Historical Reviews

Note from William: This post continues my series of observances of the 50 year anniversaries of the historic performances that I attended at San Francisco Opera during the general directorship of Kurt Herbert Adler. This is the  observance of a performance from the company’s 1963 Spring Opera Theater season. The origins of San Francisco Opera’s … Read more

A Note from William: This post continues my series of observances of historic performances that I attended at San Francisco Opera during the general directorship of Kurt Herbert Adler. This is the sixth of six such observances of performances from the company’s 1962 Fall season.  As related in earlier articles on my sampling of the … Read more

Note from William: This post continues my series of observances of historic performances that I attended at San Francisco Opera during the general directorship of Kurt Herbert Adler. This is the fifth of six such observances of performances from the company’s 1962 Fall season. In 1962, the San Francisco Opera, in a departure from tradition, … Read more

Note from William: This post continues my series of observances of historic performances that I attended at San Francisco Opera during the general directorship of Kurt Herbert Adler. This is the fourth of six such observances of performances from the company’s 1962 Fall season. In the early 1960s, as had been the tradition for decades, … Read more

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Note from William: This post continues my series of observances of historic performances that I attended at San Francisco Opera during the general directorship of Kurt Herbert Adler. This is the second of six such observances of performances from the company’s 1962 Fall season. The second opera on my 1962 Saturday night San Francisco Opera … Read more

Note from William: This post continues my series of observances of historic performances that I attended at San Francisco Opera during the general directorship of Kurt Herbert Adler. This is the first of six such observances of performances from the company’s 1962 Fall season. Last year I reported on the 50th anniversary of San Francisco … Read more

Note from William: This post continues my series of observances of historic performances that I attended at San Francisco Opera during the general directorship of Kurt Herbert Adler. This is the sixth of six such observances of performances from the company’s 1961 Fall season. This series of memorializations of San Francisco Opera performances of a … Read more

Note from William: This post continues my series of observances of historic performances that I attended at San Francisco Opera during the general directorship of Kurt Herbert Adler. This is the fifth of six such observances of performances from the company’s 1961 Fall season. Having become a subscriber in Fall 1961, as a college Freshman, … Read more

Note from William: This post continues my series of observances of historic performances that I attended at San Francisco Opera during the general directorship of Kurt Herbert Adler. This is the fourth of six such observances of performances from the company’s 1961 Fall season. On the fourth night of my 1961 San Francisco Opera series … Read more

Note from William: This post continues my series of observances of historic performances that I attended at San Francisco Opera during the general directorship of Kurt Herbert Adler. This is the third of six such observances of performances from the company’s 1961 Fall season. Fifty years ago, as a Freshman in college with an Orchestra … Read more

Note from William: This post continues my series of observances of historic performances that I attended at San Francisco Opera during the general directorship of Kurt Herbert Adler. This is the second of six such observances of performances from the company’s 1961 Fall season. As a college Freshman, who had been hooked on opera since … Read more

Note from William: This post continues my series of observances of historic performances that I attended at San Francisco Opera during the general directorship of Kurt Herbert Adler. This is the first of six such observances of performances from the company’s 1961 Fall season. Even as an entering college Freshman, I had a taste for … Read more

Note from William: This post continues my series of observances of historic performances that I attended at San Francisco Opera during the general directorship of Kurt Herbert Adler. This is the second of five such observances of performances from the company’s 1960 Fall season. The standard repertory of opera is disproportionately represented by the output … Read more

Note from William: This post continues my series of observances of historic performances that I attended at San Francisco Opera during the general directorship of Kurt Herbert Adler. This is the fiourth of five such observances of performances from the company’s 1960 Fall season. The first Italian opera that I had experienced in live performance … Read more

Note from William: This post continues my series of observances of historic performances that I attended at San Francisco Opera during the general directorship of Kurt Herbert Adler. This is the fifth of five such observances of performances from the company’s 1960 Fall season. I have already noted 1960 performances of Puccini’s “Fanciulla del West … Read more

Note from William: This post continues my series of observances of historic performances that I attended at San Francisco Opera during the general directorship of Kurt Herbert Adler. This is the first of five such observances of performances from the company’s 1960 Fall season. My musical tastes as a teenager in San Diego encompassed most … Read more

Note from William: This post continues my series of observances of historic performances that I attended at San Francisco Opera during the general directorship of Kurt Herbert Adler. This is the third of five such observances of performances from the company’s 1960 Fall season. 2010 is a year of two centennial celebrations, the 100th anniversary … Read more

This is the tenth of ten observances of historic performances of the San Francisco Opera that I attended during the company’s annual tours of Southern California In 1950, the American debut of 35 year old operatic tenor Mario del Monaco  took place at the San Francisco Opera. His American debut role was Radames in Verdi’s … Read more

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

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

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

This is the sixth of ten observances of historic performances of the San Francisco Opera that I attended during the company’s annual tours of Southern California San Diego’s Fox Theatre has been an imposing landmark since it was launched in 1929 as a great movie palace, in ceremonies attended by visiting delegations of Hollywood stars. … Read more

This is the fifth of ten observances of historic performances of the San Francisco Opera that I attended during the company’s annual tours of Southern California On October 24, 1956 our mothers drove Stephen and myself from San Diego to the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles where I saw my first Italian Opera – Verdi’s … Read more

This is the second of ten observances of historic performances of the San Francisco Opera that I attended during the company’s annual tours of Southern California Five decades ago, the San Francisco Opera company would conduct a Southern California tour at the conclusion of its Fall season. The addition of the San Diego to its … Read more