Stage and Cinema’s review of Mefistofele said, “The best thing in the show was soprano Patricia Racette, who not only offered fluid phrasing and silvery top notes, but acted the role of Margherita beautifully, moving from a youthful gullibility in ‘The Garden’ to melancholic sorrow in ‘The Death of Margherita.’ Later in Act IV, Racette gives the role of Helen of Troy a sumptuous graciousness.” In her role debut as Julie La Verne in Show Boat, S&C hailed, “Racette personifies the theatrical star she portrays, outshining all else in two of the musical’s big hits, ‘Can’t Help Lovin’ Dat Man’ and ‘Bill,’ delivering both with whipping wholehearted force.”Īmerican tenor Brian Jagde stars opposite Racette as Cio-Cio-San’s love, the American naval lieutenant B.F. Yet this will also be an aural adventure: Racette, celebrating her twenty-fourth anniversary with SF Opera, has proved herself to be in terrific voice this season. “The visual component of this production is so compelling, and so intelligent, that it lifts this opera to a new level.” The production photos are in and the color-saturated design is proof of the ocular orgasm you will have as Puccini’s beautiful, tragic love story opens today at the War Memorial Opera House, playing through July 9, 2014. Leslie Swackhamer makes her Company debut as director for this “Butterfly that soars in style,” according to Vancouver’s Globe and Mail. WE DELIGHT IN THE BEAUTY OF THE BUTTERFLYįor those who saw the visually striking production of San Francisco Opera’s The Magic Flute (2012), designed by the ceramic artist and sculptor Jun Kaneko, an even greater treat is in store as Kaneko returns with a new-to-San Francisco production of Puccini’s Madama Butterfly, starring the in-demand American soprano Patricia Racette as Cio-Cio-San.

Sf opera the magic flute