San Francisco Opera: Free Fun (Really)

“Rigoletto” | San Francisco

Verdi’s Famed Tragic Opera Rigoletto.  WHAT: “Rigoletto” Discount Tickets Sold Out (full price is $108). WHERE: War Memorial Opera House, 301 Van Ness Ave., San Francisco, CA 94102. WHEN: Upcoming dates include … See full schedule info Get This Deal HOW: To get Rigoletto discount tickets, and other deals on things to do in San Francisco, click the button above. You’ll […]  

More Ways to Save at the San Francisco Opera:

• Student/Senior/Military Rush — Day of performance rush tickets are sometimes available for students, seniors, and military personnel for less, (starting at 11am). Prices and availability subject to change.
• Standing Room — War Memorial Opera House performances have a number of standing room tickets available for $10 (cash only) starting at 10am on the day of performance.
• Group Discount — Opera Party anyone? Bring a group of 10 or more people and SF Opera will give you 30% off with seating benefits, flexible ticket purchase options, networking and socializing opportunities.
• Subscription Deals — SF Opera offers an array of subscription plans, including student, teacher, and LGBT, among others.

SF Opera — Know Before You Go

To help make your experience even savvier, here are a few things you might want to know before you head out.

1. Discount Tickets — When available, you’ll see them here.
2. Official Info — sfopera.com
3. Schedule — Performances at the Opera House take place from September through July. See the upcoming performances on the Opera’s website.
4. Location — The War Memorial Opera House, 301 Van Ness Ave., at Grove St., across from City Hall.
5. Pop-up Beer Garden — The Opera House has an outdoor Loggia terrace on the 3rd floor overlooking City Hall, and it opens an hour before curtain and at intermission. Cheers old chaps!
6. New Venue — San Francisco Opera is expanding into the historic Veterans Building adjacent to the War Memorial Opera House. On the top floor, you’ll find the Diane B. Wilsey Center for Opera (pictured above).
7. Run Times — Check the run time of the opera before you head out. Operas typically run anywhere from 2 to 4 hours, and sometimes as long as 5 hours or more, and may include one or two 25-minute intermissions, depending on the number of acts. That can be quite a commitment, so if you’re an opera virgin, start with with a shorter opera or operetta.
8. Language — San Francisco Opera always uses supertitles or surtitles, which means you’ll have the English translations of songs projected above the stage, and are always featured at all San Francisco Opera productions.
9. The Cheap Seats — If you’re sitting in the balcony section, you’ll be happy to know that San Francisco Opera uses OperaVision screens, hung from the ceiling, giving you close-up and mid-range ensemble shots in HD video. Supertitles are shown at the bottom of each screen.
10. Dress Code — There isn’t any. You’ll see everything from faded jeans to cocktail attire. People do tend to dress up more for opening nights.
11. Social — SF Opera sometimes makes special ticket offers available via their Facebook, Twitter and Instagram pages.

GOLDEN GATE PARK PERFORMANCES

Opera in the Park — FREE. Sunday after Labor Day (September) — coming up: September 13, 2015, 1:30pm. Features stars from the fall operas, accompanied by San Francisco Opera Orchestra, conducted by Music Director Nicola Luisotti.

1. Location — Golden Gate Park, Sharon Meadow, 320 Bowling Green Drive, San Francisco.
2. Getting There — Public transit is highly recommended. See 511.org for directions and public transit info.
3. Bicycles — Park your bike at the free bicycle valet parking area provided by the San Francisco Bicycle Coalition.
4. Accessibility — The ADA parking and drop-off point is on Bowling Green Drive. (Take MLK Jr. Drive to Nancy Pelosi Drive to Bowling Green Drive.)

AT&T PARK PERFORMANCES:

Opera at the Ballpark — This free event takes place every July.

1. Location — AT&T Park, 24 Willie Mays Plaza, San Francisco.
2. Make Reservations — This event draws huge crowds, so make reservations early.
3. Field Seating — To sit on the field, use the Ballpark’s Marina Gate (behind centerfield near the Ferry Dock Landing). Get there early because it fills up fast. You’ll need to show your barcoded confirmation printout for early entry. No saving seats allowed. Bring blankets (no lawn chairs).
4. Families — Best to sit on the grass or in the stands, so children can talk over the music (and you won’t need to shush them). Kids can also enjoy activities such as face-painting, art projects and singing will take place pre-performance and during the opera.

SAVVY TRIVIA

1. The music at the beginning of an opera begins with a musical composition and the tex of the story, known as the libretto, which means “little book” in Italian.
2. Opera singers’ voices are know by their range or “Fach”:

• High — Female: Coloratura soprano/ Male: Countertenor
• Middle — Female: Lyric or dramatic soprano, Mezzo-soprano/ Male: Tenor, Baritone
• Low — Female: Contralto / Male: Bass (Basso profundo)