USA Staged Premiere Saint Francis of Assisi Composer Olivier Messiaen Librettist Olivier Messiaen Company San Francisco Opera Association Location San Francisco, CA Venue War Memorial Opera House Season 2002-2003 Language French Creative/Crew Conductor Donald Runnicles Production Nicolas Brieger Set Designer(s) Hans Dieter Schaal Costume Designer(s) Andrea Schmidt-Futterer Lighting Designer Alexander Koppelmann Sound Designer Roger Gans Dramaturg Wolfgang Willaschek Chorus Director Ian Robertson Musical Preparation Ian Robertson Mary Chun Bryndon Hassman Adelle Eslinger William Hobbs Ernest Fredric Knell Prompters Sara Jobin Prompter Judith Yan Ondes Martenot Jean Laurendeau Geneviève Grenier Mary Chun Supertitles Philip Kuttner Assistant Stage Director(s) Roy Rallo José Maria Condemi Stage Manager(s) Theresa Ganley Assistant to the Dramaturg Frauke Meyer Cast L'Ange (The Angel) Laura Aikin Saint François (Saint Francis) Willard White Le Lépreux (The Leper) Chris Merritt Frère Léon (Brother Leo) Johannes Martin Kränzle Frère Massée (Brother Masseo) Gran Wilson Frère Bernard (Brother Bernard) Gabor Andrasy Frère Bernard Alfred Reiter(10/13) Frère Elie (Brother Elias) Jay Hunter Morris Frère Sylvestre (Brother Sylvester) Hugh Russell Frère Rufin (Brother Rufus) Kwang Shik Pang Show Dates Fri, Sep 27 2002, 6:30pm Tue, Oct 1 2002, 6:30pm Sat, Oct 5 2002, 6:30pm Thu, Oct 10 2002, 6:30pm Sun, Oct 13 2002, 1pm Thu, Oct 17 2002, 6:30pm Time and Place (not specified) Scenes Act I, Scene 1 -- The Cross Act I, Scene 2 -- Lauds Act I, Scene 3 -- The Kissing of the Leper Act II, Scene 4 -- The Journeying Angel Act II, Scene 5 -- The Angel-Musician Act II, Scene 6 -- The Sermon to the Birds Act III, Scene 7 -- The Stigmata Act III, Scene 8 -- Death and New Life Media Image Willard White (Saint François), Chorus, Saint François d'Assise, Olivier Messiaen. San Francisco Opera, 2002-03. Photographer: Ken Friedman/San Francisco Opera. Willard White, Members of the San Francisco Opera Chorus Credit Ken Friedman/San Francisco Opera Image Chris Merritt (Le Lépreux), Willard White (Saint François), Saint François d'Assise, Olivier Messiaen. San Francisco Opera, 2002-03. Photographer: Ken Friedman/San Francisco Opera. Chris Merritt (The Leper) and Willard White (St. Francis) Credit Ken Friedman/San Francisco Opera Image Laura Aikin (L'Ange), Willard White (Saint François), Saint François d'Assise, Olivier Messiaen. San Francisco Opera, 2002-03. Photographer: Ken Friedman/San Francisco Opera. Laura Aikin as The Angel Credit Ken Friedman/San Francisco Opera Image Laura Aikin (L'Ange), Willard White (Saint François), Saint François d'Assise, Olivier Messiaen. San Francisco Opera, 2002-03. Photographer: Larry Merkle/San Francisco Opera. Laura Aikin (The Angel) and Willard White (Saint Francis) Credit Larry Merkle/San Francisco Opera Image Willard White (Saint François), Chorus, Saint François d'Assise, Olivier Messiaen. San Francisco Opera, 2002-03. Photographer: Larry Merkle/San Francisco Opera. Willard White (Saint Francis) and Members of the San Francisco Opera Chorus Credit Larry Merkle/San Francisco Opera Image Willard White (Saint François), Saint François d'Assise, Olivier Messiaen. San Francisco Opera, 2002-03. Photographer: Larry Merkle/San Francisco Opera. Willard White as St. Francis of Assisi Credit Larry Merkle/San Francisco Opera Image Willard White (Saint François), Saint François d'Assise, Olivier Messiaen. San Francisco Opera, 2002-03. Photographer: Marty Sohl/San Francisco Opera. Willard White as Saint Francis Credit Marty Sohl/San Francisco Opera Sponsors The performance of October 17th is sponsored by Meyer Sound Laboratories, Inc. Acknowledgements This production is made possible, in part, by generous gifts from Jane Bernstein and Robert Ellis Mr. and Mrs. Reid W. Dennis Video effects made possible through the generous support of Moshe Barkat and Modern VideoFilm Notes US PREMIERE / UNITED STATES PREMIERE First American staging at SF Opera; presented earlier in the US in concert. First performance: Paris, 1983. --------------------- Scenery, props, costumes and wigs constructed in the San Francisco Opera workshops. Supernumeraries Linda Davis Dorothy Lefkovits Julian McMahan Beau Roberts
Image Willard White (Saint François), Chorus, Saint François d'Assise, Olivier Messiaen. San Francisco Opera, 2002-03. Photographer: Ken Friedman/San Francisco Opera. Willard White, Members of the San Francisco Opera Chorus Credit Ken Friedman/San Francisco Opera
Image Chris Merritt (Le Lépreux), Willard White (Saint François), Saint François d'Assise, Olivier Messiaen. San Francisco Opera, 2002-03. Photographer: Ken Friedman/San Francisco Opera. Chris Merritt (The Leper) and Willard White (St. Francis) Credit Ken Friedman/San Francisco Opera
Image Laura Aikin (L'Ange), Willard White (Saint François), Saint François d'Assise, Olivier Messiaen. San Francisco Opera, 2002-03. Photographer: Ken Friedman/San Francisco Opera. Laura Aikin as The Angel Credit Ken Friedman/San Francisco Opera
Image Laura Aikin (L'Ange), Willard White (Saint François), Saint François d'Assise, Olivier Messiaen. San Francisco Opera, 2002-03. Photographer: Larry Merkle/San Francisco Opera. Laura Aikin (The Angel) and Willard White (Saint Francis) Credit Larry Merkle/San Francisco Opera
Image Willard White (Saint François), Chorus, Saint François d'Assise, Olivier Messiaen. San Francisco Opera, 2002-03. Photographer: Larry Merkle/San Francisco Opera. Willard White (Saint Francis) and Members of the San Francisco Opera Chorus Credit Larry Merkle/San Francisco Opera
Image Willard White (Saint François), Saint François d'Assise, Olivier Messiaen. San Francisco Opera, 2002-03. Photographer: Larry Merkle/San Francisco Opera. Willard White as St. Francis of Assisi Credit Larry Merkle/San Francisco Opera
Image Willard White (Saint François), Saint François d'Assise, Olivier Messiaen. San Francisco Opera, 2002-03. Photographer: Marty Sohl/San Francisco Opera. Willard White as Saint Francis Credit Marty Sohl/San Francisco Opera