Behind the Curtain - Summer 2017

B E H I N D

T H E

CURTAIN SUMMER 2017

A P U B L I C AT I O N F O R S A N F R A N C I S C O O P E R A S U P P O R T E R S A N D S U B S C R I B E R S

BUILDING A

FUTURE

SUMMER 2017

DE AR FRIEN D OF S AN F RAN CISCO OP ERA,

Behind the Curtain is a semi-annual publication for San Francisco Opera supporters and subscribers.

E D I TO R S : P H O T O B Y S I M O N PA U LY

Roya Clune Jennifer Jordan W R I TE R :

Adam Flowers DE S I G N :

Janette Cavecche Matthew Shilvock General Director Nicola Luisotti Music Director CO NTAC T U S :

Membership (415) 565-6416 Medallion Society (415) 565-6401 V I S I T US O N T H E W E B AT:

sfopera.com

COMPANY SPONSORS

The Dolby Family Ann and Gordon Getty John A. and Cynthia Fry Gunn Franklin and Catherine Johnson Edmund W. and Jeannik Méquet Littlefield Fund Steven M. Menzies Bernard and Barbro Osher Jan Shrem and Maria Manetti Shrem Dianne and Tad Taube Phyllis C. Wattis Endowment Funds Diane B. Wilsey SEASON SPONSOR

San Francisco Opera is sponsored, in part, by a grant from Grants for the Arts

On the cover: Audience members enjoy a performance by Adler Fellows at SF Opera Lab’s March 23 Pop-Up event at the Uptown, a nightclub in Oakland, California.

Photo by Kristen Loken.

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PHOTO BY ALEJANDRA CASTELERO

CORPORATE PARTNERS

W

e are so happy to be celebrating the 50th anniversary of the Summer of Love with three of the most beloved operas of all time: Verdi’s Rigoletto, Mozart’s Don Giovanni and Puccini’s La Bohème.

Thanks to the ongoing support of generous patrons like you, we can continue to bring these beautiful works to life for the enjoyment of opera lovers across the Bay Area.

Some of the most compelling operatic experiences are those that welcome lifelong fans as well as first-time attendees.

Nothing embodies this spirit of inclusion better than our free simulcasts at AT&T Park, where 30,000 people of all ages come together to enjoy an evening of opera under the stars. I hope you can join me on June 30 for this year’s Opera at the Ballpark, featuring a live simulcast of Don Giovanni.

For a taste of some of the more intimate opera experiences we’ve recently engineered, see page 3. This behind-thescenes look at the evolution of SF Opera Lab’s Pop-Ups offers a rich insight into how the Company is experimenting with new ways of bringing opera to unexpected environments and audiences beyond the main stage, with the help of the Adler Fellows.

The impressive roster of our 2017 Adler

Fellowship program truly represents the future of the art form. For this reason we’re grateful for the Friends of the Adlers, a generous group of donors whose support is instrumental in nurturing the next generation of great artists. Turn to page 9 to hear from Brigid Barton, a longtime patron who recently joined the Friends of the Adlers. And to find out more about the young artists included in this year’s Emerging Stars competition— sponsored for the second year in a row by San Francisco Opera donors Jan Shrem and Maria Manetti Shrem—see page 4.

From training the stars of tomorrow to reaching out to new audiences, the work we do would be impossible without the support of great friends to the Company.

Joe Padula, a San Francisco Opera usher and supporter who passed away last year, was one such friend. The Company is one of 90 beneficiaries of Joe’s estate, and we are proud to say this summer’s production of Don Giovanni is sponsored by him. Read more about Joe’s life and legacy on page 8.

As one of our most engaged patrons, your continued involvement is vital to the future of our Company. Together, we can make this transformative art form accessible to everyone in our community and keep it resonant for many years to come.

That’s an exciting legacy to keep building.

Warmly,

Matthew Shilvock GENERAL DIRECTOR

SF OPERA LAB

“It was unlike anything we had previously attempted.

It was extremeley experimental and scrappy.” brightest up-and-coming opera stars, and you have the recipe for SF Opera Lab’s Pop-Ups, a series of events that takes opera beyond the main stage and into unique venues throughout the Bay Area, showcasing the art form and the next generation of talent to new audiences.

“This program was born out of a desire to experiment with reaching new audiences as we began to look at programming for the inaugural season of SF Opera Lab,” says San Francisco Opera’s Artistic Planning Manager Sean Waugh. Originally conceived of as a oneoff, experimental event developed in

collaboration with students from Stanford University’s d.school design thinking program, the first Pop-Up event, called Barely Opera, was held in March of 2015 at San Francisco’s Rickshaw Stop nightclub.

The overwhelming artistic, logistical and financial success of Barely Opera radically transformed the audience engagement strategy of what would become the fledgling SF Opera Lab program.

“We put together Barely Opera in a 10-day sprint that allowed us to test new strategies to promote SF Opera Lab and

to bring new audiences to the Diane B. Wilsey Center for Opera,” notes Waugh.

“We weren’t sure who would show up— we were taking a risk and we knew it. Our team worked to get it all up and running without using any of our traditional marketing resources, relying instead on social media and guerilla marketing for promotion. It was unlike anything we had previously attempted. It was extremely experimental and scrappy.”

That scrappy event was a complete Co n tin u e d o n pa ge 6

PHOTO BY KRISTEN LOKEN

S

easoned opera lovers know firsthand just how intoxicating this sophisticated art form can be.

Combining spectacle, artistry and drama, opera can thrill audiences like no other genre. Add an intimate nightclub, a tasty cocktail menu and a roster of the best and

PHOTO BY KRISTEN LOKEN

POP-UPS

Adler Fellows prepare to perform at Drag Queen of the Opera, the Halloween Pop-Up at OASIS. PPA AG G EE 33

C AT C H A R I S I N G S TA R W I T H T H I S Y E A R ’ S

EMERGING STARS COMPETITION

Help us choose the 2017 Emerging Star of the Year!

Erika Grimaldi La Bohème

J’Nai Bridges Andrea Chénier

Lawrence Brownlee Don Pasquale

Arturo Chacón-Cruz La Bohème

Brian Jagde Aida

David Pershall Andrea Chénier

Irene Roberts Dream of the Red Chamber

S AV E T H E D AT E

OPERA AT THE BALLPARK

SIMULCAST Enjoy the thrill and drama of Mozart’s Don Giovanni while sitting on the field or in the stands at AT&T Park on June 30, 2017 at P H O T O S T E FA N C O H E N

7:30pm. Opera at the Ballpark is one of San

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Francisco Opera’s signature events, and it’s free! Bring the whole family for a night of unforgettable music. For best seating, register early at sfopera.com/simulcast.

F

or a second year in a row, San Francisco Opera benefactors Jan Shrem and Maria Manetti Shrem will generously sponsor the Emerging Star of the Year Competition and Award.

Established through a multi-year, multi-million dollar gift from the Shrems, the Emerging Stars Fund is supporting the appearance of fourteen thrilling young artists on our stage throughout the 201617 season. These artists include J’Nai Bridges and David Pershall in

Vincenzo Costanzo Madame Butterfly

Leah Crocetto Aida

Andrea Chénier; Irene Roberts in Dream of the Red Chamber; Heidi Stober and Lawrence Brownlee in Don Pasquale; Leah Crocetto and Brian Jagde in Aida; and Vincenzo Costanzo and Anthony Clark Evans in Madame Butterfly. This summer, Sarah Shafer and Michael Sumuel appear in Don Giovanni, and Arturo Chacón-Cruz, Ellie Dehn and Erika Grimaldi appear in La Bohème.

You have a role to play this season too! Help choose the 2017 Emerging Star of the Year. Voting opens on

Ellie Dehn La Bohème

July 5 and runs through August 15.

Visit sfopera.com/emergingstars to see performance clips of each artist, and cast your vote for your favorite.

Soon after the voting ends, the people’s choice will be announced.

In addition to recognition as the 2017 Emerging Star of the Year, the winning artist will be awarded a cash prize by the Shrems.

Every one of these talents is a rising star. Prepare to choose your favorite when voting begins on July 5!

Anthony Clark Evans Madame Butterfly

The Emerging Stars Fund is supporting the appearance of fourteen thrilling young artists.

Sarah Shafer Don Giovanni

Heidi Stober Don Pasquale

Michael Sumuel Don Giovanni

2015–16 SEASON FINANCIALS Foundations $3,834,697

Fundraising $4,747,854

Corporations $914,012

Administrative & General Operations $6,478,673

Government $769,523

Endowment Draw $14,597,901

Guild $739,525

Operating Revenue $25,499,451

Contributed Revenue $41,118,569

Marketing and Box Office $8,070,105

Bequests $1,282,134 Individuals $32,616,402

In-kind $962,276 Production & Artistic $62,441,693

REVENUE $81,215,921

C O N T R I B UT I O N S $41,118,569

EX PEN SES $81,738,325 PA G E 5

”The truth of the matter is that opera is, in its own right,

Co n t i n u e d f ro m p ag e 3

sell-out with over 400 attendees, many of them new to opera. The success of Barely Opera provided a blueprint for the nascent SF Opera Lab program, including the Pop-Ups that would be presented under its banner. Waugh attributes the success of the event to the coordinated participation of staff from across the Company. Every department had a hand in the implementation and execution of the event. “The thing that really made it work and the reason why it was such a transformative experience was because we had input from all levels of the Company,” says Waugh.

Another key element critical to the success of the Pop-Ups is the participation of current and former Adler Fellows.

From venues like the Rickshaw Stop, Public Works, the Chapel and OASIS in San Francisco to the Uptown in Oakland, the Pop-Ups offer Bay Area audiences a chance to experience the artistry and skill of opera’s rising stars in an informal setting, up-close and unadulterated.

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PHOTO BY KRISTEN LOKEN

These intimate performances are eyeopening for opera aficionados and neophytes alike.

“We are so used to being told that the younger generation hasn’t been properly educated on the values of our art form,” says Adler Fellow Aria Umezawa, who directed and emceed the most recent Pop-Up at the Uptown in Oakland. “I think longtime opera fans are sometimes surprised to hear when there is an overwhelmingly positive response to an operatic performance from a young crowd.”

A Toronto-based stage director and co-founder of the innovative company Opera 5, Umezawa believes that nontraditional operatic experiences work because of opera’s inherent mass appeal.

“The truth of the matter is that opera is, in its own right, an accessible art

PHOTO BY KRISTEN LOKEN

PHOTO BY KRISTEN LOKEN

an accessible art form.”

form,” Umezawa says. “It has survived for centuries, in large part because any person can appreciate the sheer amount of skill and artistry that goes into it. What the Pop-Ups do is challenge some of the conventions of opera-going culture: where, how and who the performance is for. It’s so inspiring to see San Francisco Opera creating opportunities for younger audiences to engage with opera on their own terms.”

Among the attendees at the Pop-Ups are tomorrow’s patrons, subscribers and donors. SF Opera Lab’s Pop-Ups allow the Company to innovate by testing the formulas for artistic and financial success in a changing cultural landscape. Finding out what works and what doesn’t is critical to the Company’s longevity, and the ability to do this with programs that cover their own costs is a precious asset.

“The ability to reach new audiences in a fiscally sound manner that also generates so much buzz and excitement has transformed our entire approach

P H O T O B Y C O R Y W E AV E R

to how we use SF Opera Lab and the Wilsey Center. But it is a long process,” says Waugh. “How do we make the leap from Pop-Up attendees to lifetime subscribers?” That question will be explored by SF Opera Lab’s continued experiments. According to Umezawa, it is a bright and exciting future indeed.

“How far can we push the envelope, and what can we reasonably ask an audience to do?” she asks. “Are opera singers willing to interact directly with spectators? It isn’t really a new concept— the theater world has been doing it for a long time—but the Pop-Up at the Uptown in Oakland was such a great experience for me because I got to test some things out on a smaller scale. Now that that’s done, how do we scale it up? How do we make it bigger? I feel like the possibilities are endless!”

TAKE THE

CHALLENGE

Learn more about future Pop-Ups and other SF Opera Lab programs at sfoperalab.com.

PHOTO BY KRISTEN LOKEN

R

ecently we launched our Spring Challenge fundraising drive with a goal of raising $500,000 by the end of our fiscal year on July 31. To help us reach this goal, longtime San Francisco Opera friends Ann and Gordon Getty have stepped forward with a generous offer to match new and increased gifts made as part of this appeal. Any increase of $75 or more over last year’s gift will be matched dollar for dollar, while any new gift of $75 or more will be matched two-to-one!

Take the challenge and double—or triple!—your impact by making a new or increased gift of $75 or more before July 31. Your gift helps support every aspect of the Company’s activities, from staging the Summer season’s thrilling productions to providing vital training for the next generation of opera stars in our young artist training programs. Make your gift today to enjoy behind-the-scenes access while supporting the art form you love!

Feeling inspired to make a gift to our Spring Challenge?

Visit sfopera.com/donate or use the envelope enclosed with this newsletter.

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PHOTO BY XXXXXXXXXX

CELEBRATING THE LIFE AND LEGACY OF JOSEPH E. PADULA

L

ast year, San Francisco Opera received a call from an estate representative of the Joseph E. Padula Living Trust, who delighted us with news that the Company would receive a share of the Trust to sponsor this season’s production of Don Giovanni, part of the trio of summer operas programmed to mark the 50th anniversary of San Francisco’s Summer of Love.

Joseph E. Padula, affectionately known as “Joe” by loved ones, rose from humble beginnings at an orphanage in Albany, New York to become a multimillionaire philanthropist in San Francisco.

John Sucich, friend and Trust Designee of the Padula Trust, shares, “He was proud of his Italian heritage and had a particular fondness for Mozart and Italian opera.

Sponsoring Don Giovanni is a dream come true for Joe, even though it was realized after his lifetime. I remember when he first arrived in San Francisco in 1967. It was the Summer of Love; that movement was the reason why Joe decided to stay for good. That’s also

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when he started ushering at San Francisco Opera, and would do so for many years. Before his first night ushering, Joe needed a dark suit jacket— he bought one at Goodwill Industries for five dollars.” Decades later, Goodwill Industries would be named one of the beneficiaries of the Padula Trust. In all, 90 organizations will receive gifts from Joe’s estate.

A financial genius who enjoyed investing in the stock market and traveling around the world, Joe lived a modest life at home in San Francisco.

Maria Elisa Ruiz, Trustee of the Padula Trust, recalls, “He had a good sense of humor and was generous. Joe was a music lover, cared about animals and was brilliant with numbers. I will always remember how he volunteered to take care of a feral cat colony in Golden Gate Park and spoke fluent Italian to his cats.”

He also worked with Steve Silver on the finances during the inception of Beach Blanket Babylon.

When San Francisco Opera simulcasts

JO

AF

KN

BY IN

YO Don Giovanni on June 30 to over 30,000 people at AT&T Park, we can also marvel at the fact that Joe helped in the ticket office for the San Francisco Giants!

“Knowing that he helped bring this Summer of Love opera to so many supporters in the community is incredibly meaningful,” remarks Sucich.

For more information about making a legacy gift to San Francisco Opera, contact Senior Legacy Giving Officer Mandala Pham at (415) 565-6413 or mpham@sfopera.com.

WHY I GIVE Brigid Barton, a professor emerita of art history at Santa Clara University, has been attending San Francisco Opera since the 1960s when she regularly took advantage of standing-room-only tickets as a graduate student. Recently Brigid joined the Company’s Friends of the Adlers program to provide support for opera’s most promising young artists, helping give them the training and opportunities essential to launching their careers. As one of the world’s most prestigious vocal training programs, the Adler Fellowship program boasts an alumni roster filled with many of the leading opera singers, pianists, conductors and stage directors of our time.

How did you first discover opera?

OSEPH E. PADULA,

FFECTIONATELY

NOWN AS “JOE”

Y LOVED ONES, ITALY AS A

OUNG MAN.

When I was eight years old, our family took an adventurous trip via ship and train to Europe. Our first stop for opera was the Baths of Caracalla in Rome, where we saw Aida. My brother, sister and I were amazed at the live elephant onstage, the singing, the adoring crowd and the massive picnics being consumed in the stands. It was unforgettable.

I have loved opera ever since!

of opera provides us with life-changing moments through the ears, the eyes, the heart and the mind. Supporting our Adler Fellows helps to ensure that future generations will be able to become involved in great opera too.

What are you looking forward to as a Friend of the Adlers?

I always look forward to intimate concerts which provide a more personal connection with these talented young people. Meeting them in person and discovering how hard they work at their craft is inspiring to me and confirms my commitment even more firmly to supporting them and the future of opera in this country.

Why I Give is an ongoing series of interviews with members of San Francisco Opera’s family of generous supporters.

Do you have a favorite opera?

Choosing a favorite opera is truly impossible for me! There is so much to enjoy and learn about in many different types of operas, from early pieces such as Lully’s to modern pieces of Benjamin Britten’s.

I tend to prefer the Italians, but find myself again and again overwhelmed by Wagner—I can’t wait for the return of the Ring during the summer of 2018.

Cutting-edge composers of opera are also very interesting and challenging, which is a good thing!

Why is opera important to you and what inspired you to support San Francisco Opera’s Adler program?

As an art history professor, my whole adult life has been dedicated to forwarding the arts, and opera is part of that dedication. The “total art experience”

Interested in supporting the young artists in our Adler Fellowship program? Consider making a gift to the Friends of the Adlers to help develop the next generation of extraordinary talent! Contact Dana Gordon, Senior Individual Giving Officer, at dgordon@sfopera.com for more information.

To learn more about the Friends of the Adlers, visit sfopera.com/friendsoftheadlers.

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C O M P A N Y

P H O T O B Y A LY S S A S T O N E

HAPPENINGS left: Children play with instruments in the John M. Bryan Education Studio after a performance of Up in the Mountains.

P H O T O B Y D R E W A LT I Z E R

PHOTO BY KRISTEN LOKEN

PHOTO BY SCOTT WALL

below: General Director Matthew Shilvock joins families gathering for a performance of Up in the Mountains, an interactive operatic experience created for children under three.

Aria Umezawa, a current Adler Fellow and stage director, emcees the SF Opera Lab Pop-Up at the Uptown in Oakland.

Matthew Shilvock awards Jim Meyer, the Company’s Chorus and Dance Manager and member of the Opera Chorus, the San Francisco Opera Medal after a performance of Aida.

P H O T O B Y S T E FA N C O H E N PHOTO BY BOB HEMSTOCK

Forty violin, viola, cello and bass players from the acclaimed Opera Orchestra take the spotlight at the Taube Atrium Theater in a special performance of San Francisco Opera Orchestra Up Close: The Strings.

PHOTO BY KAREN JINE

P H O T O B Y C O R Y W E AV E R

Grammy Award-winning vocal project Roomful of Teeth perform for a sold-out audience at the Dianne and Tad Taube Atrium Theater.

Adler Fellows pose with Mayor Ed Lee after performing the National Anthem at a San Francisco Deltas game.

B E H I N D

NONPROFIT ORGANIZATION U.S. POSTAGE

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PAID

SAN FRANCISCO OPERA

War Memorial Opera House 301 Van Ness Avenue San Francisco, CA 94102

IN THIS ISSUE

Bringing Opera Beyond the Main Stage with SF Opera Lab’s Pop-Ups The 2017 Emerging Star of the Year Competition Remembering Joseph E. Padula, San Francisco Opera Usher and Supporter Why I Give with Friend of the Adlers Brigid Barton Company Happenings And More!

UPCOMING

PHOTO BY RON SCHERL

SEPTEMBER 3, 2017 8:00PM Otello (1978) Radio Broadcast

SEPTEMBER 8, 2017 5:00PM Opera Ball

KDFC

War Memorial Opera House

P H O T O B Y C O R Y W E AV E R

P H O T O B Y C O R Y W E AV E R

KDFC

AUGUST 6, 2017 8:00PM Madame Butterfly Radio Broadcast KDFC

SEPTEMBER 10, 2017 1:30PM Opera in the Park Golden Gate Park

P H O T O B Y S T E FA N C O H E N

AT&T Park

JULY 2, 2017 8:00PM Aida Radio Broadcast

P H O T O B Y D R E W A LT I Z E R

JUNE 30, 2017 7:30PM Opera at the Ballpark: Don Giovanni

P H O T O B Y C O R Y W E AV E R

EVENTS