The following is a list of four opera performances that I am scheduled to review at the Santa Fe Opera and the San Francisco Opera in July through June of 2026.
Die Walküre (Wagner) Santa Fe Opera, July 26, 30, August 8, 13 and 21, 2025
[Photo: Tamara Wilson (left) is Bruünnhilde and Ryan Speedo Green (right) is Wotan in Santa Fe Opera’s 2025 Melly Still production of Wagner’s “Die Walkure”; edited image, based on a Curtis Brown photograph, courtesy of the Santa Fe Opera..]
For the first time in Santa Fe Opera history, Wagner’s “Die Walküre” will be mounted. The cast is led by soprano Tamara Wilson as Brünnhilde, bass-baritone Ryan Speedo Green as Wotan, tenor Jamez McCorkle as Siegmund, soprano Vida Mikneviciute as Sieglinde, mezzo-soprano Sarah Saturnino as Fricka and bass Soloman Howard as Hunding.
Brünnhilde’s valkyrie sisters are performed by Jessica Faselt, Wendy Bryn Harmer, Jasmin Ward, Gretchen Krupp, Aubrey Odle, Deanna Ray Eberhart, Lauren Randolph and Jennifer Johnson Cano.
For my performance review, see: Review: A spectacular “Walküre” led by Tamara Wilson, Ryan Speedo Green, Jamez McCorkle and Vida Micneviciute – Santa Fe Opera, July 30, 2025.
Maestro James Gaffigan conducts. Melly Still is director, Leslie Travers the Scenic and Costume Designer.
Parsifal (Wagner), San Francisco Opera, October 25(m), 28, November 2(m), 7 and 13, 2025.
[Photo: Brandon Jovanovich as Parsifal and Tanya Ariane Baumgartner as Kundry in the third act of “Parsifal”; edited image, bsed on a Cory Weaver photograph, courtesy of the San Francisco Opera..]
Montana tenor Brandon Jovanovich has established himself as a Wagnerian ‘heldentenor’. Jovanovich’s foray into the Wagnerian repertory includes several role debuts at the San Francisco Opera.
These include his first ever Wagnerian role, Froh in “Das Rheingold”, followed by Siegmund in “Die Walkure”, the title role of “Lohengrin” and Walther von Stolzing in “Die Meistersinger”.
The San Francisco Opera will launch a new Matthew Ozawa production of “Parsifal” starring, in addition to Jovanovich, Kwangcxhul Youn as Gurnemanz, Brian Mullligan as Amfortas, Tanya Ariane Baumbgartner (San Francisco Opera debut) as Kundry, and Falk Struckmann as Klingsor.
The Knights of the Grail are Samuel White and Jongwon Han. David Soar is Titurel. The six Flower maidens are Eliza Sanshine and Laura Krumm (who are also, respectively, the First Esquire and the Second Esquire), Georgiana Adams, Jana McIntyre (San Francisco Opera debut), Olivia Smith and Caroline Corrales. Christopher Oglesby is the Third Esquire, Thomas Kinch the Fourth.
Maestra Eun Sun Kimn conducts the San Francisco Opera Orchestra and Chorus. Matthew Ozawa directs. Robert Innes Hopkins is Set Designer, Jessica Jahn is Costume Deasigner. Rena Gutler is Choreographer.
For my performance review, see: Review: Brandon Jovanovich Leads Outstanding Cast in Matthew Ozawa’s Attractive “Parsifal” Production.
The Monkey King (Ruo and Huang), November 14, 16(m), 18, 20, 22, 28 and 30(m), 2025.
The four above operas are in addition to the following list of operas previously highlighted:
[Photo: Tenor Kang Wang as the Monkey King; edited image of a Cory Weaver photograph, courtesy of the San Francisco Opera.]
Composer Huang Ruo and librettist David Henry Huang, who collaborated previously on the opera “M. Butterfly” at the Santa fe Opera team together for “The Monkey King” for the San Francisco Opera.
The cast is led by Chinese tenor Kang Wang in the title role in his San Francisco Opera debut. Also debuting is Austrian baritone Jusung Gabriel Park as Master Subhut and Buddha. Artists returning to the company are South Korean tenor Kanu Kim as the Jade Emperor, Chinese soprano Mei Gui Zhang as Guanyin, Texas bass Peixin Chen as Supreme ,Sage Laojun, South Korean baritone Joo Won Kang as the Dragon King Au Guang and Lord Erlang, and Chinese soprano Hongni Wu as the Crab General and Venus Star.
Maestra Carolyn Kuan, who conducted the American premiere of Huang Ruo’s first opera.
“Doctor Sun Yat-Sen”, and second, the world premiere of his opera “M. Butterfly”, both at the Santa Fe Opera, makes her San Francisco Opera debut.
For my performance review, see: World Premiere Run Review: A Visually Spectacular, Musically Brilliant Production of Huang Ruo’s and David Henry Hwang’s “The Monkey King” – San Francisco Opera, November 16, 2025.
For my performance review of Ruo’s and Huang’s “M; Butterfly”, see: World Premiere Run Review: Powerful Performances from Mark Stone and Kangmin Justin Kim in Ruo’s and Hwang’s Compelling “M. Butterfly”- Santa Fe Opera, August 3, 2022.
The Barber of Seville (Rossini) May 28, June 3, 5, 6(m), 9, 12, 13, 20(m) and 21, 2026
[Photo: Count Almaviva (Jack Swanson, lleft) pretending to be Don Basilio’s student) hides in the skirt worn by Rosina (Hongni Wu); edited image, based on a Cory Weaver photograph, courtesy of the San Francisco Opera.]
Spanish director Emilio Sagi’s acclaimed production of Rossini’s “Barber of Seville”, performed at the San Francisco Opera in 2013 and 2015, returns with two alternating casts..
The first cast consists of Canadian baritone Joshua Hopkins as Figaro; South African tenor Levy Sekgapane (San Francisco Opera debut) as Count Almaviva; Russian soprano Maria Kateva (San Francisco Opera debut) as Rosina; and Italian bass-baritone Renato Giralami as Doctor Bartolo.
The first cast dates are May 28, June 3, 5, 9, 13 and 20, 2026.
For my Cast One perfomance review, see: Review: Joshua Hopkins, Levy Sekgapane, Maria Kataeva Lead “Barber of Seville” Cast One – San Francisco Opera, June 5, 2026
The Second cast consists of German baritone Justin Austin as Figaro (San Francisco Opera debut), Nebraska tenor Jack Swanson as Count Almaviva (San Francisco Opera debut), Chinese soprano Hongni Wu as Rosina and New York bass-baritone Patrick Carfizzi as Dr. Bartolo.
The second cast dates are June 3, 6, 12 and 21, 2026. The second cast also will participate in a “Barber/Encounter” on June 17, which combines a partial performance with a “Barber”-themed party.
For my Cast Two performance review, see: Review: Justin Austin, Jack Swanson and Hongni Wu Lead “Barber of Seville” Cast Two – San Francisco Opera, June 6, 2026
Italian bass Riccardo Fassi (San Francisco Opera debut) is Don Basilio for all performances.
Spanish director Emilio Sagi directs. Maestro Benjamin Manis conducts.
For reviews of previous operas in this “Quests and Anticipations” series, see:
The Santa Fe Opera productions of “La Boheme”, “Rigoletto”, “Le Nozze di Figaro” and “The Turn of the Screw” [See: In Quest of Summer 2025 Santa Fe Opera Performances.]
The San Francisco Opera performances of “Rigoletto”, and “Dead Man Walking”. [See In Quest of Mid-2025 San Francisco Opera Performances].