Established in 1996, San Francisco Lyric
Opera is dedicated to the performance of classical opera,
traditionally staged and sung in the original language
with English supertitles.
San Francisco Opera (SFO) is the second largest opera
company in North America. It was founded in 1923 by
Gaetano Merola (1881-1953). The Opening Night Gala
of the San Francisco Opera is widely considered to
be one of the most memorable events of the year for
opera patrons.
Since 1923, SFO has presented the American debut of
numerous artists, including Vladimir Atlantov, Inge
Borkh, Boris Christoff, Marie Collier, Geraint Evans,
Mafalda Favero, Tito Gobbi, Sena Jurinac, Mario del
Monaco, Birgit Nilsson, Leontyne Price, Margaret Price,
Leonie Rysanek, Elisabeth Schwarzkopf, Giulietta Simionato,
Ebe Stignani, Renata Tebaldi and Ingvar Wixell; conductors
Gerd Albrecht, Valery Gergiev, Georg Solti and Silvio
Varviso; and directors Francis Ford Coppola, Harry Kupfer
and Jean-Pierre Ponnelle.
Mission
-To present opera performances of the highest international
quality available to the widest possible audiences.
-To perpetuate and enrich the operatic art form.
-To be creative and innovative in all aspects of opera.
-To take a leadership role in training, arts education
and audience development
