Simon Boccanegra at San Francisco Opera

The relationship between a father and daughter, a recurring theme in so many of Verdi’s operas, is the emotional centerpiece of this highly regarded but infrequently performed work. Dmitri Hvorostovsky expertly embodies the title role, a noble Italian politician who is forced to deal with treachery and rebellion. The Houston Chronicle praised the Russian baritone’s “gut-grabbing vocal heft,“ adding, “his stage presence was magnetic.“ He will be joined by Italian soprano Barbara Frittoli, lauded for her “impassioned lyricism“ by The New York Times. Donald Runnicles conducts this grand, expansive, yet remarkably subtle score. SF Opera - 2008, september