SAN FRANCISCO OPERA PRESENTS 2010 SUMMER SEASON June 5–July 2 PUCCINI’S LA FANCIULLA DEL WEST, WAGNER’S DIE WALKÜRE & GOUNOD’S FAUST

CHARLES FRANÇOIS GOUNOD’S FAUST (June 5–July 1)

San Francisco Opera’s summer repertory opens June 5 with Gounod’s classic French Romantic masterpiece Faust. A complicated triangle of characters is headlined by Mr. Stefano Secco, the Italian tenor who made his San Francisco Opera debut last season in Verdi’s Requiem, as Faust. Stunning American dramatic soprano Miss Patricia Racette continues her more than 20-year relationship with San Francisco Opera as she returns to sing Marguerite, and Mr. John Relyea sings Méphistophélès, a role he has recently sung to great acclaim at the Royal Opera, Covent Garden. Italian maestro Maurizio Benini, hailed for his mastery of this lush score, makes his San Francisco Opera debut conducting Gounod’s orchestration which showcases the artistry of the San Francisco Opera Orchestra and Chorus. Mr. Jose Maria Condemi directs this passion-filled production from the Lyric Opera of Chicago and Assistant Music Director Giuseppe Finzi conducts the final two performances.

GIACOMO PUCCINI’S LA FANCIULLA DEL WEST (June 9-July 2)

A love triangle set during the California Gold Rush, the work Puccini considered “the best of my operas” returns to San Francisco for the first time in three decades in celebration of its 100th anniversary. The superb cast is led by American dramatic soprano Miss Deborah Voigt in her role debut as Minnie. Italian baritone Mr. Roberto Frontali, who made his Company debut in 1993 as Riccardo in Bellini’s I Puritani, sings the role of Sheriff Jack Rance and Mr. Salvatore Licitra makes his highly anticipated San Francisco Opera debut as the cunning bandit Dick Johnson. San Francisco Opera Music Director Nicola Luisotti conducts Puccini’s lush score and Assistant Music Director Giuseppe Finzi leads the final performance.

RICHARD WAGNER’S DIE WALKÜRE (June 10-30)

A powerful god finds himself torn by conflicting loyalties as the second installment of Wagner’s majestic Ring cycle comes to San Francisco after a successful debut at Washington National Opera. in this co-production with Washington National Opera. Mr. Donald Runnicles leads a world-class cast, including two stunning sopranos: Miss Nina Stemme, whose portrayal of Senta in the Company’s 2004 production of The Flying Dutchman garnered rave reviews, will make her role debut as Die Walküre’s Brünnhilde and Miss Eva-Maria Westbroek will make her San Francisco Opera debut as Sieglinde. British tenor Mr. Christopher Ventris, who has starred in San Francisco Opera productions of Wagner’s Parsifal and Der Fliegende Holländer, returns to sing Siegmund. Former Adler Fellow Mr. Mark Delavan, whose 2008 Wotan in the Company’s Das Rheingold was hailed as “robust and commanding” by the San Francisco Chronicle, returns to make his role debut as Die Walküre’s Wotan.