I write this response with fond memories of the War Memorial Opera House, as it was there that I “cut my operatic teeth” – in fact it was the live Friday Night radio broadcasts that first made me aware of opera, and which awakened me to this great dramatic art form.

You’re lucky in the sense that you’ll get to experience a couple of years of SFO under the leadership of the dynamic Pamela Rosenberg, a native Bay Area-n who brought SFO out of its treacle-ey, cobwebbed doldrums with innovative productions and bold repertory and casting choices (she will probably take over either the Salzburg Festival or the Bayerische Staatsoper in 2006/7).

Anyway, here’s my (opinionated) view of the ’04 season, from the perspective of one who enjoys the fusion of the music and dramatic values equally:

COSI

A great opera, IMHO equal to the other two Mozart-DaPonte works. It’s essentially a piece for six lead singers – no real “supporting” bit parts, and no real chorus.

Cast: Gielen is a very good conductor, former GMD of the Frankfurt Oper, among others. Von Stade is a national treasure and her voice is intact – an older Despina is dramatically valid. Groves is a good actor and has a sweet voice which tightens a tiny at the very top. The star should be Müller-Brachmann, a young baritone who sings this role on the Doris Dorrie DVD from the Berlin Staatsoper (the hilarious yet moving 1970s-era “hippie” production – highest possible recommendation). I don't know the Dorabella and Stillwell is long in the tooth – not sure how much he has left. My fear would be over Deshorties. Her train-wreck "performance" as Konstanze (another high Mozart lead part) at the Met a couple of years ago caused the normally somnambulant Met audience to erupt in violent booing and catcalling. Of course, YMMV 

Cox is a good mainstream producer, usually with lots of static group poses – because of the six-person cast, this shouldn’t be a handicap here.

Verdict: GO - but take earplugs for ‘Come Scoglio’.


TRAVIATA

Verdi’s most tuneful work, where he really hit his stride. A personal favorite (I saw the 1980 SFO performance- it may have been this production).

Villazon is the next great hope for the new generation of tenors. I’ve only heard him on the radio and over the Internet (a good Hoffmann from Covent Garden), but he sounds like the real deal. Hvorostovsky is a wooden actor, but the voice usually makes it worth it. Ruth Ann is not one of my faves – someone once said “she has a beautiful voice – too bad she doesn’t know what to do with it”. Maybe a little harsh, but she strikes me as bland.

Verdict: GO - for Villazon (and for Verdi)


BUDD

I am a great admirer of Britten – I think he and Stephen Sondheim are (maybe) the two most important composers of the latter half of the 20th century. Budd is a thrilling ride into the human psyche that never sinks into bathos.

The excellent SFO music director, Runnicles, should be a good exponent of Britten’s music.

Nathan Gunn (he of the excellent pecs and looks) has a baritone that grows in stature as he gets older – he’s also physically perfect visual casting. Begley is good and incisive (I saw him in Mahagonny at the Bastile about 10 years ago). The Canadian Philip Ens is young and tall and has a very dark bass – perfect for Claggart (and a good counterpoint to Gunn).

Decker is an excellent producer whose concepts are fully grounded in the musical and dramatic storyline.

Verdict: GO GO GO



TOSCA

I actually like Puccini’s “shabby little shocker” – in fact, quite a lot (I despise other Puccini mush such as Boheme and Buttefly). But I see a lot in this production listing that screams “stay away”: Vaness out of her fach (although I saw her gave a stupendous performance on the opening night of the Met’s current Cosi production, upstaging Bartoli, whose debut night it was). The tenor part is essentially two hit songs at the beginning and near the end, and Delevan is OK but not great.

Mansouri, the former General Director, is known for overstuffed “Zeferelli-Lite” productions – borrrrrrrrring ….

Verdict: BIG TIME EL PASSO



GRAND MACABRE

It’s a great work – IF – you want to broaden your horizons.

The cast is excellent. Sir Willard White (he just got his KB a month ago) and Graham Clark are stellar singing actors. Fulgoni has star potential and Resmark is a excellent dramatic mezzo (I heard her create the role of Serena Joy in Poul Ruders’ opera THE HANDMAID’S TALE in Copenhagen in March 2000).

Disclaimer: I’ve met Holten and know him very slightly. He’s a dynamic guy – he became the director of opera at the Royal Danish Opera at the tender age of 27, and is preparing a new Ring cycle intended for the new opera house that is currently being built on an island in Copenhagen harbor that will open in 2006).

Verdict: I’LL BE THERE



DUTCHMAN

I loved the SFO’s old Ponnelle production. It’s Wagner’s most accessible score, and unlike his later works, he didn’t say everything in three times the length that was necessary.

Lemhi is another excellent producer who uses striking (often modern) visuals to tell a traditionally-based story (in other words, he doesn’t impose a concept that bears no relation to Wagner’s story).

Stemma and Ventris are reported to be the real deal ( I haven’t heard either on except on the Internet, but those were good instances). I don’t know the Dutchamn or the Daland.


Verdict: SHOULD BE OK (I like that it’s being done in the single act form).



YEVGENY ONEGIN

To me, a weaker work than PIKOVAYA DAMA (with some admittedly nice melodies and a good final duet for the ill-starred lovers).

Schaaf is a thinking (if sometimes too dark) producer.

Having an idiomatic Tatiyana should pay dividends, as should the casting of a younger singer (the Canadian Russell Braun) as Onegin,


Verdict: SKIP if it’s a choice between this one and the other Tchaikovsky production.




PEARL FISHERS

Juvenile Bizet, with one great “hit tune” duet for the male leads. Not my cup of tea, I’m afraid.

The physical production is a riot of color and spectacle by the fashion maven Zandra Rhodes,.

Verdict: A decent cast, but given the other superior choices, I’d SKIP.



PIKOVAYA DAMA


My favorite Tchaikovsky work – dark and brooding

Richard Jones is a great producer, and this production got raves in Cardiff (where it was conducted by Vladimir Jurowski, who is now the MD at Glyndebourne).

The Swedish soprano Dalayman is (from Internrt hearings) intense and dramatic (she had a success in this part in Munich in 2002). Schwartz is a veteran mezzo whose excellent acting skills (a moving Countess Geaschwitz) should prove perfect for the Countess. A lot will depend on who gets cast as Ghermann.


Verdict: GO, especially for the production (assuming the Ghermann is not a stinkeroo).