Eun Sun Kim, SFO Opera Music Director Designate
Photo: Nikolaj Lund
James Gaffigan has withdrawn from his June engagement conducting Verdi's Ernani at San Francisco Opera, "for family reasons." Replacing him: Music Director Designate Eun Sun Kim!
I was a lot more impressed with Kim's Rusalka than with Gaffigan's Carmen last June, so this is just fine with me. I see no other updates in the press release on the summer season.
Regarding Ernani, it's a terrific piece, with pre-echoes of Don Carlo. SFO hasn't performed it in 30 years or so, so go see it while you can. I've seen it once, in an overly-polite performance 16 years ago at ENO, and I suspect this will be less polite, in a good way.
