Francis Poulenc’s Dialogues des Carmélites essentially had three world premieres in 1957: first at La Scala (sung in Italian), then Paris (sung in French), followed by San Francisco. Celebrating the 25th anniversary of the premiere, SFO assembled a star-studded cast with veterans of all three 1957 productions. 

Virginia Zeani (Blanche in the La Scala premiere) sings Mother Marie; Régine Crespin (Madam Lidoine in the Paris premiere) sings Madame de Croissy; Leontyne Price (Madam Lidoine in the San Francisco premiere) reprises her role.  They are joined by the young Carol Vaness as Blanche and Met stalwart Betsy Norden as Sister Constance.

Henry Lewis conducts an unforgettable performance (sung in English) of one of the very few post-Puccini operas to enter the standard repertoire.

Francis Poulenc: Dialogues des Carmélites

San Francisco Opera
Henry Lewis, conductor
29 October 1982

(Sung in English)

Marquis de la Force – Eric Halfvarson
Chevalier de la Force – Howard Hensel
Blanche de la Force – Carol Vaness
Madame de Croissy – Régine Crespin
Madame Lidoine – Leontyne Price
Mother Marie – Virginia Zeani
Sister Constance – Betsy Norden
Mother Jeanne – Leslie Richards
Sister Mathilde – Donna Petersen
The chaplain – Jonathan Green
First commissioner – Jeffrey Thomas
Second commissioner – John MacAllister
An officer – James Busterud
The jailer – Carl Glaum
Thierry – Frank Levar
Monsieur Javelinot – James Meyer
Sister Anne – Christina Jaqua
Mother Gerald – Nikki Li Hartliep
Nuns – Candida Arias, Roberta Bowman, Hilda Chavez, Margot Hanson, Susan McClelland, Irene Moreci, Rose Parker, Lola Simi, Susan Witt, Garifalia Zeissig