 33 years in a similar position at Houston Grand Opera, this seems the right time for me to step aside and provide the opportunity for a new leader to bring fresh ideas and energy to this most important role. I am incredibly proud of all we have achieved together, as an opera family, during my tenure so far. It has been an incredible privilege to work alongside the talented men and women of this Company. It has also been an honor to get to know so many of you, our generous supporters, who are passionate about this art form and deeply committed to the future of our organization. We would not be the Company that we are today without you. This fall edition of our newsletter includes articles that illustrate, for me, what makes this Company so special: an introduction to one of our talented staff teams, an interview with a rising star of the opera world and an update on an important project for our Company’s future. Without the dedicated men and women of our stage crew, the curtain would not rise on a single performance. Yet the remarkable artistry of this team of professionals is largely hidden from our audiences. In our lead article we introduce you to members of our stage crew and provide a glimpse of the extraordinary work they do. San Francisco Opera has always been known as
PHOTO BY TERRENCE MCCARTHY
DEAR FRIEND OF SAN FRANCISCO OPERA
a company that nurtures and launches the careers of the world’s most promising young artists. On the facing page we introduce you to one of them: René Barbara, a tenor who is garnering world-wide attention after graduating from the Merola Opera program back in 2008. René stars in not one, but two of our productions this season, including Cinderella this fall and next summer’s presentation of Berlioz’s epic masterpiece The Trojans. I hope you enjoy getting to know this remarkable young man. Finally, I am pleased to bring you an update on the Diane B. Wilsey Center for Opera and to invite you to become a founding contributor to this most important project. The Wilsey Center represents the future of our Company: a flexible venue where we can engage new audiences for opera with innovative and intimate programming. I believe that this new space will influence the growth and development of San Francisco Opera for decades to come and, as I contemplate my upcoming retirement, I hope it will become part of my legacy to the Company I care for so deeply. With almost two full seasons remaining until I relinquish my position, there are still several key initiatives, both on and off stage, that I wish to complete. I look forward to sharing news about these signature projects in upcoming editions of Behind The Curtain, knowing that I can count on your enthusiasm and generosity to help bring them to fruition. With gratitude,
David Gockley GENERAL DIRECTOR
2013 — 14 SEASON BY THE NUMBERS
199,252 attendees for eight mainstage productions, one Verdi Requiem and two Barber for Families performances
3,547 San Francisco Opera is supported, in part, by a grant from Grants for the Arts/San Francisco Hotel Tax Fund
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number of children and adults at family workshops and movie screenings
PROFILE
“I Want To Be On Stage!” A n I n t e r v i e w w i t h Te n o r R e n é B a r b e r a
being me, and less about impressing others. During about opera before Operalia [one of the world’s I got into it.” premier vocal competitions] a colleague asked, ‘How can you be so calm?’ I said, ‘This isn’t life or death. The worst that can happen is that I make a fool of myself.’ And frankly, I’m good at that.” Incidentally, he made Operalia history in 2011 by becoming the first male artist to win the three major prizes. When asked about his pre-show routine, René reveals, “On the day of a show I’m a bum.” But make no mistake about it: he is saving his strength for the performance. “The one thing I don’t like about this business is waiting. It’s not nerves; I just get anxious. I want to be on stage! Oh, and about an hour before curtain I’ll have a cappuccino. You need that extra energy, especially for Rossini.” As an alumnus of the 2008 Merola Opera Program, René is not new to San Francisco. Reflecting on his training prior to Merola, René speaks frankly. “My opera experiences up until then were frustrating; I almost stopped singing. But within one week of being at Merola, I was a different person. Merola turned out to be everything I had hoped it could be. It was a great summer, but I didn’t get out much, so this time I’m looking forward to getting to know San Francisco better. Though I have to say, I’m not looking forward to walking all of those hills!” “I didn’t know much
René Barbera
“I
tried to quit opera many times,” René Barbera candidly admits. “But each time I got pulled back in.” Perhaps it was his own personal brand of La Forza del Destino. And it’s a good thing too. Not yet thirty years old, the Texas native has burst into prominence, singing leading roles at Paris Opera, Lyric Opera of Chicago, Los Angeles Opera and now San Francisco Opera. In the current season, Bay Area audiences will get to see him not once but twice. First up is Don Ramiro in Cinderella this fall. “I’ve done this role a lot, and I love the character.” Laughing, he adds, “He’s cranky all the time. It allows me to get my frustrations out!” And René returns in Summer 2015 to sing Iopas in The Trojans. “Iopas is more about smooth, legato singing. There’s nothing quite like caressing a line.” René’s passion for performing is contrasted with a strong personal serenity and sense of perspective. “I didn’t know much about opera before I got into it. From the start it was more about
66 number of original mini-operas created by students
Learn more about René at renebarbera.com and René’s upcoming San Francisco Opera appearances at sfopera.com/cinderella and sfopera.com/trojans.
26,000 AT&T
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estimated Opera in the Ballpark attendees
18,622 number of students
414
14,000
number of schools (K-12 and University)
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Wilsey Center Update
The Atrium Theater under construction.
INVEST IN THE FUTURE OF OPERA
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spaces will allow us to engage new audienn early 2016 San Francisco Opera ces through a wide variety of innovative will celebrate a defining moment with programming and creative exploration. the opening of the Diane B. Wilsey The Wilsey Center will provide for the Center for Opera. This important new Company’s long-term venue will provide a One unified campus to facilities needs, bringunique opportunity to ing our staff together on reimagine what opera foster increased one unified campus to can be, and will incollaboration and creativity. foster increased collabfluence the growth and oration and creativity. development of opera The Center will also become an invaluable in this community for decades to come. resource for San Francisco and will be Located on the top floor of the historic available for use by other arts and cultural Veterans Building, adjacent to the War groups in our community. Memorial Opera House, the Center’s flexible
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CONTRIBUTOR
T P H O T O B Y C O R Y W E AV E R
Replacing the skylights.
BECOME A FOUNDING
hanks to the generosity of our Opera family, the Wilsey Center for Opera Campaign has already raised more than $17 million, but we need your help to reach our goal of $22 million. Become a founding contributor to the Wilsey Center for Opera. With a gift of $1,000 or more you will help realize this milestone project in San Francisco Opera’s future, while receiving recognition and exclusive preview opportunities. To help encourage our opera family to invest in this initiative, a group of Board members has created a challenge fund to match the first $500,000 raised through the completion of the campaign. Make your gift today! Call (415) 565-3212 or download a response form.
PHOTO BY CORY WEAVER
CONSTRUCTION UPDATE
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he Veterans Building is buzzing with activity as work crews continue the renovation and seismic retrofit of the entire building while the Opera’s contractor, Webcor, begins the build out of the fourth floor where the Wilsey Center for Opera will be located.
JOHN M. BRYAN EDUCATIO N STU DIO
EXPLORE THE WILSEY CENTER FOR OPERA
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he Wilsey Center will include a 299-seat theater, an education studio, the Costume Shop and the Company Archive, as well as conference rooms, galleries and expanded office spaces for administrative staff. Visit sfopera.com/wilseycenter to discover more about this exciting new venue including a detailed floor plan and additional photographs of the current construction work.
Illustrations: Jacobs Illustration
ATRI U M T H E AT E R
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PHOTO BY ED ANDERSON
PHOTO BY ED ANDERSON
Work back-stage requires people who can do finish carpentry or intricate welding. Some here specialize in hydraulics, electronics, taxi-dermy, or upholstery; it really runs the gamut.” The stage crew is also responsible for set changes and all other technical operations during performances. In spite of thorough
The stage crew removes a backdrop from overhead rigging.
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three decades. “People are often surprised that professional stage hands exist,” says Heron. “They assume this is something you do in high school or college, but the level of professionalism of the stage crew here is exceptional—and absolutely necessary.
“Things must be orchestrated, but when everything works right, it is a fun process and extremely rewarding.” challenge is that everyone needs the same space, all at once. Things must be orchestrated, but when everything works right, it is a fun process and extremely rewarding.” With fourteen years at San Francisco Opera Heron is a relative newcomer to the stage crew; Harrison and Hatch have each been with the Company for more than
GIVING
BECOME A MONTHLY GIVER PA G E 6
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ow there is a new way to support San Francisco Opera. Sign up to become a monthly giver and your selected contribution amount will be automatically charged to your credit or debit card each month until you tell us to stop. By becoming a monthly giver you will provide
PHOTO BY ED ANDERSON
Opera from Lohengrin to Moby-Dick in timelapse, illustrating the delicate and precise choreography required for such an operation. “Changing over from one show to another is always an interesting process,” says Automation and Rigging Supervisor Philip Heron. “It is the time when all the departments have their little bit to contribute. The
preparation and rehearsal, things can sometimes go wrong. “Every so often we hit a snag,” says Hatch. “I still have a copy of a stage manager’s report from a performance of Ulysses, back in 1990. Everything that could go wrong did go wrong. The communications system went down, we had a hydraulic lift that was tilting sideways, singers were losing facial hair pieces and sandals, an arrow was shot on stage and pierced a door—nearly hitting a stage hand. Luckily we held it all together, and we made it through the show. I don’t think the audience ever knew,” he says grinning, “except maybe for a lost beard or slipper.” See more photos of the stage crew at work and watch the set changeover timelapse video.
meaningful, ongoing support for San Francisco Opera in an easy and affordable way. Plus you will receive membership benefits at a level equivalent to 12 months of recurring gifts. Learn more at sfopera.com/membership or call (415) 565-3212 to become a monthly giver today.
PHOTO BY MEG MESSINA
GIVING
SAVE THE DATE
M
ark your calendar for the Annual Meeting with David Gockley on March 12, 2015. This intimate event is a benefit for members at the Associate Patron ($500) level and above and features General Director David Gockley offering his take on the “State of the Company,” as well as a financial report, a Q&A session and a performance by the 2015 Adler Fellows. Invitations will be mailed in the new year. To upgrade your membership to attend this event, please call (415) 565-3212 or visit sfopera.com/donate.
Why I Give Frances Reid
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rances Reid is a San Francisco Opera contributor and subscriber and has been attending performances at the War Memorial Opera House since 2006.
at home, you don’t need it!” Everyone is very kind, very welcoming, very helpful. The opera has a reputation for being a little snooty, a little snobbish— it is not. The word that comes to my mind when I think about the experience in the Opera House is civilized, and we need a little bit more of that.
How did you first discover opera? My first opera experience was with my grandfather. He was a great opera lover. He never took me to the opera but he had “It’s important to recordings of Carmen and support something several other very famous operas such as Porgy and that you love Bess and Aida. So he was and something that really responsible for mainyou value.” taining my interest in opera, from a young age. What was the first opera you saw? The first opera I saw was Carmen. I liked it particularly because I’d heard that music all my life! What are you most looking forward to seeing this season? I’m really excited about the coming season, because I’m really excited to see The Trojans. I understand that it’s the French answer to the Ring cycle and so I want to see if this is true. What advice would you have for a first-time opera attendee? I would tell them, “Leave your tiara
What motivates you to give to San Francisco Opera? Because it’s an art form that has to live, because it’s been going on such a long time. It tells our stories, not just about a particular culture but an emotional story that everyone shares, no matter where you’ve come from. I believe it’s important to support something that you love and something that you value, and the only way to keep it alive and growing is if you support it more than just buying a ticket.
Why I Give is an ongoing series of interviews with members of San Francisco Opera’s family of generous supporters. See more of our interviews at sfopera.com/whyigive.
WHY CREATE A LEGACY GIFT?
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here are many great reasons why you might consider making a legacy gift to San Francisco Opera. Perhaps you want to help sustain an art form that has become a significant part of your life. Perhaps you want to memorialize a loved one. Maybe it’s that you want to deepen the impact of San Francisco Opera’s education programs in our schools. Or perhaps you are looking for financial and tax benefits through careful financial, estate and charitable planning. For all these reasons and more, learn how you can make a legacy gift at myplanwithsfopera.org or call (415) 565-3206.
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Company Happenings
General Director David Gockley presents the San Francisco Opera Medal to Patricia Racette after the closing performance of Susannah, in celebration of her 25th anniversary with the Company.
P H O T O B Y D R E W A LT I Z E R
P H O T O S B Y C O R Y W E AV E R
Kindergartners at Yick Wo Elementary in San Francisco present their culminating performance as part of San Francisco Opera’s ARIA (Arts Resources in Action) in-school program.
Jennifer Orne, Joshua Dorothy and Nadege Souvenir have fun at the Bravo! Club Opening Night Gala.
Thousands of opera lovers enjoy a stellar line up of artists at Opera in the Park during Opening Weekend.
PHOTO BY KRISTEN LOKEN
PHOTOS BY STEVE LONG
David Gockley, Maestro Nicola Luisotti and members of the Opera’s senior staff take the plunge for the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge.
PHOTO BY SCOTT WALL
PHOTO BY SCOTT WALL
Norma star Sondra Radvanovsky is center stage at a recent Adler Fellows masterclass.
San Francisco Opera Board member Sylvia Lindsey with Susannah composer Carlisle Floyd.