Role

:

Ensemble

Genre

:

Opera

 

The San Francisco Opera Chorus is a world-renowned classical music ensemble that has been captivating audiences for over 90 years. The chorus was founded in 1927 by Gaetano Merola, the first general director of the San Francisco Opera. Merola recognized the importance of having a strong chorus to support the opera productions and recruited talented singers from the local community to form the San Francisco Opera Chorus. In the early years, the chorus performed in a variety of languages, including Italian, French, and German. They quickly gained a reputation for their exceptional vocal abilities and were soon recognized as one of the finest opera choruses in the world. The chorus continued to grow and evolve over the years, adapting to changes in the opera world and expanding their repertoire to include works from a wide range of composers. One of the highlights of the San Francisco Opera Chorus' early years was their performance in the world premiere of Gian Carlo Menotti's "The Consul" in 1950. The opera, which tells the story of a woman trying to obtain a visa to leave an oppressive regime, was a critical and commercial success, and the chorus received high praise for their performance. In the 1960s and 1970s, the San Francisco Opera Chorus continued to build on their reputation as one of the world's finest opera choruses. They performed in a number of notable productions, including Verdi's "Aida" and "La Traviata," Puccini's "La Bohème" and "Madama Butterfly," and Wagner's "The Ring Cycle." The chorus also began to tour internationally, performing in Europe and Asia to great acclaim. In the 1980s and 1990s, the San Francisco Opera Chorus continued to push the boundaries of what was possible for an opera chorus. They performed in a number of innovative productions, including a production of "The Magic Flute" that featured puppets and a production of "The Barber of Seville" that was set in a 1920s Hollywood studio. The chorus also continued to tour internationally, performing in Australia, Japan, and Europe. One of the highlights of the San Francisco Opera Chorus' recent history was their performance in the world premiere of John Adams' "Doctor Atomic" in 2005. The opera, which tells the story of the Manhattan Project and the creation of the atomic bomb, was a critical and commercial success, and the chorus received high praise for their performance. Over the years, the San Francisco Opera Chorus has received numerous awards and accolades for their exceptional performances. They have won three Grammy Awards for their recordings of "Porgy and Bess," "The Ghosts of Versailles," and "The Gospel According to the Other Mary." They have also been recognized with the San Francisco Bay Area Theatre Critics Circle Award for Outstanding Ensemble Performance and the San Francisco Opera Medal for Distinguished Service. Today, the San Francisco Opera Chorus continues to be one of the world's finest opera choruses. They perform in a variety of productions each year, ranging from classic operas to contemporary works. They also continue to tour internationally, bringing their exceptional vocal abilities to audiences around the world. With over 90 years of history behind them, the San Francisco Opera Chorus is a true testament to the power and beauty of classical music.

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