2017 national radio broadcast series of San Francisco Opera performances

0,0003954

The 2017 national radio broadcast series of San Francisco Opera performances on the WFMT Radio Network begins on Saturday, September 2 with a 1979 archival broadcast of Amilcare Ponchielli’s La Gioconda. The cast features soprano Renata Scotto in the title role and tenor Luciano Pavarotti as Enzo Grimaldi, each singing their role for the first time on any stage.

Hosted by Dianne Nicolini, the weekly national broadcasts of San Francisco Opera performances, recorded live at the War Memorial Opera House, air at 10 a.m. PDT on Saturdays through October 14 (times may vary, please check local listings). Performances feature the San Francisco Opera Orchestra and San Francisco Opera Chorus (Ian Robertson, Chorus Director).

San Francisco Opera is featured on WFMT Radio Network’s 2017 American Opera Series, which also features performances by the Lyric Opera of Chicago, LA Opera, Caramoor, Opera Southwest, Arizona Opera and the Chicago Symphony Orchestra which presents a concert version of Verdi’s Falstaff. Now in its eleventh year, WFMT Radio Network’s American Opera Series is designed to provide public and commercial stations with outstanding live opera performances. The WFMT Radio Network is one of the world’s most respected producers and distributors of classical, jazz, folk and public affairs programming.

Bright Sheng and David Henry Hwang’s Dream of the Red Chamber © 2017 by Cory Weaver/San Francisco Opera

The weekly San Francisco Opera broadcasts air at 10 a.m. PDT on Saturday mornings September 2 through October 14, 2017. All broadcasts are recorded live at the War Memorial Opera House. As times may vary, please check local listings for the WFMT Radio Network. 

Saturday, September 2, 2017 at 10 a.m. – Amilcare Ponchielli’s La Gioconda (1979)

Renata Scotto (La Gioconda), Luciano Pavarotti (Enzo Grimaldi), Stefania Toczysk (Laura Adorno), Norman Mittelmann (Barnaba), Ferruccio Furlanetto (Alvise), Margarita Lilova (La Cieca), John Del Carlo (Zuane), Tonio Di Paolo (Isepo), David Koch (Monk), Winther Andersen (Steersman), Boris Martinovich (Singer), Richard Halle (Singer), John Glenister (Voice), James Meyer (Voice); conducted by Bruno Bartoletti. Recorded September 1979. 

Saturday, September 9, 2017 at 10 a.m. – Giuseppe Verdi’s Aida (2016)

Leah Crocetto (Aida), Ekaterina Semenchuk (Amneris), Brian Jagde (Radames), George Gagnidze (Amonasro), Raymond Aceto (Ramfis), Anthony Reed (The King of Egypt), Toni Marie Palmertree (Priestess), Pene Pati (Messenger); conducted by Nicola Luisotti. Recorded November 2016.

 Saturday, September 16, 2017 at 10 a.m. – Giacomo Puccini’s Madama Butterfly (2016)

Lianna Haroutounian (Cio-Cio-San), Vincenzo Costanzo (Lieutenant B.F. Pinkerton), Zanda Švēde (Suzuki), Julius Ahn (Goro), Anthony Clark Evans (Sharpless), Edward Nelson (Prince Yamadori), Raymond Aceto (The Bonze), Matthew Stump (Imperial Commissioner), Julie Adams (Kate Pinkerton), Jere Torkelsen (Official Registrar); conducted by Yves Abel. Recorded November 2016.

 Saturday, September 23, 2017 at 10 a.m. – Umberto Giordano’s Andrea Chénier (2016)

Yonghoon Lee (Andrea Chénier), George Gagnidze (Carlo Gérard), Anna Pirozzi (Maddalena di Coigny), J’Nai Bridges (Bersi), Robert Pomakov (Mathieu), David Pershall (Roucher), Joel Sorensen (The Incredibile), Jill Grove (Madelon), Catherine Cook (Contessa di Coigny), Edward Nelson (Pietro Fléville), Alex Boyer (The Abbé), Brad Walker (Dumas), Matthew Stump (Fouquier-Tinville), Anthony Reed (Schmidt), Anders Fröhlich (Major-Domo); conducted by Nicola Luisotti. Recorded September 2016.

Saturday, September 30, 2017 at 10 a.m. – Bright Sheng and David Henry Hwang’s Dream of the Red Chamber (2016)

Yijie Shi (Bao Yu), Pureum Jo (Dai Yu), Hyona Kim (Lady Wang), Irene Roberts (Bao Chai), Karen Chia-ling Ho (Princess Jia), Qiulin Zhang (Granny Jia), Yanyu Guo (Aunt Xue), Randall Nakano (Monk), Pene Pati (Stone), Alex Boyer (Stone), Edward Nelson (Stone), Amina Edris (Flower), Toni Marie Palmertree (Flower), Zanda Švēde (Flower); conducted by George Manahan. Recorded September 2016.

Saturday, October 7, 2017 at 10 a.m. – Gaetano Donizetti’s Don Pasquale (2016)

Maurizio Muraro (Don Pasquale), Lucas Meachem (Dr. Malatesta), Lawrence Brownlee (Ernesto), Heidi Stober (Norina), Bojan Knezevic (Notary); conducted by Giuseppe Finzi. Recorded October 2016.

Saturday, October 14, 2017 at 10 a.m. – Richard Strauss’ Arabella (1980)

Kiri Te Kanawa (Arabella), Ingvar Wixell (Mandryka), Barbara Daniels (Zdenka), William Lewis (Matteo), Alexander Malta (Count Waldner), Rebecca Cook (Fortune Teller), Michael Ballam (Count Elemer), John Brandstetter (Count Dominik), Kevin Langan (Count Lamoral), Erie Mills (Fiakermilli), Lee Woodriff (Djura), Karl Saarni (Jankel); conducted by Wolfgang Rennert. Recorded November 1980.