What's cool about this evening

• Two words: Radio. Operas. The Old Maid and The Thief and Comedy on the Bridge are stories composed to be listened to and not seen. Hear these one act masterpieces as intimately as you would your favorite audiobook or podcast.
• Fun fact: A spirit of experimentation and growth led to the birth of radio operas in the 1920s. This evening’s program brings you two of WQXR’s favorites.

Who's Who and the Program

The Old Maid and The Thief

By Gian Carlo Menotti (1911-2007)

Heather Mathews*, director
Curt Pajer*, conductor

Miss Todd (Old Maid)
Alexandra Sanchez

Bob (The Thief)
Marcus Lonardo

Laetitia (Maid)
Mackenzie Jacquemin

Miss Pinkerton
Katherine Ahmann

Comedy on the Bridge

By Bohuslav Jan Martinu (1890-1959)

Jose Maria Condemi*, director
Curt Pajer*, conductor

Josephine (Popelka)
Anna Aistova

Johnny (Hans/Fisherman)
Marcus Lonardo

A Brewer (Brauer)
Kurt Winterhalter

Eva
Eva Aldaz

The Schoolmaster
Justin McBurney

About SFCM’s Opera and Musical Theatre Program:

The SFCM Opera and Musical Theatre program draws exceptionally talented young singers from around the world and provides them with advanced training in vocal style, acting, stage movement, and other essentials of stagecraft. Each year, SFCM produces four fully staged opera and musical theatre productions with full or chamber orchestra. Recent fully staged operas have included L’elisir d’amore, Don Giovanni, Mansfield Park, Postcard from Morocco, The Rake’s Progress, Così fan tutte, The Marriage of Figaro, and former faculty composer Conrad Susa’s Transformations. SFCM has hosted workshops for in-development opera projects such as Mason Bates’s The (R)evolution of Steve Jobs and Jake Heggie’s Great Scott.

In addition to fully staged productions, a number of scenes, programs, and other performances with piano accompaniment are presented each year. Opera students also have an opportunity to receive coaching from San Francisco Opera music staff, and to participate in productions tailored for school-age audiences in collaboration with San Francisco Opera’s Education Department.

SFCM’s Musical Theatre Workshop provides ensemble experience to singer/actors with an emphasis on American musical theatre, examining one or more musical theatre composers and their works through rehearsals and performance. Recent performances include such works as The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee, She Loves Me, Company, Little Women, Urinetown, and The Musical of Musicals (The Musical!).

Visiting artists have included Ryan Taylor (General Director, Minnesota Opera), Roy Rallo (Stage Director, San Francisco Opera), David Maier (Fight Director, San Francisco Opera), Barbara Scott (Improvisation Technique), Matt Chapman (Laban Technique), and Jose Luis Moscovich (General Director, West Bay Opera).