San Francisco Opera’s Stunning Season-Opening Ball is One for the Ages

To celebrate the opening of its 102nd season, the San Francisco Opera treated guests to an on-theme Opera Ball that paid homage to this year’s new production of Giuseppe Verdi’s Un Ballo in Maschera, or A Masked Ball. 

The evening, organized by co-chairs Romana D. Bracco and Valerie Crane Dorfman, was dedicated to John A. and Cynthia Fry Gunn for their extraordinary devotion to San Francisco Opera. The gala opened with a reception and dinner at City Hall, including a surprise performance of Verdi’s beloved “Anvil Chorus” from the opera Il Trovatore, performed by the San Francisco Opera Chorus in honor of the Gunns.

After dinner, guests proceeded to the War Memorial Opera House for the season opening performance of Verdi’s Un Ballo in Maschera in a new-to-San Francisco production by Italian director Leo Muscato, led by Music Director Eun Sun Kim conducting the San Francisco Opera Orchestra. 

An international cast, headed by tenor Michael Fabiano, soprano Lianna Haroutounian, baritone Amartuvshin Enkhbat in his Company debut, soprano Mei Gui Zhang and mezzo-soprano Judit Kutasi, dazzled guests with their interpretation of Verdi’s story of star-crossed love. After the performance, the Opera Ball continued at City Hall with an after-party of drinks, dancing and a performance by Lavay Smith & her Red Hot Skillet Lickers. 

Opera Ball 2024 is a benefit co-presented by San Francisco Opera and San Francisco Opera Guild, to raise money for the Company’s artistic initiatives and the Guild’s education programs.