This Saturday: SF Opera Simulcasts 'Carmen' Live At AT&T Park

This Saturday: SF Opera Simulcasts 'Carmen' Live At AT&T ParkPhotos: San Francisco Opera
Brittany Hopkins
Published on June 30, 2016

What better way to experience a night at the opera than sprawled out on the lawn or perched high in the bleachers at AT&T Park, snacking on hot dogs and garlic fries?

At 7:30pm this Saturday, July 2nd, all are invited down to the Giants' home-base to see the San Francisco Opera's latest production, Carmen. The production will be transmitted live on the park's scoreboard for thousands to see—as it's performed on the War Memorial Opera House stage.

Carmen, "opera's ultimate femme fatale," is a gypsy who seduces a Spanish soldier. But of course, the affair turns sour, "leading to emotional upheaval and, ultimately, the pair's doom."

For this production, Spain's “bad-boy of opera” Calixto Bieito set the show in Franco-era Spain. The results have been characterized as "raw," "raunchy," "sexually charged" and perfect for date night. A full synopsis is available here.

AT&T Park's concession stands will be open during the show, and crowds will also be entertained before the performance and during intermission by KDFC classic radio's Dianne Nicolini, Hoyt Smith and Tammy Nelson from Beach Blanket Babylon.

Anyone with strong feelings on where they sit should arrive early. Last year's simulcast of Mozart’s The Marriage of Figaro attracted a crowd of well over 30,000 people, the San Francisco Opera reports.

If you'd rather experience this critically acclaimed show in a more traditional setting, tickets are still available for Carmen's three final performances this weekend, beginning this evening. Tickets at the War Memorial Opera House range from $26 to $395.

But of course, lounging in AT&T Park isn't the only way to fill your free time without leaving the neighborhood this holiday weekend. Here's a few more happenings worth checking out. Be sure to head to hoodline.com/events to see events from across the city, or submit your own for free.

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