Past Events 2016

58 ballet aficionados were dazzled with the live production from December 2011 at Lincoln Center of Tchaikovsky’s iconic holiday classic The Nutcracker, which featured the soloists and corps de ballet of the New York City Ballet with the choreography of the late great George Balanchine. This gala performance showcased Balanchine’s stunning choreography amidst awe-inspiring set pieces, ornate costumes, and grand one-of-a-kind visual effects, like the one-ton Christmas tree that grows to an astonishing 40 feet. The New York City Ballet’s beloved production has been performed in New York City every year since its premiere on 2 February 1954, and is seen live by more than 100,000 people annually. At intermission our guests enjoyed a magnificent Nutcracker reception, prepared by our very own chef-in-residence Roslyn Blitzer, and the fantastic menu du jour featured platters of red and black caviar on Russian bread with cucumber slices and red onion, devilled eggs with dill and assorted garnishes, fresh herbed goat cheese on crostini topped with baby shrimp, and roast beef and swiss cheese roll-ups on white wheat bread. The desserts included platters of Russian tea cakes, black and white cupcakes, petite eclairs, and assorted Christmas cookies and candies. Our guests also enjoyed a refreshing cup of sparkling clear fruit punch and diet lemon-lime soda with their chosen delicacies. In January 2017 we will proudly feature Richard Wagner’s one-act opera that begins his massive music drama Der Ring des Nibelungen (The Ring of the Nibelung) with the award-winning Robert Lepage production featuring an all-star international cast with Maestro James Levine and the Metropolitan Opera. This will be a year of firsts for our program, and we look forward to bringing you many more outstanding operatic and special performances every month throughout 2017.

50 opera fans were delighted with the live production from January 2015 at the Metropolitan Opera House of Franz Lehar’s charming comic operetta The Merry Widow, which featured Renee Fleming and an all-star cast including Nathan Gunn, Broadway legend Kelli O’Hara, and Sir Thomas Allen. This gala performance was presented in a sumptuous new English-language production, and the scintillating score was given a glowing, subtle performance under the baton of the venerable Sir Andrew Davis. At intermission our guests enjoyed a wonderful 7th anniversary reception, prepared by our very own chef-in-residence Roslyn Blitzer, and the fantastic menu du jour featured platters of vegetable quiches, chicken liver pate on crescent bread rounds, and roast beef, turkey, and ham with cheese mini sandwiches on French bread with horseradish, mustard, mayonnaise, and assorted relishes. The desserts included platters of pear clafoutis, German spice cookies, and our 7th anniversary black forest cake. Our guests also enjoyed a refreshing cup of sparkling fruit punch and lemon-lime soda with their chosen delicacies. In December 2016 we will feature Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky’s holiday classic The Nutcracker ballet, with choreography by George Balanchine, and the New York City Ballet. This will be another not-to-be-missed event, and we look forward to bringing you many more outstanding operatic and special performances every month throughout 2017.

57 opera fans were mesmerized and transformed by the live production from January 1986 at the Metropolitan Opera House of Richard Wagner’s romantic drama Lohengrin, which featured the German heldentenor Peter Hofmann as the swan knight, with Eva Marton as Elsa, Leonie Rysanek as Ortrud, Leif Roar as Telramund, and John Macurdy as King Henry. Maestro James Levine conducted the venerable Metropolitan Opera Orchestra and Chorus, and the stage production was directed by August Everding . At intermission our guests enjoyed a traditional German feast, prepared by our very own chef-in-residence Roslyn Blitzer, and the fantastic menu du jour featured platters of Kartoffelkroketten (potato knishes with onions served with mustard dip), roast beef, bavarian ham, and smoked turkey, with swiss cheese, sauerkraut, and mayonnaise spread on pumpernickel, baked cheddar cheese pierogies, and assorted relishes. The desserts included platters of Apfeltorte (spiced German apple pie cake topped with whipped cream), German style rice pudding with raisins topped with coconut, and assorted continental cookies. Our guests also enjoyed a refreshing cup of sparkling clear fruit punch with their chosen delicacies. In November 2016 we will feature Franz Lehar’s charming operetta The Merry Widow, with an all-star cast including Renee Fleming and Nathan Gunn, with the venerable Sir Andrew Davis conducting the Metropolitan Opera Orchestra, Chorus, and Ballet. This will be another not-to-be-missed event, and we look forward to bringing you many more outstanding operatic and special performances every month throughout 2017.

55 opera fans were in attendance for the live production from March 2007 at Teatro alla Scala, Milan, of Richard Strauss’s intensely dramatic opera Salome which featured soprano Nadja Michael in the vocally demanding title role, with bass-baritone Falk Strruckmann as Jochanaan, Peter Bronder as Herodes, and Iris Vermillion as Herodias. Maestro Daniel Harding conducted the Orchestra del Teatro alla Scala, and the stage production was directed by Luc Bondy . At intermission our guests enjoyed a traditional Israeli reception, prepared by our very own chef-in-residence Roslyn Blitzer, and the fantastic menu du jour featured platters of Taboule (vegetable yogurt spread in onion roll quarters), Mahshi (stuffed mini peppers with rice, herbs, and tomatoes), Kafta (spicy turkey meatballs with spicy honey soy sauce glaze), Umm Ali (bread pudding with fruit and nuts, coconut milk, and orange glaze), and Moroccan Basbousa (semolina pudding cake with coconut, almonds, and sugar syrup). The desserts included platters of dried cherry cookies and assorted mini cupcakes and our guests also enjoyed a refreshing cup of sparkling red punch with their chosen delicacies. In October 2016 we will feature the 1986 Live from the Met production of Richard Wagner’s Lohengrin featuring heldentenor Peter Hofmann in the title role of the Swan Knight, along with Eva Marton as Elsa of Brabant, Leonie Rysanek as Ortrud, and Leif Roar as Friedrich of Telramund, with Maestro James Levine at the podium conducting the Metropolitan Opera Orchestra and Chorus. This will be a not-to-be-missed event, and we look forward to bringing you many more outstanding operatic and special performances every month throughout 2016.

31 opera fans were in attendance for the live production from 1999 at the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden, in Giuseppe Verdi’s comedic Shakespearean opera, which featured Welsh bass Bryn Terfel in the title role of Sir John Falstaff and Barbara Frittoli as Alice Ford, with an all-star cast along with the Orchestra and Chorus of the Royal Opera House under the direction of Bernard Haitink in a spectacular new production by Graham Vick. At intermission our guests enjoyed a lovely reception, prepared by our very own chef-in-residence Roslyn Blitzer, and the fantastic menu du jour featured platters of mini sausages en croute, salami wrapped pickles, and open German bread sandwiches filled with chopped eggs, assorted peppers, onions, cream cheese, sour cream, and herbs and spices, with assorted garnishes. Our desserts included cherry chocolate squares, honey cookies, and fig filled cupcakes. Our guests also enjoyed a refreshing cup of sparkling punch of summer fruits and lemon-lime soda. In September 2016 we will feature a brilliant performance of Richard Strauss’ shocking biblical one-act opera Salome. This will be another not-to-be-missed event, and we look forward to bringing you many more outstanding operatic performances every month throughout 2016.

30 opera fans were in attendance for the live production from 1985 at the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden, in Richard Strauss’ dazzling opera, which featured Dame Kiri Te Kanawa as the Marschallin, Anne Howells as Octavian the rosenkavalier, Aage Haugland as Baron Ochs, and Barbara Bonney as Sophie. Sir Georg Solti conducted the Royal Opera Chorus and Orchestra of the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden. At intermission our guests enjoyed a lovely reception, prepared by our very own chef-in-residence Roslyn Blitzer, and the fantastic menu du jour featured platters of mini sandwiches of German breads with salami, horseradish cheese, spinach leaf, and spread, baked spinach balls with cornbread stuffing and cheddar cheese, zucchini roll-ups with Havarti cheese spread and fresh basil leaf, and chicken liver pate on crackers. Our desserts included black and white cake squares, applesauce cupcakes, and mandelbrodt slices. Our guests also enjoyed a refreshing cup of sparkling punch of summer fruits and lemon-lime soda. In August 2016 we will feature the second in our Shakespeare opera series with a performance of Giuseppe Verdi’s comedic masterpiece Falstaff. This will be another not-to-be-missed event, and we look forward to bringing you many more outstanding operatic performances every month throughout 2016.

64 opera fans were in attendance for the live production from 2006 at the Gran Teatre del Liceu in Barcelona of Giuseppe Verdi’s Shakespearean tragic drama Otello, which featured José Cura in the title role of Otello, Lado Ataneli as Iago, Vittorio Grigolo as Cassio, and Krassimira Stoyanova as Desdemona. Maestro Antoni Ros-Marbà conducted the Symphony Orchestra and Chorus of the Gran Teatre del Liceu and Willy Decker provided a profound and intense production of the Shakespeare tragedy. At intermission our guests enjoyed a lovely reception, prepared by our very own chef-in-residence Roslyn Blitzer, and the fantastic menu du jour featured platters of pizza squares topped with spiced ricotta cheese and chopped assorted vegetables, celery sticks stuffed with ricotta and parmesan cheeses and pepperoni, and Italian-style chicken salad in mini-rolls. Our desserts included eclairs, assorted cookies, and banana and cranberry cake squares. Our guests also enjoyed a refreshing cup of sparkling punch of berry limeade and lemon-lime soda. In July 2016 we will proudly feature another legendary performance of Richard Strauss’s most popular opera Der Rosenkavalier (The Knight of the Rose, or The Rose-Bearer). This will be another not-to-be-missed event, and we look forward to bringing you many more outstanding operatic performances every month throughout 2016

58 opera fans were in attendance for the live performance from April 2011 at the Metropolitan Opera House in New York of Rossini’s final and penultimate opera Le Comte Ory, which featured the all-star dream cast of tenor Juan Diego Florez in the title role, soprano Diana Damrau as the Comtesse Adele, and mezzo-soprano Joyce DiDonato as Ory’s page Isolier. Maestro Maurizio Benini conducted the Metropolitan Opera Orchestra and Chorus. At intermission our guests enjoyed a lovely reception, prepared by our very own chef-in-residence Roslyn Blitzer, and the fabulous menu du jour featured platters of ratatouille pastry cups with mozzarella cheese and parmesan cheese topping, chicken liver pate on bruschetta with lemon twists and dill, and goat cheese spread on crackers garnished with fresh rosemary sprig. The desserts included chocolate fudge mini cakes, French butter cookies, mini eclairs, and bread pudding squares with caramel sauce. Our guests also enjoyed a refreshing cup of green lemon-lime fruit punch and sparkling lemon-lime soda. In June 2016 we will feature the first of our Verdi Shakespearean operas with a performance of his Otello (Othello). This will be another not-to-be-missed event, and we look forward to bringing you many more outstanding operatic performances every month throughout 2016.

71 opera fans were in attendance for the live performance from December 1988 at the Metropolitan Opera House in New York of Rossini’s brilliant comedic masterpiece The Barber of Seville, which featured an all-star cast including Rockwell Blake, Leo Nucci, Kathleen Battle, Enzo Dara, and Ferruccio Furlanetto. Maestro Ralf Weikert conducted the Metropolitan Opera Orchestra and Chorus. At intermission our guests enjoyed a lovely reception, prepared by our very own chef-in-residence Roslyn Blitzer, and the fabulous menu du jour featured platters of vegetable pizzas with zucchini, onions, peppers, tomato and garlic, mini beef franks en croute with mustard sauce, and turkey and swiss roll-ups with assorted relishes. The desserts included shortbread cookies with chocolate chips, orange glazed sponge cake, and matzoh for Passover. Our guests also enjoyed a refreshing cup of sparkling clear fruit punch and diet lemon-lime soda. In May 2016 we will feature the final opera of Gioachino Rossini with a performance of Le Comte Ory (The Count Ory). This will be another not-to-be-missed event, and we look forward to bringing you many more outstanding operatic performances every month throughout 2016.

74 opera fans were in attendance for the live production from 1993 at the Théâtre du Chatelet in Paris of Mozart’s warmly human comedy, which featured Bryn Terfel as Figaro, Alison Hagley as Susanna, Rodney Gilfry as Count Almaviva, and Hillevi Martinpelto as the Countess Almaviva. Maestro John Eliot Gardiner conducted the Monteverdi Choir and the English Baroque Soloists on period instruments. At intermission our guests enjoyed a lavish reception, prepared by our very own chef-in-residence Roslyn Blitzer, and the fabulous menu du jour featured platters of lasagna rolls filled with swiss cheese slices and a ricotta mixture of egg, tomato sauce, mozzarella, parmesan, herbs, and spices, and garnished with cheeses, tomato, and fresh basil. Also on the menu was olive-oiled bruschetta topped with carmelized onion jam, genoa salami, and mozzarella, finished with red onion slices with fresh rosemary and parmesan, and fried spinach and potato gnocchi in Italian bread crumbs topped with basil pesto sauce. The desserts included fresh banana cake, almond biscotti, and sweet ribbon pasta pudding baked with assorted dried fruits. Our guests also enjoyed a refreshing cup of sparkling fruit punch and diet lemon-lime soda. In April 2016 we will proudly feature another legendary performance of Gioachino Rossini’s timeless comedic masterpiece Il barbiere di Siviglia (The Barber of Seville). This will be another not-to-be-missed event, and we look forward to bringing you many more outstanding operatic performances every month throughout 2016.

60 opera fans were in attendance for the live production from 1989 at the War Memorial Opera House in San Francisco of Arrigo Boito’s only completed opera Mefistofele which featured soprano Gabriela Benackova as Margherita, tenor Dennis O’Neill as Faust, and bass Samuel Ramey in the title role as Mefistofele, a role that won both critical acclaim and overwhelming popular approval. Maestro Maurizio Arena conducted the Chorus and Orchestra of the San Francisco Opera. Robert Carsen’s sumptuous, post-modern production was a gloriously decadent and theatrically stunning realization of Boito’s treatment of the Faust legend. At intermission our guests enjoyed a lovely reception, prepared by our very own chef-in-residence Roslyn Blitzer, and the fantastic menu du jour featured platters of mini-pizzas with assorted toppings, spaghetti nests with turkey meatballs, deviled eggs, devil’s food cake bars with marbled sauce, cherry tartlets, and apricot peanut bars. Our guests also enjoyed a refreshing cup of sparkling punch of apple and cranberry juices and ginger ale. In March 2016 we will proudly feature another legendary performance of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart’s human comedy Le nozze di Figaro (TheMarriage of Figaro). This will be another not-to-be-missed event, and we look forward to bringing you many more outstanding operatic performances every month throughout 2016.

78 opera fans were in attendance for the live production from June 2004 at the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden of Gounod’s Faust which featured soprano Angela Gheorghiu as Marguerite, tenor Roberto Alagna as Faust, and bass Bryn Terfel as Mephistopheles. Maestro Antonio Pappano conducted the Royal Opera Chorus and Orchestra of the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden. At intermission our guests enjoyed a lovely reception, prepared by our very own chef-in-residence Roslyn Blitzer, and the fantastic menu du jour featured platters of mini-sandwiches of muenster cheese and black forest ham on german rye with horseradish dressing and mustard with roasted red pepper garnish, hard salami wraps with dill pickle slices and olives, assorted cheeses and cantaloupe cubes, raisin-nut oatmeal cookies, eclairs, and black forest cake squares with fresh raspberries. Our guests also enjoyed a refreshing beverage of sparkling white grape juice and ginger ale. In February 2016 we will proudly feature the legendary 1989 performance from the San Francisco Opera featuring bass Samuel Ramey in the title role of Arrigo Boito’s Mefistofele with Maurizio Arena conducting the San Francisco Opera Orchestra and Chorus. This will be another not-to-be-missed event, and we look forward to bringing you many more outstanding operatic performances every month throughout 2016.