THE ANNIVERSARY GALA
Celebration of the Gold & Silver
Jubilees of Kurt Herbert Adler
Masters of Ceremonies
Dorothy Kirsten, Regina Resnik, Lotfi Mansouri, Elisabeth Schwarzkopf, Sir
Geraint Evans, Terry McEwen, Walter Slezak
Wagner Der Fliegende Holländer Overture
Silvio Varviso conductor
Wagner Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg Prize Song
Spas Wenkoff tenor
Silvio Varviso conductor
Silvio Varviso conductor
Charpentier Louise Depuis le jour
Dorothy Kirsten soprano
John Pritchard conductor
John Pritchard conductor
Mozart Così fan tutte In uomini, in soldati
Graziella Sciutti soprano
John Pritchard conductor
John Pritchard conductor
Mozart Le Nozze di Figaro Aprite un po' quegli occhi
Cesare Siepi bass
John Pritchard conductor
John Pritchard conductor
Leoncavallo Pagliacci Vesti la giubba
James McCracken tenor
Francesco Molinari-Pradelli conductor
Francesco Molinari-Pradelli conductor
Verdi Un Ballo in Maschera Morrò, ma prima in grazia
Lucine Amara soprano
Janos Ferencsik conductor
Janos Ferencsik conductor
Giordano Andrea Chénier Nemico della patria
Louis Quilico baritone
Francesco Molinari-Pradelli conductor
Francesco Molinari-Pradelli conductor
Humperdinck Hänsel und Gretel Childrens' prayer
San Francisco Boys Chorus
Calvin Simmons conductor
Calvin Simmons conductor
Monteverdi L'Incoronazione di Poppea Pur ti miro
Carol Vaness soprano
Barry McCauley tenor
John Pritchard conductor
Barry McCauley tenor
John Pritchard conductor
Verdi Ernani Ernani, Ernani involami
Leona Mitchell soprano
Calvin Simmons conductor
Calvin Simmons conductor
Gruber, Mei' Muatterl war a' Wienerin
Walter Berry bass-baritone
Janos Ferencsik conductor
Janos Ferencsik conductor
Verdi Macbeth Vieni, t'affretta!
Gwyneth Jones soprano
Richard Bradshaw conductor
Intermission
Richard Bradshaw conductor
Intermission
Verdi Nabucco Va, pensiero sull'ali dorate
San Francisco Opera Chorus
Richard Bradshaw conductor
Verdi Nabucco Del futuro nel buio discerno
Giorgio Tozzi baritone
Richard Bradshaw conductor
Richard Bradshaw conductor
Brodiceanu, Pe sub flori ma leganai
Brodiceanu, S'a dus cucul de p' 'aici
Ileana Cotrubas soprano
Philip Eisenberg piano
Ileana Cotrubas soprano
Philip Eisenberg piano
Mussorgsky, Song of the flea
Nicola Rossi-Lemeni bass
Calvin Simmons conductor
Calvin Simmons conductor
Leoncavallo Pagliacci Silvio, a quest'ora
Mary Costa soprano
Allan Monk baritone
Francesco Molinari-Pradelli conductor
Allan Monk baritone
Francesco Molinari-Pradelli conductor
Donizetti Anna Bolena Al dolce guidami.... Coppia iniqua
Leyla
Gencer soprano
Francesco
Molinari-Pradelli conductor
Anonymous, A new work
Regina Resnik mezzo-soprano
Calvin Simmons conductor
Giordano Fedora Amor ti vieta
Regina Resnik mezzo-soprano
Calvin Simmons conductor
Giordano Fedora Amor ti vieta
Giacomo Aragall tenor
Calvin Simmons conductor
Calvin Simmons conductor
Lehár Giuditta Meine Lippen, sie küssen so heiss
Leonie Rysanek soprano
Janos Ferencsik conductor
Verdi Rigoletto Cortigiani, vil razza dannata
Janos Ferencsik conductor
Verdi Rigoletto Cortigiani, vil razza dannata
Ingvar Wixell baritone
Silvio Varviso conductor
Silvio Varviso conductor
Strauss Die Aegyptische Helena Zweite Brautnacht
Leontyne Price soprano
Janos Ferencsik conductor
Janos Ferencsik conductor
Verdi Aida Finale, Triumphal Scene
Gwyneth Jones soprano, Irene Dalis mezzo-soprano, James
McCracken tenor,
Chester Ludgin baritone, Giorgio Tozzi bass, Alexander Malta bass
San Francisco Opera Chorus
Francesco Molinari-Pradelli conductor
Chester Ludgin baritone, Giorgio Tozzi bass, Alexander Malta bass
San Francisco Opera Chorus
Francesco Molinari-Pradelli conductor
† Recording date
Photo © IRA NOWINSKI, San Francisco
GENCER AT SAN FRANCISCO OPERA
ANNIVERSARY GALA
SEASON 1978
– 1979
Note: Not listed in the program were "honoured guests" who did not
perform, but were introduced on stage: Licia Albanese, Lorenzo Alvary,
Frances Bible, Heinz Blankenburg, Inge Borkh, Sona Cervena, Irene Dalis, Howard
Fried, Colin Harvey, Hans Hotter, Frederick Jagel, Raymond Manton, Donna
Petersen, Florence Quartararo, Stella Roman, Bidú Sayão, Giulietta Simionato,
Blanche Thebom, Claramae Turner, Ramon Vinay
In the audience were: San Francisco Mayor George Moscone, Roger L. Stevens, Chairman of the Kennedy Centre, Livingston Biddle, Chairman of the National Endowment for the Arts
LETTER TO LEYLA GENCER REGARDING CONCERT
29.08.1978
LETTER TO LEYLA GENCER REGARDING CONCERT
15.11.1978
LETTER TO LEYLA GENCER REGARDING CONCERT
06.12.1978
A TELEGRAM TO LEYLA GENCER REGARDING CONCERT
06.12.1978
OPERA MAGAZINE
1978 June
SAN FRANCISCO CHRONICLE
1978.06.10
SAN FRANCISCO EXAMINER & CHRONICLE
1978.07.02
THE PENINSULA TIMES TRIBUNE
1978.07.02
SAN FRANCISCO CHRONICLE
1978.10.30
SAN FRANCISCO EXAMINER
1978.10.30
PITTSBURGH POST
1978.11.12
SAN FRANCISCO EXAMINER
1978.11.12
THE SACRAMENTO UNION
1978.11.15
SAN FRANCISCO CHRONICLE
1978.11.17
THE PENINSULA TIMES TRIBUNE
1978.11.20
Tempo
PALO ALTO TIMES, MONDAY, NOVEMBER 20, 1978, Page 17
Stars shine in rain at opera tribute to maestro Adler
By JOYCE O'CONNOR
The stars came out in the rain Sunday night to shine
for Kurt Herbert Adler as the 73-year-old maestro celebrated his 50th year in
opera and his 25th as general director of the San Francisco Opera.
The golden and silver jubilees were commemorated at a gala benefit unprecedented in the cultural and social history of San Francisco.
More than 60 stars came from Europe, Canada and elsewhere in the United States to participate in the anniversary program at the War Memorial Opera House.
Opera lovers paid tribute to Adler by filling the 3200-seat house to near capacity in spite of the ticket prices.
Tickets ranged from $500 for box seats to $200 for center orchestra and grand tier to $15 for back row balcony and $10 for standing room.
The performance was preceded by a cocktail reception for the artists and $200 ticket holders. After the performance there was a supper in the opera house lobby for the artists and box ticket holders.
All fees were waived by the artists and gifts from corporations and friends covered the gala expenses so that income from the benefit could be used by the San Francisco Opera Association to match its recently awarded $750,000 Challenge Grant from the National Endowment for the Arts.
Adler was hailed as "a man of magic" ... "a remarkable impresario"... "the man who made opera a feast"... and, by Mayor George Moscone, "for giving San Francisco its place in the sun for 25 years."
At the finale of the gala, Adler appeared on stage escorted by Mrs. Robert Watt Miller, whose late husband was a long-time president of the opera association and Adler's guide and mentor for many years.
She presented the general director with the San Francisco Opera Medal.
Adler, his Viennese-accented voice husky with emotion, "thanked San Francisco, who took me for so long."
Four-and-a-half hours earlier at the start of the gala, Adler was greeted with a standing ovation as he entered his box with his wife Nancy.
But when the house lights dimmed and the gold curtain went up, the evening belonged to the stars.
"To have so many fabulous people under one roof in one night is indeed very special," observed master of ceremonies Terry McEwen, the head of London Records Classical Division.
McEwen shared master of ceremonies honors with singers Dorothy Kirsten, Regina Resnik, Elisabeth Schwarzkopf, Sir Geraint Evans and Walter Slezak.
The lineup of stars read like a who's who of opera greats and legends.
From the past: Bidu Sayao, Giulietta Simionato, Blanche Thebom, Katherine Hilgenberg, Inge Borkh, George Cehanovsky, Frances Bible, Hans Hotter, Frederick Jagel, Stella Roman, Licia Albanese, Lorenzo Alvary, Irene Dalis, Sona Cervena, Ina Souez, Leyla Gencer and Colin Harvey.
They were among the 25 artists introduced individually as honored guests.
Bidu Sayao was welcomed with spontaneous shouts of "bravo." The audience obviously remembered her roles as "Mimi," "Gilda," and "Manon."
There were prolonged cheers, too, for Hans Hotter and memories of the German baritone's "Flying Dutchman" and "Wotan."
Warm greetings went to 85- year-old George Cehanovsky, a mainstay of the San Francisco Opera for 20 seasons beginning with his debut in 1937.
Opera's legends contributed memories to the gala. The stars of the present honored Adler in song.
Not surprisingly, Leontyne Price received the greatest ovation of the evening. The celebrated diva, who made her major operatic debut on the San Francisco stage in 1957, said "I feel as if I am returning to my home company." She thrilled the audience with her latest vocal accomplishment - the "Zweite Brautnacht" scene from Strauss' "Die Aegyptische Helena."
A new voice, too, was heard in the opera house. Leona Mitchell, stunning in a white gown and feather boa, displayed impressive vocal prowess with her "Ernani involami." Hers was a voice to be remembered among a roster of memorable voices.
Some of the others were James McCracken, Graziella Sciutti, Lucine Amara, Louis Quilico, Walter Berry, Gwyneth Jones, Ileana Cotrubas, Ingvar Wixell, Giacomo Aragall, Leonie Rysanek, Georgio Tozzi.
The golden and silver jubilees were commemorated at a gala benefit unprecedented in the cultural and social history of San Francisco.
More than 60 stars came from Europe, Canada and elsewhere in the United States to participate in the anniversary program at the War Memorial Opera House.
Opera lovers paid tribute to Adler by filling the 3200-seat house to near capacity in spite of the ticket prices.
Tickets ranged from $500 for box seats to $200 for center orchestra and grand tier to $15 for back row balcony and $10 for standing room.
The performance was preceded by a cocktail reception for the artists and $200 ticket holders. After the performance there was a supper in the opera house lobby for the artists and box ticket holders.
All fees were waived by the artists and gifts from corporations and friends covered the gala expenses so that income from the benefit could be used by the San Francisco Opera Association to match its recently awarded $750,000 Challenge Grant from the National Endowment for the Arts.
Adler was hailed as "a man of magic" ... "a remarkable impresario"... "the man who made opera a feast"... and, by Mayor George Moscone, "for giving San Francisco its place in the sun for 25 years."
At the finale of the gala, Adler appeared on stage escorted by Mrs. Robert Watt Miller, whose late husband was a long-time president of the opera association and Adler's guide and mentor for many years.
She presented the general director with the San Francisco Opera Medal.
Adler, his Viennese-accented voice husky with emotion, "thanked San Francisco, who took me for so long."
Four-and-a-half hours earlier at the start of the gala, Adler was greeted with a standing ovation as he entered his box with his wife Nancy.
But when the house lights dimmed and the gold curtain went up, the evening belonged to the stars.
"To have so many fabulous people under one roof in one night is indeed very special," observed master of ceremonies Terry McEwen, the head of London Records Classical Division.
McEwen shared master of ceremonies honors with singers Dorothy Kirsten, Regina Resnik, Elisabeth Schwarzkopf, Sir Geraint Evans and Walter Slezak.
The lineup of stars read like a who's who of opera greats and legends.
From the past: Bidu Sayao, Giulietta Simionato, Blanche Thebom, Katherine Hilgenberg, Inge Borkh, George Cehanovsky, Frances Bible, Hans Hotter, Frederick Jagel, Stella Roman, Licia Albanese, Lorenzo Alvary, Irene Dalis, Sona Cervena, Ina Souez, Leyla Gencer and Colin Harvey.
They were among the 25 artists introduced individually as honored guests.
Bidu Sayao was welcomed with spontaneous shouts of "bravo." The audience obviously remembered her roles as "Mimi," "Gilda," and "Manon."
There were prolonged cheers, too, for Hans Hotter and memories of the German baritone's "Flying Dutchman" and "Wotan."
Warm greetings went to 85- year-old George Cehanovsky, a mainstay of the San Francisco Opera for 20 seasons beginning with his debut in 1937.
Opera's legends contributed memories to the gala. The stars of the present honored Adler in song.
Not surprisingly, Leontyne Price received the greatest ovation of the evening. The celebrated diva, who made her major operatic debut on the San Francisco stage in 1957, said "I feel as if I am returning to my home company." She thrilled the audience with her latest vocal accomplishment - the "Zweite Brautnacht" scene from Strauss' "Die Aegyptische Helena."
A new voice, too, was heard in the opera house. Leona Mitchell, stunning in a white gown and feather boa, displayed impressive vocal prowess with her "Ernani involami." Hers was a voice to be remembered among a roster of memorable voices.
Some of the others were James McCracken, Graziella Sciutti, Lucine Amara, Louis Quilico, Walter Berry, Gwyneth Jones, Ileana Cotrubas, Ingvar Wixell, Giacomo Aragall, Leonie Rysanek, Georgio Tozzi.
SAN FRANCISCO CHRONICLE
1978.11.21
THE PENINSULA TIMES TRIBUNE
1978.12.12
