The San Francisco Playhouse season closes with Cabaret, the Tony Award-winning musical. Susi Damilano's direction, along with music direction by Dave Dobrusky and choreography by Nicole Helfer, proved very popular with the opening night audience.
The San Francisco Playhouse will feature the Tony Award-winning musical Cabaret through September 14.
BY PAUL DUCLOS
Published: August, 2019
The San Francisco Playhouse season closes with Cabaret, the Tony Award-winning musical. Susi Damilano’s direction, along with music direction by Dave Dobrusky and choreography by Nicole Helfer, proved very popular with the opening night audience.
For those unfamiliar with the plot: Cliff Bradshaw, a hack writer, is working on a novel in Berlin just before the Nazis seize power. He becomes infatuated with the coke-addled and delusional Sally Bowles, who entertains at the Kit Kat Klub as a singer and fantasy object.
One of the great revelations of this production was the singing of Cate Hayman, who was especially marvelous in her performance of “Maybe This Time.” She knocked it out of the park.
Cabaret will be staged through September 14. For more information, see www.sfplayhouse.org.
S.F. Symphony Celebrates MTT’s 25 Years
Organizers of the September 4 opening night gala promise a spectacular celebration of Michael Tilson Thomas’ 25th and final season as music director of the San Francisco Symphony.
“This will be one for the ages,” said a spokesperson. From the pre-concert Scharffenberger Cellars sparkling wine promenade, to the one-of-a-kind concert, to the exciting afterparty, attendees will be a part of San Francisco history while toasting the arts in style.
For an elevated experience, guests can upgrade to one of four unique, VIP dinner packages. Call the volunteer council for more information at (415) 503-5500. Proceeds from the opening night gala benefit the symphony’s myriad artistic, community and education programs.
The event is black tie, and guests must be 21 or older to attend.
Opera at the Ballpark Returns
San Francisco Opera partners with the San Francisco Giants for Opera at the Ballpark, a free live simulcast of Charles Gounod’s Romeo and Juliet (Roméo et Juliette) on Saturday, September 21 at 7:30 p.m. at Oracle Park.
Opera lovers, baseball fans and tens of thousands from around the Bay Area will have the opportunity to experience Gounod’s lyric masterpiece at the home of the San Francisco Giants while seated on the baseball field or in the stands. Registration is strongly advised and is now available at sfopera.com/simulcast.
Highly in demand at major opera houses around the world, tenor Bryan Hymel and soprano Nadine Sierra star as Romeo and Juliet. Full of romantic duets and soaring melodies, this French operatic adaptation of William Shakespeare’s beloved love story will be staged in a production by Opéra de Monte-Carlo Director Jean-Louis Grinda that depicts the Renaissance Verona setting. French-Canadian conductor Yves Abel leads a cast that also features Lucas Meachem as Mercutio, James Creswell as Friar Lawrence, Timothy Mix as Count Capulet, Daniel Montenegro as Tybalt, Philip Skinner as the Duke of Verona and Stephanie Lauricella as Stéphano.
The staging, originally a co-production by Opéra de Monte-Carlo and Genoa’s Teatro Carlo Felice, premiered in 2012 with sets designed by Eric Chevalier, costumes by Carola Volles and lighting by Roberto Venturi. Chorus Director Ian Robertson prepares the San Francisco Opera Chorus.
The simulcast will be transmitted in high definition live from the stage of the War Memorial Opera House to the new Mitsubishi Electronic Diamond Vision Board at Oracle Park. The newly installed model is twice the resolution, 50 feet wider and 20 feet higher than the former screen. It is the third largest screen in Major League Baseball and the largest movie screen in San Francisco. Performance-quality audio combined with Oracle Park’s upgraded screen creates an enhanced open-air operatic experience for Bay Area audiences.
The San Francisco Opera initiated the event in 2006 to bring opera into the community and reach new audiences. The effort has been a success, as the events have been attended by more than 300,000 people of all ages. The September 21 simulcast of Romeo and Juliet marks the 16th free simulcast presented by San Francisco Opera and the 12th at Oracle Park. Opera at the Ballpark’s 2017 performance of Mozart’s Don Giovanni drew an audience of more than 23,000.
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