The audience’s expectations were set right at that point-this was not your regular Tosca, folks! It was a smooth and painless procedure, and I was happy to report that pretty much all audiences adhered to the mask requirements throughout the show.įurthermore, San Francisco Opera truly made a statement that night, by having an African-American Angelotti (sang with booming conviction by Soloman Howard in a luxurious casting) stormed the stage, fearing for his life and “seeing police in every face” in the beginning of the opera. Upon approval, they were then issued a sticker which was subsequently collected by the ushers who checked the tickets. Following SF Mayor London Breed’s August 12 order that proof of Covid vaccination would be required for entry to all large indoor events in San Francisco (which went into effect just a day before the opening night), San Francisco Opera required all patrons ages 12 and older to show proof of vaccination to attend performances along with a photo ID, and they sent multiple reminders through emails, texts and phone calls about that requirement.įor this purpose, ushers were deployed on the steps of War Memorial to check vaccination cards and IDs, even before the audience approached the main doors. Obviously, the pandemic is still looming large, particularly with Delta variant run amok in various parts of the US. It was truly a show of great stature, if not absolutely historic, and the audience that night reciprocated with appreciation and attentiveness rarely seen on War Memorial Opera House.
It was a night marked with many firsts, and in a way, it signified the changing of opera landscape ever since Covid-19 brought the Arts world in US to a complete halt in March last year, combined with the sociopolitical movements and awareness that radically (and yes, controversially) changed the way we thought and felt nowadays.
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