Opera in the Park – Huge Hit in San Francisco

The San Francisco Opera presents Opera in The Park
Photo: Stefan Cohen/San Francisco Opera

This year’s roster for Opera in the Park included sopranos Sarah Cambidge, Amina Edris, Aurelia Florian and Toni Marie Palmertree; mezzo-soprano Jill Grove; tenors Atalla Ayan, Brian Jagde, Pene Pati and Kyle van Schoonhoven; baritone Artur Ruciński; and bass-baritone Alfred Walker performing arias and duets by Puccini, Verdi, Wagner, Bellini, Beethoven and Gounod along with traditional songs including “This little light of mine” and “The house I live in.” The concert began with Maestro Luisotti conducting the overture to Verdi’s Nabucco. Nearly 10,000 people attended the free event at Golden Gate Park. 

The afternoon climaxed with a performance of “Nessun dorma” from Puccini’s Turandot sung in a special arrangement for three tenors, which was followed by the traditional Opera in the Park closing encore of “Libiamo” from Verdi’s La Traviata, performed by the entire group of soloists along with the audience. Matthew Shilvock, General Director of San Francisco Opera, served as master of ceremonies.

Opera in the Park, presented in partnership with the San Francisco Chronicle, is one of San Francisco’s most cherished traditions. Established by former San Francisco Opera General Director Kurt Herbert Adler in 1971, the annual Opera in the Park free concert has included in past years opera legends from Luciano Pavarotti and Plácido Domingo to Beverly Sills and Marilyn Horne.

For tickets to the San Francisco Opera’s current season go to: https://sfopera.com/