Arshak II

January 12, 2001

S.F. Opera announces new season

By William Glackin

Bee Critic at Large

(Published Jan. 11, 2001)

Pamela Rosenberg, general director designate of the San Francisco Opera

Company, has announced a 2001-2002 season of 11 operas, including the world

premiere of the original version of an Armenian opera, "Arshak II" by Tigran

Chukhadjian, and new productions of Lehar's "The Merry Widow" and Wagner's

"Die Meistersinger von Nurnberg."

The season will open Sept. 7 in the Opera House with Verdi's "Rigoletto,"

which will be given eight performances. "Arshak (Arcase) II," the story of a

fourth century Armenian king, set to music in 1868, will open Sept. 8 and

play six performances.

Following in order will be Saint-Saens' "Samson et Dalila" (eight

performances); "Die Meistersinger" (seven performances); Puccini's "Tosca"

(11 performances); Verdi's "Falstaff" (eight times); Janacek's "Jenufa"

(seven times); "The Merry Widow," with Frederica von Stade one of three

singers alternating in the title role (12 performances); Bizet's "Carmen"

(eight performances); Puccini's "Madama Butterfly" (eight performances); and

Handel's "Giulio Cesare" (six performances).

The season was planned by the outgoing general director, Lotfi Mansouri, and

announced by Rosenberg at a news conference Tuesday in the foyer of the

Opera House. Her reign begins Aug. 1 and will be hailed by a Gala

Celebration on opening weekend.

The season will be performed by the usual array of singers and conductors,

among them such international stars as Ruth Ann Swenson, von Stade, sopranos

Olga Borodina and Helga Dernesch, and bass-baritone James Morris (who will

play the beloved Hans Sachs in "Die Meistersinger").

Subscription prices for the season range from $120 (balcony rear) for a

three-opera series to $1,385 (orchestra section) and $1,715 (boxes) per

person for the full 11-opera season. There are 33 subscription packages

available at (415) 864-3330 or on the Web site www.sfopera.com.

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