Michael Anthonio

Michael Anthonio's love affairs with classical music and opera started in primary school, when his parents bought him an organ and he began taking lessons. During high school and college, he gave private organ lessons to some of his parents' friends' kids (for pocket money) and he was church organist and later, choir conductor. In 1999 he moved to Singapore where he got involved with the classical music online website "flying inkpot." His interest in opera became an obsession when he was transferred for work to US in 2008. In addition to enjoying world-class opera in SF, he indulges in opera tours in Europe. His favorite opera composer is Handel; at this point, Michael seen 24 of his operas , with hopefully three more coming next year.

Master peace Master peace

With Liber scriptus came the biggest discovery for me, the vocal talent of Elena Stikhina.

on October 27, 2018 at 12:12 PM
Cornet and clouds Cornet and clouds

Earlier this month I got the opportunity to sample two very different Baltic operas.  

on October 26, 2018 at 1:53 PM
Fathers’ day Fathers’ day

How do we celebrate a long career in opera, particularly one as illustrious as Plácido Domingo‘s? 

on October 23, 2018 at 11:10 AM
Coming out Coming out

Beautiful singing, thoughtful staging, lovely melodies… a perfect escape from daily life.

on October 18, 2018 at 11:02 AM
All is forgiven All is forgiven

Why do we go to the opera? Because the world needs a reminder of the power of forgiveness, particularly in these dark and gloomy times!

on October 15, 2018 at 1:57 PM
Final chorus Final chorus

The news of Nicholas McGegan’s retirement came as quite a shock to me.

on October 08, 2018 at 8:00 AM
Underdressed Underdressed

For this revisiting of Tosca, San Francisco Opera decided to highlight the glamorous lifestyle of the Italian soprano Carmen Giannattasio.

on October 05, 2018 at 12:05 PM
Drama, Queen Drama, Queen

Lightning struck again here when, after a wait of 39 years, San Francisco Opera unveiled a new production of Donizetti’s Roberto Devereux.

on September 10, 2018 at 10:00 AM
Double exposure Double exposure

San Francisco Opera opened their 2018-19 Season Friday with a double bill of Italian verismo operas, Cavalleria rusticana and Pagliacci, which made a welcome return to War Memorial Opera House after 15 years.

on September 10, 2018 at 9:00 AM
Tristan up close Tristan up close

Sunday, August 26, marked the inaugural performance for the newly-created The Claude Heater Foundation with a concert performance of Wagner’s Tristan und Isolde in the Herbst Theatre. 

on September 04, 2018 at 8:00 AM
“For what, we ask, is life without a touch of Feminism in it?” “For what, we ask, is life without a touch of Feminism in it?”

The Lamplighters Music Theatre opened their 66th season in SF last Saturday with triumphant performance of Gilbert and Sullivan’s The Pirates of Penzance.

on August 22, 2018 at 9:38 AM
Mortality play Mortality play

Of all Handel’s oratorios, Semele begs most to be staged.

on August 13, 2018 at 10:00 AM
Dazed and confused Dazed and confused

Last weekend marked the opening night for West Edge Opera: Debussy’s Pelléas et Mélisande.

on August 09, 2018 at 10:36 AM
Call me madman Call me madman

This past weekend was a busy one for operas in San Francisco (and Bay Area).

on August 09, 2018 at 10:16 AM
Alexander was great Alexander was great

As the first of the 2018 opera productions last Saturday, the Merola Opera Program chose Mozart’s rarely-performed early serenata, Il re pastore.

on July 25, 2018 at 9:59 AM