Posted by Dianne Nicolini on September 22, 2009
Posted in: Dianne's Top Picks
Too much fun. That’s the only way to describe Saturday night’s SF Opera simulcast of Il Trovatore at AT&T Park. There’s something about that beautiful setting, with the view of the Bay and the passing ships, the changing weather and more than 25,000 people all together for a night of free opera. Definitely one of those only in SF kind of events. One of the highlights for me was Anne Richnavsky, our KDFC Star-Spangled Sing-Off winner. She blew everybody away with her stunning rendition of the National Anthem. Here are some shots from the evening:
KDFC Star-Spangled Sing-Off Winner Anne Richnavsky
The KDFC logo on the big screen
Me and my co-host for the evening Bill Lueth
Diane–
I voted for Anne Richnavsky, but was not able to attend the event. Could you stream her singing? If it was VERY like her submission, never mind…but it would be fun to hear her in her “breaking away from the laundry” gig.
Best to you all…you are G-R-E-A-T!
Theo Ferguson
Comment by Theo Ferguson — September 22, 2009 @ 2:51 pm
I’m so happy that Anne Richnavsky won the Sing-Off. Can we hear her Star-Spangled Banner from last Saturday on your website?
Comment by Karlette — September 22, 2009 @ 6:48 pm
It was truly a memorable event and we intend to be at the next one also.
It would be even better for those of us on the peninsula if we could get CalTrain to schedule an Opera Train as they do for baseball. The 1201AMstopeverywhere makes for a long night.
Jim
Comment by Jim R. — September 22, 2009 @ 6:55 pm
Definitely, an only in San Francisco event! We enjoyed ourselves too much last Saturday. And we’re looking forward to a wonderful season at the San Francisco Opera!
http://junbelen.wordpress.com/2009/09/20/il-trovatore-at-the-ballpark/
Comment by Jun Belen — September 22, 2009 @ 7:13 pm
This was a very special evening for me; my 60th birthday celebration! Not only did we vote for Anne in the sing-off, we flew in from Atlanta to attend the event and had an absolutely fabulous time. After bonding at the KDFC booth with Jude and Diana, we were mesmerized by the performance and the wonderful example that KDFC and the San Francisco Opera bring to all of us who love classical music. Thank you AT&T, SF Giants, SFO, KDFC, etal for a wonderful evening! Dwight – Atlanta, GA
Comment by Dwight Baker — September 22, 2009 @ 8:56 pm
Rosamaria and i were there as volunteer. it was wonderful and we received wonderful comments from the audience as they left. Congratulation on the wonderful work you are doing. Keep it up
Charls and Rosamaria Legier
Comment by Charles Legier — September 22, 2009 @ 9:11 pm
“Too much fun” definitely describes it!
I was in town visiting my parents and got to attend this wonderful and unique event. While I’ve attended the Met simulcasts in theaters where I live, they’re really just extensions of the opera house itself (there’s limited seating in the theaters that show them and there’s definitely an admission charge.) While I suppose that you can argue that AT&T park became an extension of the opera house, Saturday’s event was more about community and love of the treasure that the San Francisco Opera is than it was about making War Memorial Opera House bigger.
I really hope that Opera at the Ballpark blossoms into the wonderful, if not slightly quirky, tradition that it appears to be growing into.
Dan
PS The wonderful performance put on by the San Francisco opera didn’t hurt either.
The lady who sang Azucena really rocked!
Comment by Dan D. — September 24, 2009 @ 9:29 am
A great time was had by all. I first heard about the simulcast earlier in the summer, confirmed with my wife that she would like to go; emailed some friends in Magalia who said, of course, they would like to go (the price was right); my wife invited her “walking friend” and her husband, both of whom are great opera fans as it turns out; and they invited a friend from NYC. So, it turned out to be quite a party. I checked out the seating when I was at a baseball game two weeks earlier and settled on Sections 216-220 as “the optimal locations.” We got there at 6:15 (no traffic from the East Bay), were let in almost immediately, sat in Section 218, had our picnic and then settled in for a wonderful evening. The National Anthem was superb!! Mazel Tov to the mother of 3 from Walnut Creek! Her voice was unbelievable. I would love to have her sing lullabys to me as I drift off to sleep!! The performance itself was excellent as well (my friends who were ushering at the Opera House that night said they thought it was one of the best performances in recent memory), although I have to admit that the last time I saw Il Trovatore at the SF Opera was way back in 1975 when I was an usher myself – and what a cast it was: Joan Sutherland as Leonora, Luciano Pavarotti as Manrico, Ingvar Wixell as di Luna, Elena Obratsova as Azucena and Richard Bonynge conducting. Those were the days, as they say. But this cast was very good as well – especially di Luna, Leonora and Azucena. It was great to see you and Bill “live” up in the broadcast booth. One forms impressions of people from hearing their voices on the radio and then are sometimes surprised when one sees them “in person!” You, for example, are much younger than I would have guessed. This is a wonderful thing that the opera is doing and we can’t wait to attend the next simulcast. Oh yes, and thanks to the half-off deal that was offered to those in attendance, we are going to Daughter of the Regiment next month so we can see and hear, live, that wonder Peruvian tenor, Florez. I heard him at the Met last season and he was fantastic – the best since Pavarotti! For anyone who reads this, you really MUST try and hear him – LIVE. For those who can’t attend, I would HOPE that this turns out to be one of KDFC’s monthly opera broadcasts. It is such a melodic and enjoyable opera that it certainly should be.
Comment by Ward Lindenmayer — September 24, 2009 @ 7:28 pm
Yes, Daughter of the Regiment will be broadcast on OUr First Sunday of the month opera series.
Comment by Bill Lueth — September 25, 2009 @ 2:54 pm