The Future of Opera | 2026–27 Season
Welcome to the 2026–27 Season!
San Francisco Opera returns with an exciting 104th season, bringing bold, compelling stories and enthralling music to the heart of the Bay Area. This season’s operas explore themes of politics and class, women coming into their power, and the tension between temptation and virtue.
General Director Matthew Shilvock and Music Director Eun Sun Kim offer their insights on the 2026–27 Season, welcoming you into another thrilling year of opera!
I am so excited for another season of glorious artistic experiences with you. Thank you for being a part of this!
—Matthew
By Giuseppe Verdi
This is the season we begin our journey into Wagner’s epic Ring! I can’t wait to head there with you! - Eun Sun
such a searingly intense political opera than our beloved Verdi?
Two operas that explore what it means to carry the weight of power.
This is such an effervescent, sumptuous score, full of delicious chromaticism as Massenet seduces us with Manon’s shifting emotions!
I’m so proud we’re bringing Thea’s opera back to San Francisco. We gave its West Coast premiere in 1979. It’s a stunning work!
In what will be America’s 250th anniversary, what better way to celebrate than with our production that sets the action at the birth of America!
Love is staking its claim in both of these operas, but beware—other forces are at work.
Simon Boccanegra
History crowns him, but grief consumes him.
Mary, Queen of Scots
By Thea Musgrave Trust no one.
The Marriage of Figaro By Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart Something old, something new, something borrowed, something askew.
By Giacomo Puccini
By Richard Wagner Power
She lived for art. She sacrificed for love.
Das Rheingold
OPERA BALL
Open the Season in Style
SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 12, 2026
5PM Red Carpet and Cocktail Reception
6PM Formal Dinner at City Hall
8PM Performance of Simon Boccanegra
11PM After-Party at City Hall
San Francisco Opera’s biggest fundraiser of the year!
Step into the 2026–27 Season with an unforgettable evening at San Francisco’s iconic City Hall. Your night begins with a sparkling cocktail hour, followed by an exquisite dinner prepared by celebrated local chefs, all set beneath the magnificent dome of City Hall’s breathtaking rotunda. Then journey across the plaza to the War Memorial Opera House for the opening night of Verdi’s Simon Boccanegra, led by Music Director Eun Sun Kim. When the final ovation fades, return to City Hall for a spectacular after-party, featuring music, dancing, and the company of fellow opera lovers.
This glittering kickoff to our new season supports San Francisco Opera and San Francisco Opera Guild’s artistic and education programming.
San Francisco Opera & San Francisco Opera Guild
Opera Ball is made possible, in part, by Opening Weekend Grand Sponsor Diane B. Wilsey
CO-CHAIRS
Sydney Leung Jennifer Walske
GREAT BENEFACTOR TICKETS
$10,000
GRAND BENEFACTOR TICKETS
$5,000
BENEFACTOR TICKETS
$3,500
ADVOCATE TICKETS
$2,000
Each ticket includes dinner and a tax-deductible donation to San Francisco Opera, along with the cocktail reception and after-party. Performance tickets are an additional purchase, not included in the Opera Ball ticket.
If you would like help putting together a full table, please reach out to our development office at events@sfopera.com, and we will be delighted to assist!
Simon Boccanegra
BY GIUSEPPE VERDI
12, 16, 19, 22, 25, 27 |
He accepts the chance to lead the Republic of Genoa with the hope of uniting his family. But on the very day Simon Boccanegra is elected doge, tragedy strikes—his beloved dies, and his infant daughter vanishes. Now, 25 years later, Boccanegra is a seasoned leader balancing opposing political factions. As he works to bring stability to a fractured republic, fate gives him one more chance at the family reunion he’s longed to secure.
Simon Boccanegra is both an intimate story of love, loss, and reconciliation, and a larger political allegory for a divided Italy aching for unity. For Verdi, peace can only be achieved when broken bonds are mended—whether between father and daughter, or rival factions of a splintered nation.
Claus Guth’s production brings Boccanegra’s past and present together in a world where memories cannot be forgotten. As the weight of Boccanegra’s leadership intensifies, a Magritte-like rock becomes a haunting metaphor for the burden of power, grief, and legacy.
Music Director Eun Sun Kim continues her exploration of Verdi with this powerful score, filled with some of the most stirring music he ever composed. Acclaimed baritone Amartuvshin Enkhbat returns to sing the noble Simon Boccanegra opposite debuting soprano Eleonora Buratto as his long-lost daughter, Amelia. Christian Van Horn is Boccanegra’s political opponent, Fiesco, and Joshua Guerrero makes his Company debut as Amelia's lover, Adorno.
History crowns him, but grief consumes him.
CAST
Simon Boccanegra Amartuvshin Enkhbat
Amelia/Maria
Eleonora Buratto▲*
Toni Marie Palmertree
Jacopo Fiesco
Christian Van Horn
Gabriele Adorno
Joshua Guerrero*
Paolo Albiani Aleksey Bogdanov ▲Sep 12, 16, 19, 22, 25
Sep 27
CREATIVE TEAM
Conductor Eun Sun Kim
Original Director Claus Guth*
Revival Director
Katherine M. Carter
Production Designer Christian Schmidt*
Lighting Designer
Wolfgang Göbbel
Chorus Director
John Keene
PRODUCTION SPONSORS
Simon Boccanegra is made possible, in part, by Opening Weekend Grand Sponsor Diane B. Wilsey
Additional support is provided by Bertie Bialek Elliott, John A. & Cynthia Fry Gunn, Jensen & Lori Huang, Marieke & Jeff Rothschild, San Francisco Opera Guild, Jan Shrem^ & Maria Manetti Shrem, through the Great Interpreters of Italian Opera Fund, Denise Littlefield Sobel, Dianne & Tad^ Taube, and The Thomas Tilton Production Fund
Staatsoper Hamburg Production
Sung in Italian with English supertitles
Running time approximately 2 hours and 45 minutes with one intermission
*San Francisco Opera debut
Mary, Queen of Scots
BY THEA MUSGRAVE
SEPTEMBER 20, 24, 26, 29; OCTOBER 2, 4 |
Just 18 years old, and already the Queen of France, Mary Stuart is poised, politically savvy, and confident in her divine claim to the Scottish throne. However, the Scotland she returns to bears little resemblance to the one she left behind as a child, and she will need every ounce of resolve to hold on to her crown.
In Mary, Queen of Scots, acclaimed composer Thea Musgrave brings one of history’s most captivating figures to the stage with a score as bold and compelling as its heroine. As Mary navigates a treacherous political landscape, she leans on her closest advisors: her calculating half-brother James Stewart, Earl of Moray; the enigmatic Earl of Bothwell; and her charming but weak-willed future husband, Lord Darnley. Slowly but surely, each man’s hunger for her power reveals itself in increasingly manipulative ways, and Mary must outmaneuver one betrayal after the next.
This gripping new co-production with English National Opera by director/designer Stewart Laing sets 16th-century intrigue against a backdrop of contemporary Scottish life and sectarian violence, lending fresh resonance to an almost 500-year-old story. Musgrave’s masterful score heightens the duplicitous actions and surges of public unrest, propelling Mary toward her eventual abdication.
Beloved San Francisco Opera soprano Heidi Stober returns to command the stage as Mary, with baritone Thomas Mole making his Company debut as her cunnning half-brother James Stewart. Thomas Kinch and Christopher Sokolowski complete the trio of men determined to shape—and shatter— her reign. Conductor Clelia Cafiero makes her debut on the podium.
Trust no one.
CAST
Mary, Queen of Scots
Heidi Stober
James Stewart, Earl of Moray
Thomas Mole*
The Earl of Bothwell
Thomas Kinch
Lord Darnley
Christopher Sokolowski*
CREATIVE TEAM
Conductor
Clelia Cafiero*
Director
Stewart Laing*
Production Designer
Stewart Laing*
Lighting Designer
D.M. Wood
Choreographer
Colm Seery
Chorus Director John Keene
PRODUCTION SPONSORS
Mary, Queen of Scots is made possible, in part, by The Phyllis C. Wattis Fund for New Productions, Marcia Barinaga & Corey Goodman, Louise Gund, John A. & Cynthia Fry Gunn, Jensen & Lori Huang, and Marieke & Jeff Rothschild.
Clelia Cafiero’s appearance is made possible by the Jan Shrem^ & Maria Manetti Shrem Conductors Fund.
Co-Production between English National Opera and San Francisco Opera
Sung in English with English supertitles
Running time approximately 3 hours with two intermissions
*San Francisco Opera debut
Manon
BY JULES MASSENET
OCTOBER 15, 18, 21, 24, 27, 30; NOVEMBER 1 | SUBSCRIBE AND SAVE!
Manon is young, beautiful, and has a taste for the finer things … which is why her family is sending her to a convent. En route to her new life, she falls for the handsome Chevalier des Grieux, and they run away to Paris, the city of love. But their youthful ardor is threatened by fatherly disapproval, and Manon finds herself with a choice to make: wait alone in poverty or embrace the wealth of a new lover?
Massenet’s soaring, lyrical score captures the intensity of young love as Manon and Des Grieux’s relationship endures twist after turn. Manon must navigate a path that careens between the radiant glow of love and the allure of wealth.
Vincent Boussard’s cinematic production brings the drama of Manon into emotional relief. The shimmering stage illuminates both the Champagne effervescence of Paris and the sensual idealism of young love.
San Francisco Opera favorites (and real-life couple)
Amina Edris and Pene Pati play the quixotic Manon and the ardent Chevalier des Grieux. Vitor Bispo is Manon’s protective cousin, eager to uphold the family name. Music Director Eun Sun Kim conducts Massenet’s translucently beautiful score.
Her first taste of love. Her gamble for more.
Manon
Amina Edris
Le Chevalier des Grieux
Pene Pati
Lescaut
Vitor Bispo*
CREATIVE TEAM
Conductor
Eun Sun Kim
Director
Vincent Boussard
Set Designer
Vincent Lemaire
Costume Designer
Vincent Boussard
Lighting Designer
Gary Marder
Chorus Director
John Keene
PRODUCTION
SPONSORS
Manon is made possible, in part, by Louise Gund, Jensen & Lori Huang, Franklin & Catherine^ Johnson, and Marieke & Jeff Rothschild
San Francisco Opera Co-Production with Lithuanian National Opera and Ballet Theatre and The Israeli Opera
Sung in French with English supertitles
Running time approximately 3 hours and 35 minutes with two intermissions
*San Francisco Opera debut
The Marriage of Figaro
BY WOLFGANG AMADEUS MOZART
It’s a busy day in the manor house as the staff prepare for the marriage of the wily valet Figaro and his quick-witted fiancée, the maid Susanna. But the head of the house, Count Almaviva, wants Susanna for himself—and he’s used to getting his way. With the help of the slighted Countess, Figaro and Susanna work to turn the manor upside down in order to exchange their marriage vows.
You can’t help but fall in love with Mozart’s endearing comedy of schemes and disguises. But beneath its lighthearted façade is an exploration of the social constructs of power and class. At every turn, the servants are one step ahead of the Count.
Set at the birth of America, San Francisco Opera’s production highlights the deconstruction of class within a recently built manor house. Scaffolding, blueprints, and the dust of recently plastered walls pervade Erhard Rom’s set design, suggesting a new world emerging that challenges old ideals.
Peter Kellner makes his Company debut as the cunning Figaro, and Slávka Zámečníková returns as the even savvier Susanna.
Thomas Mole is the lustful Count Almaviva married to the gracious Countess, played by Olivia Smith, whose nobility stands tall against her philandering husband. Simone McIntosh is the lovesick and affable Cherubino. Sebastian Weigle makes an exciting house debut on the podium.
Something old, something new, something borrowed, something askew.
CAST
Figaro
Peter Kellner*
Susanna
Slávka Zámečníková
Count Almaviva
Thomas Mole
Countess Almaviva
Olivia Smith
Cherubino
Simone McIntosh
Doctor Bartolo
Maurizio Muraro
Marcellina
Catherine Cook
Don Basilio
Alek Shrader
Don Curzio
Chance Jonas-O'Toole
CREATIVE TEAM
Conductor
Sebastian Weigle*
Director
Shawna Lucey
Original Director Michael Cavanagh
Set and Projection Designer Erhard Rom
Costume Designer
Constance Hoffman
Lighting Designer
Jane Cox
Choreographer Colm Seery
Chorus Director John Keene
PRODUCTION SPONSORS
The Marriage of Figaro is made possible, in part, by Dr. & Mrs. William M. Coughran, Jerome & Thao Dodson, Bertie Bialek Elliott, Jensen & Lori Huang, Edmund W. & Jeannik
Méquet Littlefield Fund, Bernard & Barbro Osher, Marieke & Jeff Rothschild, and Dianne & Tad^ Taube
Sebastian Weigle’s appearance is made possible by the Jan Shrem^ & Maria Manetti Shrem Conductors Fund.
San Francisco Opera Production
Sung in Italian with English supertitles
Running time approximately 3 hours and 45 minutes with two intermissions
*San Francisco Opera debut
Das Rheingold
BY RICHARD WAGNER
MAY 29; JUNE 3, 6, 11, 16, 19, 22, 2027 | SUBSCRIBE AND SAVE!
Glowing in the depths of the Rhine River lies magical gold, protected by three Rhinemaidens. Forsaking love, the mercenary Nibelung Alberich steals the treasure and forges a ring of immense power. When Wotan, head of the gods, needs to pay the Giants for the building of Valhalla, he sets out to steal the gold from Alberich. These thefts set in motion an upending of world order, the repercussions of which not even Wotan can foresee.
Das Rheingold heralds the beginning of Wagner’s heroic tetralogy: The Ring of the Nibelung. Continuing her multi-year exploration of Wagner, Music Director Eun Sun Kim takes on this celebrated epic, leading the San Francisco Opera Orchestra into the dawn of The Ring. Das Rheingold is the prologue to Wagner’s most dramatic work, which will take the stage in three full cycles in June 2028.
What happens when man takes from nature that which isn’t his? How do power and greed corrupt humanity? Francesca Zambello’s visionary production brings Wagner’s timeless story close to home and into the 19th-century Gold Rush, when pristine land suddenly became the source of untold wealth. Wotan is an industrial tycoon obsessed with building his empire by whatever means necessary, not realizing that the more he takes, the bigger the consequences for all of humanity.
Bringing this dramatic first chapter of The Ring to life is a cast of epic stature: Brian Mulligan is the despotic Wotan, with Judit Kutasi as his suffering wife, Fricka. The cunning god of fire, Loge, played by Brenton Ryan, joins Wotan in his descent into Nibelheim to steal the gold from Falk Struckmann as the conceited Alberich.
Power forged by greed.
CAST
Wotan
Brian Mulligan Alberich Falk Struckmann
Kutasi Mime Zhengyi Bai
CREATIVE TEAM
Conductor
Eun Sun Kim
Director
Francesca Zambello
Set Designer Michael Yeargan
Costume Designer
Catherine Zuber
Original Lighting Designer Mark McCullough
Revival Lighting Designer A.J. Guban*
Original Projections Jan Hartley
New Projections, Remounted by S. Katy Tucker
Associate Director and Choreographer Denni Sayers
PRODUCTION SPONSORS
Das Rheingold is made possible, in part, by Julie Dickson, Dr. & Mrs. William M. Coughran, Keith & Priscilla Geeslin, Louise Gund, John A. & Cynthia Fry Gunn, Jensen & Lori Huang, Bernard & Barbro Osher, Marieke & Jeff Rothschild, Denise Littlefield Sobel, and Barbara A. Wolfe
San Francisco Opera Co-Production with Washington National Opera
Sung in German with English supertitles
Running time approximately 2 hours and 30 minutes with no intermission
*San Francisco Opera debut
Tosca
BY GIACOMO PUCCINI
JUNE 4, 8, 12, 17, 20, 26, 29; JULY 2, 2027
Political tensions are high in Rome in June 1800—and the opera singer Floria Tosca gets caught in the crossfire when her lover, the painter Mario Cavaradossi, aids an escaped prisoner to safety. When the tyrannical chief of police, Baron Scarpia, pulls Cavaradossi in to be interrogated, Tosca must decide whether she’s willing to sacrifice her honor to save her love.
Tosca returns in this beloved San Francisco Opera production. Puccini’s tragic masterpiece has one of the most tightly wrought scores, ratcheting up the high-stakes drama at every turn. Can our heroine escape Baron Scarpia’s lascivious power? Can she find a way out of the trap closing in on her? Alone and cornered into an impossible bargain, Tosca sings a heartwrenchingly beautiful hymn to art, love, and religion: “Vissi d’arte.” Good must stand tall against tyranny.
Director Shawna Lucey and designers Robert Innes Hopkins and Michael Clark take us around Rome to the three distinct locations of Tosca: the towering sanctuary of Sant’Andrea della Valle, Scarpia’s oppressive lair in the Palazzo Farnese, and the roof of the Castel Sant’Angelo, where the story will come to its dramatic conclusion.
Soprano Rachel Willis-Sørensen stars as the diva, Tosca, who is desperate to save her troubled lover, Mario Cavaradossi, sung by Riccardo Massi. Quinn Kelsey is the insidious Baron Scarpia. Clelia Cafiero conducts one of Puccini’s most celebrated works.
She lived for art.
She
sacrificed for love.
Floria Tosca
Rachel Willis-Sørensen
Mario Cavaradossi
Riccardo Massi*
Baron Scarpia
Quinn Kelsey
Sacristan
Dale Travis
CREATIVE TEAM
Conductor
Clelia Cafiero
Director
Shawna Lucey
Production Designer
Robert Innes Hopkins
Lighting Designer
Michael Clark
Chorus Director
John Keene
PRODUCTION
SPONSORS
Tosca is made possible, in part, by Jerome & Thao Dodson, Jensen & Lori Huang, Edmund W. & Jeannik
Méquet Littlefield Fund, Marieke & Jeff Rothschild, Jan Shrem^ & Maria Manetti Shrem, through the Great Interpreters of Italian Opera Fund, Dianne & Tad^ Taube, and Barbara A. Wolfe
San Francisco Opera Production
Sung in Italian with English supertitles
Running time approximately 2 hours and 45 minutes with 2 intermissions
*San Francisco Opera debut
Strauss in Concert
FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 6, 2026 | 7:30PM
RICHARD STRAUSS
Till Eulenspiegel's Merry Pranks, Op. 28
Sechs Lieder (Brentano Lieder), Op. 68
Der Rosenkavalier Suite, Op. 59 (arranged by Philippe Jordan and Tomáš Ille)
Following two seasons of sold-out concerts, Music Director Eun Sun Kim returns to the podium to lead the San Francisco Opera Orchestra in a sumptuous evening of Richard Strauss. The concert features the highly descriptive tone poem Till Eulenspiegel; the Brentano Lieder—one of Strauss' most important sets of songs; and the US debut of a new arrangement of selections from Der Rosenkavalier Adela Zaharia returns after her spectacular performances in Rigoletto last season.
Strauss in Concert is made possible, in part, by major support provided by John A. & Cynthia Fry Gunn and the Jan Shrem & Maria Manetti Shrem Luminaries Concert Fund.
With special thanks to Jerome & Thao Dodson for making possible the Dodson Orchestra Shell
NIGHTONEONLY!
Pride Concert
FRIDAY, JUNE 25, 2027 | 8PM
KICK OFF SAN FRANCISCO PRIDE WEEKEND WITH SAN FRANCISCO OPERA! Celebrate the LGBTQIA+ community in the heart of San Francisco with our Pride Concert, a celebration of queer musical trailblazers. San Francisco Opera and featured artists invite you to sing the house down on this electrifying evening, accompanied by the San Francisco Opera Orchestra.
With special thanks to Jerome & Thao Dodson for making possible the Dodson Orchestra Shell
Opera in the Park
YOUR GUIDE TO EXPERIENCE WAGNERʼS RING
Wagner’s Ring is coming to San Francisco Opera in the 2026–27 and 2027–28 seasons. Read below to plan your Ring journey!
What is Wagner’s Ring?
It is an epic, four-part saga that took Wagner 26 years to complete. The Ring is typically performed over the course of a week and is considered to be one of humanity’s greatest artistic accomplishments.
Why is this so special?
• The Ring is the culmination of Music Director Eun Sun Kim’s multi-year exploration of Wagner.
• Francesca Zambello directs this distinctly American production of The Ring. It is a San Francisco Opera production, beloved by local and international audiences.
• The Ring requires the finest musical and technical forces—very few companies are able undertake such an epic endeavor.
CHOOSE YOUR RING JOURNEY …
There are two ways to experience Wagner's Ring at San Francisco Opera in the coming seasons: See all four operas in one week OR see each opera in the cycle across two seasons.
High Demand! THE BINGE WATCH
Cross off your opera bucket list and view the entire cycle in one week! To unlock premium benefits for your Ring Cycle experience, consider joining the Ring Circle (see next page).
June 13–18, 2028 All four Ring operas
June 20–25, 2028 All four Ring operas
June 27–July 2, 2028 All four Ring operas
How to plan this experience
Ring Cycle tickets go on sale to Ring Circle Members, 2026–27 Season subscribers, and donors at a certain level on October 13, 2026.
Ring Cycle tickets go on sale to the general public July 2027.
THE SLOW BURN
See each opera in the cycle across two seasons. Space out your Ring experience—this way you’ll have the time to let each opera sink in before you move on to the next!
WHEN TO SEE IT OPERA
Summer 2027
Fall 2027
Summer 2028
Das Rheingold
Die Walküre
Siegfried Götterdämmerung
How to plan this experience
Select a series on pages 27–30 that includes Das Rheingold. Then renew that package next year for the 2027–28 Season to see the remaining performances and secure your seats early before tickets go on sale to the general public.
Please note that tickets for standalone performances of Siegfried and Götterdämmerung will be limited.
As a San Francisco Opera subscriber, be the first to embark on the journey of The Ring by selecting a 2026–27 Season package that includes Das Rheingold (or add it on with your subscriber discount!).
2028 RING CIRCLE
San Francisco Opera’s Ring Circle immerses you in Wagner’s epic masterpiece with exclusive access that puts you at the center of The Ring.
SCAN TO JOIN
ENJOY THESE SPECIAL BENEFITS:
PRIORITY ACCESS TO PREMIUM SEATING
Your Ring Circle donation secures you access to purchase the best seats in the house.*
EXCLUSIVE BEHIND-THE-SCENES OPPORTUNITIES
Attend special Ring events and experiences in the years leading up to the Cycles.
SPECIAL RECOGNITION
Receive acknowledgment in programs and materials celebrating your vital role in making The Ring possible.
JOIN A COMMUNITY
Experience The Ring with a dedicated community of patrons, artists, and opera lovers from around the world— celebrating this masterwork together at special events and in the War Memorial Opera House.
For questions or more information, contact membership@sfopera.com / (415) 565-6415 or visit sfopera.com/ringcircle
ATTEND THE OPERA
There would be no opera without you, our audience! When you attend the Opera, you help make San Francisco Opera a vibrant cultural gathering place. We appreciate every one of our ticket buyers, from our new operagoers to our longtime subscribers.
Giving
DONATE AT ANY LEVEL
Gifts of all amounts are essential to producing the art in our theater. If everyone attending the opera this season made even a modest gift, the collective impact for the Company would be transformative.
Makes the Difference
San Francisco Opera is a nonprofit organization. Your participation as a patron and a donor helps shape our identity and ensure our future.
BECOME A MONTHLY DONOR
Your commitment through a monthly donation makes a sustaining impact and allows us to plan for the future. You can receive benefits like invitations to final dress rehearsals with a gift of only $13 a month! Sustaining donors start receiving membership benefits from the time of their first gift.
JOIN THE BEL CANTO SOCIETY
Every year, over 7% of the Company’s operating budget is funded by donors who have left a gift in their estate. We welcome legacy gifts at every level— last year, bequests ranged from $1,000 to $3.6 million. Leaving a legacy in any amount gives you access to Bel Canto Society benefits.
Celebrating Five Years of the Dolby Family’s Opera for the Bay !
Introduced in the centennial season, this groundbreaking new audience initiative has brought tens of thousands of Bay Area residents into the Opera House. In the 2026–27 Season, the Dolby Family’s innovative Opera for the Bay program turns five! Read below to learn more about this unprecedented philanthropic program.
Thank you to the Dolby family for their generosity in energizing the future of opera and broadening access to the Opera House for Bay Area residents.
We appreciate you, our subscribers, donors, and ticket buyers, who create this beautiful, welcoming community around this transformative art form.
#1 MOST POPULAR EVENT
The Monkey King, by Huang Ruo and David Henry Hwang, sold 916 Dolby tickets in 35 minutes in Fall 2025. This was our fastest-selling opera through the Opera for the Bay program!
1 IN 4
Dolby ticket buyers came back to see another performance at the War Memorial Opera House.
“I was thrilled to get an orchestra seat for that price. It was truly a special treat for me and an experience that I will never forget.”
24,920
Dolby tickets have been sold since the program launched in our 2022–23 centennial season!
76% of Dolby ticket buyers have never purchased tickets before.
1,090
Dolby ticket buyers enjoyed opera so much they became San Francisco Opera subscribers.
San Jose 624
Alameda 488
San Mateo 485
Palo Alto 473
—2023 Dolby patron TOP 10 BAY AREA CITIES that showed their love for San Francisco Opera through the Dolby program.
Walnut Creek 465
San Rafael 404
Mountain View 358
2026–27 Donor Benefits
Join our donor family and help us sustain this incredible creative community. Your support helps to fulfill our mission to bring the transformative power of opera to as many people as possible.
SOLOIST $1–$149
• 10% discount at the Opera Shop
• Early access to sign up for The Opera in You
SUPPORTING $150 ($13/month)
All above benefits, plus:
• Invitation for two people to one final dress rehearsal, date predetermined
• Exclusive donor pin
• Advanced priority for regular season single ticket purchases
FEATURED $500 ($42/month)
All above benefits, plus:
• Invitation to the Annual Meeting with General Director Matthew Shilvock and the Adler Fellows
• Invitation to a reception on the Loggia
LEADING $1,000 ($84/month)
All above benefits, plus:
• Invitation for two people to a second final dress rehearsal, dates predetermined
• Recognition in the program book
DIVA $2,000 ($167/month)
All above benefits, plus:
• Invite two additional guests, once a season, to one of your final dress rehearsals, dates predetermined
• Invitation for two to Meet the Adlers event
• Two exclusive San Francisco Opera baseball caps
FOUNDER $3,000 ($250/month)
All above benefits, plus:
• Invitation for two people to a third open final dress rehearsal
• Gallery tour for two with Archivist
MEDALLION SOCIETY
MEDALLION $5,000–$7,499
All above benefits, plus:
• Special invitation to the Jeannik Méquet Littlefield Intermezzo Lounge once a season
• Exclusive access to the Medallion Society Concierge Service Invitation for two to the Medallion Society Luncheon
• Complimentary reserved parking for subscription performances
• Ability to purchase reserved parking for single ticket add-ons to your subscription
(Tangible goods and services valued at $140 plus $25 per performance for parking)
BRONZE $7,500–$14,999
All above benefits, plus:
• Invitation for two people to all open final dress rehearsals with access to box seating (as available)
VIP seating and a picnic lunch for two people at Opera in the Park (Tangible goods and services valued at $200 plus $25 per performance for parking)
INTERMEZZO SILVER $15,000–$24,999
All above benefits, plus:
• Access to the Jeannik Méquet Littlefield Intermezzo Lounge throughout the season (subject to availability) Invitation to the President’s Dinner
(Tangible goods and services valued at $410 plus $25 per performance for parking)
LEADERSHIP GOLD $25,000–$99,999
All above benefits, plus: Invitation to a War Memorial Opera House backstage tour
• Exclusive invitations to special “surprise and delight” opportunities throughout the season
(Tangible goods and services valued at $410 plus $25 per performance for parking)
PRODUCERS CIRCLE
$100,000+
The Producers Circle is a community of visionary supporters whose leadership gifts shape the future of San Francisco Opera. Members play a vital role in making possible extraordinary performances and new artistic ventures each season. They also enjoy unique, personalized benefits designed exclusively for them. To learn more, please contact us at 415-565-6416.
Company Sponsors
Julie Dickson
Jerome & Thao Dodson
Dagmar Dolby
Bertie Bialek Elliott
The Ann and Gordon Getty Foundation for the Arts
Louise Gund
John A. & Cynthia Fry Gunn
Jensen & Lori Huang
Franklin & Catherine^ Johnson
Edmund W. & Jeannik Méquet Littlefield Fund
Bernard & Barbro Osher
Marieke & Jeff Rothschild
Jan Shrem^ & Maria Manetti Shrem
Dianne & Tad^ Taube
Phyllis C. Wattis Endowment Funds
Diane B. Wilsey
Barbara A. Wolfe
Anonymous (2)
San Francisco Opera is supported, in part, by a grant from Grants for the Arts.
Member of
Brandon Jovanovich in the title role of Wagner's Parsifal. Photo by Cory Weaver. ^Deceased
Your Guide to Subscribe
Let’s walk you through this five-step guide on how to subscribe to the 2026–27 Season.
1
CHOOSE FROM 3 SERIES TYPES
(Turn to pages 27–30 for details)
FULL SERIES
Full Series is a curated subscription with 5–6 performances. Enjoy the full list of subscriber benefits we have to offer, like free livestream benefits and complimentary seat upgrades. Plus, receive first seating priority, and the option to renew your same series and seats each season.
HALF SERIES
Half Series is a smaller, curated subscription with 3–4 performances. Enjoy premium subscriber benefits like early exchanges and a complimentary seat upgrade. You also have the option to renew your same series and seats each season.
DESIGN YOUR OWN SERIES
Design Your Own Series is a customizable subscription containing 3 or more performances of your choice. Experience subscriber perks like access to discounted tickets and 10% savings at the Opera Shop. Enjoy each performance in the same seating section (but in different seats) throughout the season.
SUBSCRIBE LIKE A PRO!
Here are our favorite pro tips to keep in mind as you are purchasing your subscription.
USE EARLY EXCHANGES TO GET WHAT YOU WANT
Half and Full Series subscribers can request up to 2 or 3 early exchanges, respectively, at the time they place their order. If there's an opera on your package you don't want to see, just exchange it out! Plus, all subscribers enjoy unlimited exchanges* during the season. *Seats that are exchanged will not be the same as subscription seats and seating price differentials may apply.
DECIDE WHEN YOU WANT TO SEE OPERA
Determine what you want your opera-viewing schedule to look like to narrow down your choices. Full and Half Series packages are organized by the day of the week. If your schedule isn’t consistent, choose Design Your Own Series to pick the exact dates of your performances.
SEE WHICH PACKAGE IS RIGHT FOR YOU
Now figure out which operas or concerts in the season you would like to see, and pick the Full or Half Series package that best suits you! If you are building a Design Your Own Series, determine which 3 (or more) performances you would like to include in your subscription.
SELECT WHERE YOU’D LIKE TO SIT
Which part of the Opera House do you like to sit in? Try Grand Tier level if you enjoy cinematic sightlines of the orchestra. If you prefer an intimate experience of the stage, sit up close on the Orchestra level. Or try the Balcony to hear great acoustics at the lowest prices! (See page 31 for details.)
PLACE YOUR ORDER!
Visit our website at sfopera.com/subscribe or call our friendly Box Office at (415) 864-3330 to place your order or to customize a package.
If there’s a performance you would like to see that’s not included in your series, add it on! Plus, subscribers receive a discount on additional tickets.*
Don’t worry about settling your entire bill at once. You have the option to pay off your subscription in 2–4 easy payments when you place your order. 2 3 4 5
*Exact discount varies.
Subscribing Has Great Benefits
Discover advantages only subscribers enjoy. Join a passionate community of opera lovers, and receive extra perks to enhance your opera experience.
Request early exchanges at time of order*
Access to OPERA America Passport. Discounted tickets across participating opera companies in North America
*Only available at the time of order by phone or in person. Seats assigned for early exchanges will be different from subscription seating and seating zone is not guaranteed. Subscription tickets may be exchanged into the opening night performance as part of an Opera Ball order.
†Seating priority is based upon subscription and donor contribution history, with greater consideration given to contribution history.
**The discount on additional tickets differs from the subscription discount and varies by seating zone.
MORE WAYS TO SUBSCRIBE TEACHER AND STUDENT SERIES
Teachers and students can save 50% on select series and sections. Learn more at sfopera.com/edu
SERIES PRICING
Individual performance prices vary within each series. Therefore, prices may differ between similar series.
EXCHANGES
There may be price differences when requesting exchanges. For more information, visit sfopera.com/subexchanges
PRO TIP
Reference the seating map on page 31.
Full Series Guide
Simon Boccanegra Sat Sep 12 8pm
Mary, Queen of Scots T Sep 29 7:30pm
Manon T Oct 27 7:30pm The Marriage of Figaro T Nov 10 7:30pm
Tosca T Jun 8 7:30pm
Das Rheingold T Jun 22 7:30pm
Simon Boccanegra W Sep 16 7:30pm
Mary, Queen of Scots Th Sep 24 7:30pm
Manon Th Oct 15 7:30pm
The Marriage of Figaro T Nov 3 7:30pm
Das Rheingold Th June 3 7:30pm
Tosca Th Jun 17 7:30pm
Simon Boccanegra T Sep 22 7:30pm
Manon W Oct 21 7:30pm
Strauss in Concert F Nov 6 7:30pm The Marriage of Figaro W Nov 18 7:30pm
Das Rheingold W Jun 16 7:30pm
Tosca T Jun 29 7:30pm
Simon Boccanegra F Sep 25 7:30pm
Mary, Queen of Scots F Oct 2 7:30pm Manon F Oct 30 7:30pm The Marriage of Figaro F Nov 27 7:30pm
Tosca F Jun 4 7:30pm
Das Rheingold F Jun 11 7:30pm
Sat Matinee Simon Boccanegra Sat Sep 19 2pm
Mary, Queen of Scots Sat Sep 26 7:30pm Manon Sat Oct 24 7:30pm
The Marriage of Figaro Sat Oct 31 7:30pm
Das Rheingold Sat May 29 7:30pm Tosca Sat Jun 12 7:30pm
Mary, Queen of Scots Sun Sep 20 2pm
Simon Boccanegra Sun Sep 27 2pm Manon Sun Oct 18 2pm
The Marriage of Figaro Sun Nov 15 2pm
Das Rheingold Sun Jun 6 2pm Tosca Sun Jun 20 2pm
Mixed Day Half Series
SERIES PRICING
Individual performance prices vary within each series. Therefore, prices may differ between similar series.
EXCHANGES
You may notice price differences when requesting exchanges. For more information, visit sfopera.com/ subexchanges
PROTIP
Reference the seating map on page 31.
Simon Boccanegra Sat Sep 12 8pm Manon T Oct 27 7:30pm
The Marriage of Figaro T Nov 10 7:30pm Tosca T Jun 8 7:30pm
Mary, Queen of Scots T Sep 29 7:30pm
The Marriage of Figaro Sat Nov 7 7:30pm
Das Rheingold T Jun 22 7:30pm
Simon Boccanegra W Sep 16 7:30pm
The Marriage of Figaro T Nov 3 7:30pm
Das Rheingold Th June 3 7:30pm Tosca F Jul 2 7:30pm
Mary, Queen of Scots Th Sep 24 7:30pm
Th Oct 15 7:30pm
Th Jun 17 7:30pm
Simon Boccanegra T Sep 22 7:30pm
The Marriage of Figaro W Nov 18 7:30pm
Das Rheingold W Jun 16 7:30pm
Weekend Half Series
Simon Boccanegra F Sep 25 7:30pm Manon F Oct 30 7:30pm
The Marriage of Figaro F Nov 13 7:30pm Tosca F Jun 4 7:30pm
Mary, Queen of Scots F Oct 2 7:30pm
The Marriage of Figaro F Nov 27 7:30pm
Das Rheingold F Jun 11 7:30pm
Mary, Queen of Scots Sat Sep 26 7:30pm Manon Sat Oct 24 7:30pm Tosca Sat Jun 12 7:30pm
Sat Matinee Simon Boccanegra Sat Sep 19 2pm
The Marriage of Figaro Sat Oct 31 7:30pm
Das Rheingold Sat May 29 7:30pm
Simon Boccanegra Sun Sep 27 2pm Manon Sun Oct 18 2pm The Marriage of Figaro Sun Nov 29 2pm Tosca Sun Jun 20 2pm Mary, Queen of Scots Sun Sep 20 2pm The Marriage of Figaro Sun Nov 15 2pm Das Rheingold Sun
Design Your Own Series or Add More Tickets
1. Choose three or more performances 2. Choose your seating zone 3. Enjoy a season of great opera!
Please note that Tiers (A,B,C) indicate pricing differences between performances with C being the lowest price and A being the highest. If you’d like to add on tickets to your Full or Half subscription, choose your performance date and seating section when you place your order.
PRO TIP: Refer to this chart when making exchanges to find performances that are the same tier as your original date to avoid paying additional costs.
JUN 6 2PM
JUN 16 7:30PM
JUN 19 2PM C
JUN 22 7:30PM B TOSCA
JUN 4 7:30PM A
JUN 8 7:30PM B
JUN 12 7:30PM A
JUN 17 7:30PM B
JUN 20 2PM A SAT JUN 26 2PM B
JUN 29 7:30PM C FRI JUL 2 7:30PM C PRIDE CONCERT FRI JUN 25 8PM PRIDE
Grand
Dress
Dress Circle 2
Balcony Circle 1
Balcony Circle 2
Balcony 1
Balcony 2
Balcony 3
Select Your Seating Zone
SUPERTITLES
All operas are performed with English supertitles projected above the stage—even the operas in English!
CINEMATIC SIGHTLINES
Choose Dress Circle or Grand Tier zones for cinematic sightlines and excellent acoustics, plus great savings!
EXTRA LEG ROOM
Looking for a little more space? Select Orchestra or Box zones to enjoy extra leg room and added comfort.
ACCESSIBILITY
2026–27 Season Calendar
SEPTEMBER 2026
2PM (M, N)
OF FIGARO 7:30PM (C) THE
OF FIGARO 7:30PM (A, B)
MARRIAGE OF FIGARO 7:30PM (H)
2PM (U, W)
