In August 1914, Arthur was selected to fight in World War I, and three months later, he died of tetanus. Herta lived in Vienna with her parents, Arthur and Pauline Schwarzbart, and four siblings: Hilda, Fritz, Ella, and Hansi. The stories, music, and performers are all wonderful.Opera glasses with mother-of-pearl panels brought to the United States by Herta Schwarzbart Stoer when she emigrated from Vienna, Austria, in February 1939. Turn it into a whole day of fun and get your makeup done, take a luxurious bath, and go out to dinner. If going to the opera, I recommend making it into an experience that you will never forget. During a matinée showing of Madama Butterfly, we had a bottle of champagne and a cheese platter which was just perfect for the mid-afternoon. This last time, we had a bottle of champagne, chocolate covered strawberries, dark-chocolate truffles, and a lemon mousse waiting for us for the first intermission and some coffee during the second (it was a four-hour opera). It is so nice to have a nice snack and toast to a fun evening while getting a stretch during the intermission. It was also incredible to watch the orchestra and see the musician who is playing the exact note you are hearing. Any seat you get will guarantee a wonderful experience.ĭuring intermission, you can arrange to have drinks and snacks ready for you and your party on the box level. I was two seats away from the maestro (Nicola Luisotti) and felt entranced by his passion for the music and found myself watching him for much of the time. I found that I was so engrossed in the story that I did not feel the need to look up at the surtitles. The third row was an experience in itself. The center orchestra was great because I was close enough to see what was happening yet far enough to see the whole stage and surtitles. Our box seats were to the left of the stage so when there was something happening far-left, it was a little more difficult to see what was happening. You can whisper to your company and enjoy a glass of champagne while watching the show. I do recommend investing in or renting a pair of opera glasses if you want to see details of the stage and performers closeup.īox seats are amazing because you have your own space. You will be able to read the surtitles and see the performers on the stage. The dress circle is great if you want to see the entire stage. There are definite pros and cons for each seat. I have sat in the dress circle, a box, the center of the orchestra level, and the third row center of the orchestra level. The best seats in the house are truly a personal choice.
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The theater holds 3,146 seats plus 200 standing room places. Once inside the grand entrance hall, the high barrel-vaulted and coffered ceiling will leave you breathless. The theater space is dominated by a massive aluminum and glass panel chandelier under a blue vault, and the proscenium arch is decorated with golden sculptures.
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A row of paired columns and colossal arch-headed windows above a severe rusticated basement remind one of the Louvre in Paris. Albert Lansburgh, a theater designer responsible for San Francisco’s Orpheum and the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles.Ĭompleted in 1932, the opera house is one of the last Beaux-Arts structures built in the United States. The architects of the building were Arthur Brown Jr., who designed City Hall, and G. In 1927, $4 million in municipal bonds were issued to finance the design and construction of the first municipally owned opera house in the United States. The grand steps leading up to the front doors are reminiscent of Cinderella when she lost her glass slipper. It is a magnificent building both inside and out. This past Saturday, I had the privilege of attending the San Francisco Opera’s amazing rendition of Georges Bizet’s Carmen at the War Memorial Opera House. The War Memorial Opera House has been home to the San Francisco Opera since its début in 1932. It starts in my imagination, it becomes my life, “An opera begins long before the curtain goes up