11/14/15 – THE TROJANS – 1pm
San Francisco Opera
THE TROJANS by Hector Berlioz
Libretto by Hector Berlioz
NEW PRODUCTION
| One of the largest, most magnificent pieces in the entire repertory, this rarely staged epic is presented here for the first time in 47 years, the way it was originally meant to be seen: two operas—The Fall of Troy and The Trojans at Carthage—in one spectacular evening! The tragic fall of Troy, the passionate love of two great leaders, the urgent pull of destiny: all unfold as part of Berlioz’s visionary masterpiece—French grand opera’s answer to Wagner’sRing. Former Music Director Donald Runnicles, who masterfully conducted the Ring cycle in 2011, returns to lead this intensely lyrical, colorfully orchestrated, viscerally exciting score. David McVicar’s visually striking new production, “a major event” (The Guardian, London), moves the action to the mid-19th century. The world-class cast stars, as the ill-fated lovers Dido and Aeneas, the “vocally sumptuous and alluring” Susan Graham andBryan Hymel, who gives “an impassioned and confident performance of a heroic role” (The New York Times). The “musically intelligent and vocally splendid” Anna Caterina Antonacci (The New York Times) alternates withMichaela Martens to take on the dramatic role of the prophetess Cassandra. |
 Commemorative special edition posters by Michael Schwab are available at the San Francisco Opera Shop. (shop.sfopera.com) |
For a complete listing of all performances of The Trojans at San Francisco Opera, visit our online performance archive.
Sung in French with English supertitles
Approximate running time: 5 hours, 5 minutes including two intermissions
Cassandra: Anna Caterina Antonacci
Dido: Susan Graham
Aeneas: Bryan Hymel
Anna: Sasha Cooke
Chorebus: Brian Mulligan
Narbal: Christian Van Horn
Iopas: René Barbera
Conductor: Donald Runnicles
San Francisco Opera Chorus, Ian Robertson, chorus master
PRODUCTION DAVID MCVICAR
DIRECTOR LEAH HAUSMAN
SET DESIGNER ES DEVLIN *
COSTUME DESIGNER MORITZ JUNGE* *
ORIGINAL LIGHTING DESIGNER WOLFGANG GÖBBEL
LIGHTING DESIGNER PIA VIROLAINEN *
CHORUS DIRECTOR IAN ROBERTSON
CHOREOGRAPHER LYNNE PAGE *
FIGHT DIRECTOR DAVE MAIER
ASSOCIATE CHOREOGRAPHER GEMMA PAYNE *
* SAN FRANCISCO OPERA DEBUT
photos: Cory Weaver
