September 18–October 4

WORLD PREMIERE

DOLORES CLAIBORNEAn opera by

Tobias PickerLibretto by J. D. McClatchy

Based on the novel Dolores Claiborne

by Stephen KingBy arrangement with Andrew Welch

Commissioned by San Francisco Opera

S p e c i a l A n c i l l a r y E v e n t s

WORLD PREMIERE

DOLORES CLAIBORNE

“Sometimes, an accident can be an unhappy woman’s best friend.”

—Vera Donovan from the novel Dolores Claiborne

Join us for the exciting world premiere of Dolores Claiborne.

Based on the novel by Stephen King, this is the latest opera from

critically acclaimed composer Tobias Picker, called “our finest

composer for the lyric stage” by The Wall Street Journal. We

invite you to special events hosted by our community partners

for an intense exploration of various issues addressed in the

story and the making of the opera—with interviews, lectures

and activities leading up to the opera’s premiere and beyond.

War Memorial Opera House, 301 Van Ness Avenue at Grove StreetBox Office Hours: Mon 10am–5pm, Tue–Sat 10am–6pm (Sat phones only until August 17 )

Opera Box Office • sfopera.com • (415) 864-3330

BUY YOUR PERFORMANCE TICKETS TODAY!

Cast Dolores Claiborne: Dolora ZajickVera Donovan: Elizabeth FutralSelena St. George: Susannah BillerJoe St. George: Wayne TiggesDetective Thibodeau: Greg Fedderly

*San Francisco Opera debut

Production contains adult language and themes.

Approximate running time: 2 hours, 30 minutes including one intermission San Francisco Opera production Sung in English with English supertitles

Production Conductor: George Manahan*Director: James RobinsonSet Designer: Allen MoyerCostume Designer: James Schuette*Lighting Designer: Christopher AkerlindProjection Designer: Greg Emetaz*

PerformancesSeptember 18 7:30pm 22 2pm 25 7:30pm 28 8pm

October 1 8pm 4 8pm

THE OPERADesperate. Passionate. Trapped. Dolores Claiborne is

willing to do whatever it takes to save herself and her

daughter—even if that means taking a life. The feisty

Maine housekeeper—one of the most compelling

characters to emerge from Stephen King’s imagination—

and King’s haunting novel are reconceived in a powerful

theatrical presentation. American composer Tobias

Picker, who “embraces opera as a populist art form” and

“does so with undeniable skill” (The New York Times),

teams with renowned poet J. D. McClatchy to bring

King’s chilling work to the opera stage. George Manahan

conducts a superb cast led by Dolora Zajick, a masterful

performer “with a beautiful, house-filling voice. Every note

she sings, every syllable she utters has been thought about

profoundly” (The Wall Street Journal).

Sunday, August 25, 4pmSan Francisco Opera Guild’s Peninsula Chapter presents: An Afternoon with Tobias PickerSan Francisco Opera’s Director of Music Administration Dr. Clifford (Kip) Cranna will interview Tobias Picker about the making of his world premiere, with musical excerpts.Green Gables Estate, WoodsideTickets: $50–150 includes refreshmentsReservations: Judy Kahn, (650) 948-8881

or judith.kahn@comcast.netsfopera.com/opera-guild/events

Monday, September 9, 7pmFREE Dolores Claiborne Litquake EventAs part of the Litquake literary festival, San Francisco Chronicle Executive Features Editor David Wiegand will interview noted librettist and author J. D. McClatchy about the challenges of adapting the unique narrative of Stephen King’s intensely powerful novel for the opera stage.Glass Door Gallery, North Beach

245 Columbus Ave.www.litquake.org

September 9–11San Francisco Opera Guild Opera PreviewsGuild Opera Previews feature renowned musicologists and other experts who offer fresh, in-depth looks into the season’s upcoming operas.Lecturer: Dr. Lynne Morrow

Marin Chapter: Mon, Sep 9, 8pmSan Jose Opera Guild: Tue, Sep 10, 10amPeninsula Chapter: Tue, Sep 10, 7:30pmSan Francisco Chapter: Wed, Sep 11, 12pmEast Bay Chapter: Wed, Sep 11, 8pm

Location and admission fee vary per chapter.sfopera.com/previews

Wednesday, September 11, 6pmGuild Insight PanelDelve into the making of the opera in a panel discussion among members of the cast and artistic and creative teams.Kanbar Performing Arts Center, 44 Page St.FREE to Opera members and subscribers;Tickets: $5 general publicsfopera.com/insights

Monday, September 16, 6pmAlliance for Girls Dolores Claiborne Panel DiscussionAlliance for Girls partners with San Francisco Opera to explore the vital issues that are raised in Stephen King’s novel about the treatment of girls. Composer Tobias Picker, librettist J. D. McClatchy and stage director James Robinson will describe how the opera deals with this important topic.YWCA of San Francisco and Marin

940 Powell St.Tickets: $15 includes refreshmentswww.alliance4girls.org

September 18–October 4Pre-Opera Talks with ComposerTobias Picker and John ChurchwellEnrich your opera experience by attending a pre-performance talk with the composer of Dolores Claiborne. San Francisco Opera’s Head of Music Staff John Churchwell and Tobias Picker will discuss the making of the opera, held 55 minutes prior to curtain in the Opera House auditorium.

Sunday, September 22, 5pmFREE Opera on the CouchImmediately following the Sunday matinee performance of Dolores Claiborne, members of the San Francisco Center for Psychoanalysis will discuss the opera’s theme from a psychoanalytic perspective.Books Inc., Opera Plaza

DOLORES CLAIBORNE TICKET PRICING† (Pricing per ticket)

Balcony Side (BLS)*

Balcony Rear (BLR)*

Balcony Front (BLF)*

Balcony Circle (BC)

Dress Circle 2 (DC2)

Dress Circle (DC)

Orchestra Ring (ORR)

Orchestra or Grand Tier (ORC or GT)

Orchestra Premium or Grand Tier Premium (ORP or GTP)

Box Seats (BOX)

M–TH/ * F–SU/ *SECTION

English supertitles are visible from all sections.

Cast, programs, prices and schedule are subject to change.

OperaVision, HD projection screens featured in the Balcony, is made possible by the Koret-Taube Media Suite.

* Performances featuring OperaVision include a surcharge to help offset the cost of this service.

Subscribers to our 2013–14 Season receive a discount on single ticket purchases (except Balcony Side).

Wheelchair access and locations are available for purchase online or from the Box Office.

†

$23 / $26*

$33 / $38*

$67 / $74*

$99

$99

$122

$99

$173

$239

$312

$28 / $31*

$67 / $72*

$92 / $99*

$117

$140

$140

$122

$218

$285

$357

Visiting from out of town?Plan your visit to attend Dolores Claiborne and explore the various events happening in the San Francisco Bay Area.

Start now to create a perfect getaway! We’ve secured great deals on hotels for our out-of-town patrons.

Visit sfopera.com/hotels for a list of participating hotels and details on how to make reservations.

Design: Clean Line Design • www.cleanlinedesign.com

For details and updates, please visit us at: sfopera.com/claiborne

The world premiere of Dolores Claiborne is made possible, in part, by The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation, the Koret Foundation and Tad and Dianne Taube. Additional support is provided by an award from the National Endowment for the Arts. Ms. Zajick’s appearance is made possible by a gift to the Great Singers Fund by Joan and David Traitel.

CONNECT WITH US

Tobias Picker COMPOSER

Tobias Picker is known for his dramatically effective and musically

traditional operas. The Santa Fe Opera gave the world premiere of Picker’s

widely acclaimed first opera, Emmeline, which was broadcast nationally on

public television’s Great Performances series. His subsequent operas include his adaptation

of Roald Dahl’s Fantastic Mr. Fox, which premiered at the Los Angeles Opera; Thérèse

Raquin, performed at The Dallas Opera, San Diego Opera and Opéra de Montréal; and An

American Tragedy, which premiered at the Metropolitan Opera.

J. D. McClatchy LIBRETTIST

J. D. McClatchy is the author of thirteen opera libretti, most notably

for William Schuman’s A Question of Taste, Francis Thorne’s Mario and

the Magician, Bruce Saylor’s Orpheus Descending and Tobias Picker’s

Emmeline. McClatchy is also the author of six collections of poems, including Hazmat, a

Pulitzer Prize finalist. His work appears regularly in The New Yorker, The New York Times

Book Review, The Paris Review and The New Republic.

Stephen King AUTHOR OF DOLORES CLAIBORNE, THE NOVEL

With a career spanning 40 years, Stephen King is the most prolific horror

and suspense writer of all time, with more than 30 of his works having been

made into films—including Carrie, Misery and Dolores Claiborne (starring

Kathy Bates)—and hit television shows including The Dead Zone, Haven and The Stand. In

June 2013, an adaptation of his novel, Under the Dome, premiered on CBS to rave reviews.

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Photos: (cover) Dolora Zajick/Cory Weaver, eclipse/Getty Images; (inside panels) houses/Getty Images, scenic design model/Allen Moyer/Technical Dept. archive; (mail panel and inside panel) lighthouse/Getty Images.

sfopera.com/blogGet in the know with a look backstage! Read what cast members, production staff and artistic teams have to say about their productions on our blog.

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