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S.F. Opera Exported to Europe, Heard on Radio Here

Janos Gereben on December 10, 2013
Leonie Rysanek to be heard in Strauss opera from SFO archives
Leonie Rysanek to be heard in Strauss opera from SFO archives

Starting last weekend, San Francisco Opera productions of Lucrezia Borgia, Moby Dick, and Porgy and Bess became available on the Classica pay-TV channel for classical music that can been seen in Germany and Austria on Premiere.

Classica also offers opera, symphonic concerts, dance performances, and festivals to 25 countries in Europe, Asia, and Africa. Early next year, SFO's 2009 Porgy and Bess, with Eric Owens and Laquita Mitchell, is being released as EuroArts DVD/Blu-ray.

(Amazon is offering Lucrezia Borgia with an ad written by somebody who thinks Elizabeth DeShong and Michael Fabiano are "actors," doesn't mention Renée Fleming, and calls conductor and stage director "directors.")

Meanwhile, back at home, the Opera's monthly radio broadcast series on KDFC-FM continues with both current and archived productions at 8 p.m. on the first Sunday of each month:

Jan. 5: the 2013 Boito Mefistofele, conducted by Nicola Luisotti, with Ildar Abdrazakov in the title role, Patricia Racette, and Ramón Vargas.

Feb. 2: last month's Wagner The Flying Dutchman, conductred by Patrick Summers, with Greer Grimsley in the title role, Lise Lindstrom, Ian Storey, and Kristinn Sigmundsson.

March 2: SFO's 1982 production of Bellini's Norma, conducted by Richard Bonynge, with Joan Sutherland, Marilyn Horne, Ermanno Mauro, Ezio Flagello, and Leslie Richards.

April 6: the last season's Verdi Falstaff, conducted by Luisotti, with Bryn Terfel in the title role, Ainhoa Arteta, Heidi Stober, Meredith Arwady, Francesco Demuro, and Fabio Capitanucci.

May 4: the 2013 season-closing Rossini Barber of Seville,conducted by Giuseppe Finzi, with Lucas Meachem in the title role, Isabel Leonard, Javier Camarena, Alessandro Corbelli, and Andrea Silvestrelli.

June 1: one of the company's most memorable productions, the 1976 Strauss Die Frau ohne Schatten, conducted by Karl Böhm, with Leonie Rysanek in the title role, Matti Kastu, Walter Berry, Ursula Schröder-Feinen, and Ruth Hesse.