Month: May 2007

Historical Performances: Leyla Gencer’s Stunning “Lucia” at Los Angeles’ Shrine Auditorium – November 10, 1957

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This is the ninth of ten observances of historic performances of the San Francisco Opera that I attended during the company’s annual tours of Southern California An important milestone in soprano Leyla Gencer’s distinguished career occurred at age 28, when in 1956 she debuted at the San Francisco Opera, substituting for Renata Tebaldi in the … Read more

Historical Performances: Callas Fired, An Opera Changed – San Francisco Opera’s “Aida” at San Diego’s Fox Theater, November 7, 1957

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This is the eighth of ten observances of historic performances of the San Francisco Opera that I attended during the company’s annual tours of Southern California When purchasing a ticket for an opera, the opera company’s often includes the statement that “casts and operas are subject to change”. Over time, opera goers inevitably will experience … Read more

Historical Performances: Young Rysanek Promotes Strauss – “Ariadne auf Naxos” at L. A.’s Shrine Auditorium, San Francisco Opera, November 1, 1957

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This is the seventh of ten observances of historic performances of the San Francisco Opera that I attended during the company’s annual tours of Southern California Leonie Rysanek, in the second of four seasons that she performed with the San Francisco Opera in the last half-decade of the 1950s, introduced Richard Strauss’ “Ariadne auf Naxos” … Read more