San Francisco Opera
A major American opera company based at San Francisco's War Memorial Opera House.
Last updated August 21, 2026
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Overview
San Francisco Opera is an American opera company founded in 1923 by Italian conductor Gaetano Merola and based in San Francisco, California. It is one of the United States' established large-scale opera institutions, presenting staged productions with professional singers, orchestra, chorus, conductors, directors, designers and technical staff. Its principal home is the War Memorial Opera House, a landmark civic building in the city's Civic Center that opened for opera in 1932. The company emerged from Merola's conviction that San Francisco needed a permanent locally organized opera institution rather than relying primarily on touring troupes. After an experimental season at Stanford University in 1922, the company gave its inaugural performance, La bohème, at the San Francisco Civic Auditorium on September 26, 1923. In its early decades, seasons were comparatively short and concentrated on Italian repertory, while the company attracted internationally prominent singers who could perform several roles during limited engagements. The opening of the War Memorial Opera House gave the organization a purpose-built theatrical base and helped establish its long-term identity. Under Kurt Herbert Adler, who became general director after Merola's death, San Francisco Opera expanded the length and scope of its seasons, strengthened its orchestra and chorus, cultivated relationships with major stage directors, and became an important platform for both established stars and emerging singers. Adler was particularly associated with introducing significant American and international artists to major American audiences. Leontyne Price's early major appearances with the company and Birgit Nilsson's long association with it exemplified this role. The company also developed a reputation for theatrical ambition through collaborations with directors such as Jean-Pierre Ponnelle. Education and artist development have remained central to the institution. The Merola Opera Program, established during the 1954–55 season and named after the founder, provides intensive summer training and performance opportunities for young singers, apprentice coaches and stage directors. The later San Francisco Opera Center brought several educational and young-artist activities into a more coordinated structure. Alumni of these programs have gone on to substantial international careers. The company has also contributed to the wider accessibility and circulation of opera. Its free Opera in the Park concert, introduced in 1971, brings artists from the fall season to Golden Gate Park. San Francisco Opera was an early and influential adopter of projected English supertitles, first used for student and family performances in 1983 and subsequently extended across its repertory. The company has also broadcast performances and participated in recording and media projects. Its history includes periods of artistic expansion, repertory experimentation and institutional adaptation. Terence McEwen emphasized singers and consolidated training activities, while Lotfi Mansouri broadened the repertory and oversaw the major reconstruction of the War Memorial Opera House after the 1989 Loma Prieta earthquake. Later administrations continued commissioning, presenting contemporary works, developing young artists and balancing artistic ambitions with the financial and operational demands of a large nonprofit performing-arts organization. In the twenty-first century, the company has continued to stage canonical opera alongside newer works and to operate education, community and outdoor programs for audiences in the Bay Area and beyond.
History
Gaetano Merola first became interested in establishing a permanent San Francisco opera company after visiting the city in the early twentieth century. He returned in 1921 with financial and civic support, organized a trial season at Stanford University in 1922, and used the experience to build support for a full company. The first San Francisco Opera performance took place on September 26, 1923, with La bohème. Early seasons were short, heavily Italian in repertory and structured around visiting singers who could undertake multiple roles. The company moved toward a permanent civic presence with the construction of the San Francisco War Memorial Opera House. Designed by Arthur Brown Jr. and completed in the early 1930s, the building opened to opera on October 15, 1932, with Tosca starring Claudia Muzio. During Merola's three-decade leadership, the company attracted leading international performers, supported opportunities for younger American singers and expanded its reach through performances in Los Angeles and radio broadcasts. Merola died in 1953 while conducting an outdoor concert at Stern Grove. Kurt Herbert Adler, who had joined the organization as chorus director in 1943, gradually assumed greater administrative responsibility and was confirmed as general director in 1957. He lengthened the season, broadened the repertory and pursued a deliberate mixture of established artists and promising newcomers. His era included important appearances by Leontyne Price, Birgit Nilsson, Luciano Pavarotti and many other major singers. Adler also gave stage directors and designers a more prominent role in shaping productions, notably through the company's long association with Jean-Pierre Ponnelle. The Merola Opera Program, begun during the 1954–55 season, became a major institutional channel for developing emerging performers. Opera in the Park, inaugurated in 1971, extended the company's public presence beyond the opera house. Terence McEwen succeeded Adler in the early 1980s and placed particular emphasis on vocal excellence and the coordination of young-artist programs. In 1982 he created the San Francisco Opera Center to bring together several training and educational activities. His administration also helped normalize the use of English supertitles, which had been introduced in student and family performances in 1983. A Ring cycle developed across the 1983 and 1984 seasons and was presented in complete form in 1985. Lotfi Mansouri became general director in 1988. He introduced additional Russian and French repertory, strengthened links with major international opera organizations and continued the company's interest in new theatrical approaches. His tenure was marked by the extensive reconstruction of the War Memorial Opera House after the 1989 Loma Prieta earthquake. The venue closed after the 1995 fall season and reopened in September 1997 after seismic strengthening, repairs, audience and performer improvements and general restoration. The company subsequently passed through the administrations of Pamela Rosenberg and David Gockley before Matthew Shilvock became general director in 2016. Its music-director tradition has included Donald Runnicles, Nicola Luisotti and Eun Sun Kim. In the contemporary period, San Francisco Opera continues to present repertory opera, new works, education and community programming, and young-artist development while adapting its operations to changing audience behavior, production costs and the economic pressures facing nonprofit performing arts organizations.
- 2019
Eun Sun Kim begins music-director tenure
[2]Eun Sun Kim became music director of San Francisco Opera.
- 1997
Renovated opera house reopens
[1]The War Memorial Opera House reopened after an extensive renovation and seismic upgrade.
- 1989
Opera house damaged by earthquake
[1]The Loma Prieta earthquake led to a major seismic and building renovation project.
- 1983
Supertitles adopted more widely
[1]Positive audience response to projected English translations led to their expanding use in productions.
- 1982
San Francisco Opera Center created
[1]Terence McEwen consolidated young-artist and educational activities under the San Francisco Opera Center.
- 1971
Opera in the Park launches
[1]San Francisco Opera introduced its annual free Golden Gate Park concert.
- 1957
Adler confirmed as general director
[1]Kurt Herbert Adler formally assumed the company's top artistic and administrative leadership after Merola's death.
- 1954
Merola Opera Program begins
[1]The organization began the training initiative later formally named the Merola Opera Program.
- 1932
War Memorial Opera House inauguration
[1]The company opened its long-term home with a performance of Tosca.
- 1923
First official season
[1]San Francisco Opera gave its inaugural performance, La bohème, at the Civic Auditorium.
Products and positioning
A leading nonprofit American opera company combining internationally prominent mainstage productions with artist development, education and public cultural programming.
Opera performance · 1923
Mainstage opera productions
Fully staged productions form the company's central public offering. The repertory combines canonical Italian, French, German, Russian and English-language works with contemporary opera and new productions. Performances integrate soloists, chorus, orchestra, conductors, directors, designers and production departments at the War Memorial Opera House and other venues when applicable.
Artist development · 1954
Merola Opera Program
An intensive summer program for promising young singers, apprentice coaches and stage directors. Participants receive coaching, master classes, rehearsal experience and public performance opportunities with established professionals. The program has served as an important bridge between conservatory study and professional opera careers.
Public concert · 1971
Opera in the Park
A free outdoor concert traditionally held in Golden Gate Park after the opening weekend of the fall season. Artists associated with the current season perform with the San Francisco Opera Orchestra, giving the company a large and relatively accessible public platform outside the ticketed opera house.
Education and training · 1982
San Francisco Opera Center
A coordinating structure for young-artist, educational and performance activities developed during the McEwen administration. Its associated activities have included the Merola Opera Program, Adler Fellowship Program, showcase and recital formats, Opera Center Singers and other education initiatives.
Audience access and media · 1983
Supertitles and opera broadcasts
Projected translations help audiences follow opera performed in its original language. The company also has a history of radio broadcasting, recordings and other media distribution, extending performances beyond the physical theater and contributing to the circulation of its work.
Marketing campaigns
- 1971Opera in the Park
San Francisco Bay Area
San Francisco Opera established a free annual concert in Golden Gate Park featuring artists from the opening weekend and the company's orchestra. The program was created to broaden public access and connect the opera company with the city's park and civic life.
Outcome. Became a recurring public program attracting large outdoor audiences.
Brand decisions
1989
Rebuild and seismically strengthen the War Memorial Opera HouseOtherBackground
The Loma Prieta earthquake damaged the opera house and exposed the need for structural and facility improvements.
Action taken
The company supported a major closure and renovation project involving earthquake repairs, seismic strengthening, audience and performer improvements and general restoration.
Aftermath
The venue reopened in September 1997 after an approximately 21-month closure, allowing the company to resume performances in an upgraded home.
1983
Expand the use of English supertitlesStrategyBackground
A student and family presentation of La traviata used projected English translations and received a strongly favorable response.
Action taken
The company progressively extended supertitles to additional performances and ultimately made them standard for its productions.
Aftermath
Supertitles became a durable audience-access feature of San Francisco Opera and were also made available for use by other opera companies.
1982
Create the San Francisco Opera CenterStrategyBackground
The company sought a more coordinated approach to its numerous educational, training and young-artist activities during a difficult economic period.
Action taken
Terence McEwen formed the San Francisco Opera Center to connect training, study, coaching and performance opportunities.
Aftermath
The structure reinforced the company's long-term commitment to preparing singers and other opera professionals for mainstage careers.
Sources2 sources
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