Matthew Washburn

I have a confession to make: I was one of those who took Pride celebrations for granted, and even went as far as actively avoiding Downtown during the Pride weekends. However, in light of recent developments, I felt the urgent need to show up and stand up in support of these events. My heart was filled with delight to discover that I wasn’t the only one, as in both events I attended, there was an elevated sense of joy and community among the attendees.

Not content with just displaying rainbow LED lights on the façade of the War Memorial Opera House every June, the San Francisco Opera decided to step up its game and, on Friday, June 27, it unveiled its very firstPride Concert, planned to be an annual occurrence. At a time when businesses (around here and beyond) are withdrawing their support for Pride events, the fact that San Francisco Opera followed through with its plan was mind-blowing, and in itself a reason for celebration.

The heavily advertised concert, first announced in February 2024, was to coincide with San Francisco Pride’s 55^th Anniversary. It was done in partnership with many local organizations, including The Tenderloin Museum, National AIDS Memorial (providing sections of the AIDS Memorial Quilt display), Compton’s Cafeteria Riot, Marigold Project (creating the Interactive Altar of Remembrance), GLBT Historical Society (supplying the LGBTQIA+ Historical Exhibit) and Twin Peaks Tavern. The program was curated by San Francisco Opera’s Managing Artistic Director Gregory Henkel and intended to be “a shared emotional odyssey through the music of LGBTQIA+ composers, artists, and allies, exploring themes of sorrow, yearning, authenticity, and resilience.”

Matthew Washburn

San Francisco Opera spared no expense to make sure of a memorable evening, hiring video artist Tal Rosner to jazz up the War Memorial proscenium and the Dodson Orchestra Shell with projections. What Rosner and his video design team achieved was nothing short of breathtaking. The projections – sometimes abstract and colorful, and at other times imposing and statue-like – truly enhanced the music-making, and they were a big hit with the audience. Rosner and his team went to great lengths to study every nook and cranny of the proscenium, as different parts of it were occasionally accentuated with different colors, highlighting the proscenium’s beauty.

Two particular moments were especially noteworthy: when Jamie Barton performed Melissa Etheridge’s 2014 “Uprising of Love,” the projected photographs (courtesy of the GLBT Historical Society) of gay marches over the years truly brought the song’s message to life. Similarly, the sight of the rainbow flag during Brian Mulligan‘s performance of “I Am What I Am” from the finale of Act I of La Cage aux Folles brought me to tears, a poignant reminder of the importance of self-acceptance. San Francisco Opera’s staff members, Justin A. Partier and E. Reed Fisher, ensured that everything on stage went smoothly with their significant contributions as lighting and stage directors, respectively.

The Pride Concert began curiously with a piece that was a repeat of the season opener’s opening night, namely Leonard Bernstein’s Candide Overture, conducted by San Francisco Opera’s Caroline H. Hume Music Director, Eun Sun Kim. Kim coaxed an exciting and playful reading from the Orchestra, particularly during the “Glitter and Be Gay” instrumental segments! It was so unfortunate that she only conducted that piece, as she passed the baton to Robert Mollicone for the remainder of the night.

Besides Barton and Mulligan, the Pride Concert also featured multitalented trans non-binary mezzo-soprano Nikola Printz, a 2023-24 Adler Fellow and an aerialist! It was Printz who began the operatic first half of the night with a sterling rendition of “Vesuvio, il mio unico amico” from Jake Heggie and Terrence McNally’s 2015 opera Great Scott. With richly dark tones and elegant phrasing, Printz fully embodied the titular opera diva, down to their gold getups.

Matthew Washburn

Mulligan, who “came out” in print recently, followed with Yeletsky’s Aria from Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky’s Pique Dame, bringing his usual intensity and power to the aria. Two excerpts from Camille Saint-Saëns’s Samson et Dalila closed the operatic selections. Barton presented “Mon cœur s’ouvre à ta voix”, similar to the 2019 Homecoming Concert. Unfortunately, this time, there was a great deal of tentativeness in her voice. Mollicone didn’t fare well in leading the San Francisco Opera Orchestra in the Bacchanale, either; to my ears, it sounded way too tame, too prim and proper. (It’s an orgy, after all!)

The second part of the concert featured an eclectic array of queer cultures, ranging from folk, pop, and jazz to disco anthems. Here, all three soloists shone the brightest, as they were visibly relaxed and having a good time on stage. Mulligan channeled his inner Judy Garland as he offered “The Man That Got Away”, a torch song from the 1954 A Star Is Born, while Barton and Printz grouped up as the Indigo Girls in their “Closer to Fine”, recently immortalized in Barbie.

Other highlights included Printz’s bold take on the feminist anthem “You Don’t Own Me” and, on the opposite spectrum, Mulligan’s introspective assumption of Freddie Mercury’s “You Take My Breath Away.” showcasing his delicious lower notes. Mulligan and Barton also displayed their comedic chops as they traded compliments and insults in the rousing “Bosom Buddies” from Jerry Herman’s Mame. The concert concluded in high spirits with Printz’s tackling Carl Bean’s “I Was Born This Way,” one of the first gay disco songs written especially for the community, assisted by three Adler Fellows: Georgiana Adams, Caroline Corrales, and Thomas Kinch.

Sapphira Cristál, runner-up and Miss Congeniality of RuPaul’s Drag Race Season 16, brought laughter and glorious over-the-top costumes as the emcee, introducing the performers and the pieces they sang. She established a good rapport with the audience, although I personally would have liked a little less self-promotion. Nevertheless, the audience loved her (one person even asked for her dresses!) and she created a joyful atmosphere throughout the concert.

Michael Anthonio

On Pride Sunday, I skipped the Parade and headed to the other side of the Bay (braving the 90°F weather) for another first, as Festival Opera presented Ruggero Leoncavallo’s classic Pagliacci as part of their free and popular “Opera in the Park” at the Civic Park in Walnut Creek, sponsored by Walnut Creek Civic Pride Foundation. Now in its 34^th Season, the Company is “committed to presenting emerging and local artists in compelling and socially relevant productions of new and classic repertoire.”

Although this was the 15^th year that Festival Opera produced its free “Opera in the Park” series, this was the first time with a full-length opera. Sung in the original Italian, Pagliacci was presented without a chorus, accompanied by only a piano, and enhanced by a narrator providing short summaries of the story, reminiscent of what Pocket Opera did during Donald Pippin’s time. Festival Opera also provided English translations of the Italian text via QR code on their website, accessible on smartphones.

Festival Opera made a compelling case for Pagliacci, hardly betraying the fact that they were doing it for the first time. (They also presented it in Orinda Park three days before Sunday’s performance.) The Civic Park’s gazebo (as seen above) effectively acted as the tent for the traveling theatrical company, and the modest props (including a very funny KFC bucket) helped to liven up Act II.

Michael Anthonio

Festival Opera assembled a pretty strong cast to bring out the drama and tragedy, most of whom were Festival Opera veterans. As Canio, tenor Vincent Chambers sang with conviction, imbuing the role with a sense of weariness. It was unfortunate that his voice cracked towards the end. Lila Khazoum brought a playful and youthful air to Nedda, perfectly matched with Liam Daley’s Silvio. While Taylor Thompson portrayed a sympathetic Beppe, I was most impressed with Igor Vieira, whose booming voice and excellent body language and gestures really depicted Tonio as a man turning evil and manipulative due to jealousy. Chun Mei Wilson’s accompaniment truly moved the story forward and significantly provided a musical foundation to the story. At the same time, General Director Zachary Gordin’s commentaries provided an occasional respite from the heaviness of the drama.

It was truly encouraging to see many people attend the show despite the heat on that day. Some people even brought their kids! For the most part, the audience quietly absorbed the drama unfolding before their eyes and cheerfully applauded all the performers at the end. There was also a raffle for three bottles of wine during the break. It all showcased the strength of the community, and I applauded Festival Opera for providing such a vehicle for introducing the thrill of live opera to a broader audience and for helping to dispel the elitist nature of opera.

All in all, it was truly a memorable Pride weekend. Happy Pride 2025, everyone!