Overview
Related
Events
Program
Notes
Multimedia
Articles & Reviews

Overview

Cal Performances' second major collaboration with San Francisco Opera—audiences still fondly recall Rachel Portman's The Little Prince from 2008—promises beautiful music and a wonderful story for young and old. A pampered girl born into privilege finds herself alone in a bleak and unfamiliar land, until she discovers the hidden wonder of an abandoned secret garden. Unexpected friendships and a new life blossom as she makes the garden flourish. Here is a unique opportunity for audiences of all ages to see Frances Hodgson Burnett's beloved children's classic come to life as a fully staged opera.

Sung in English with English supertitles.

Tickets for ages 16 and under are half-price for all performances of The Secret Garden. Purchase the Sun, March 3, event as part of a Family Fare series and save 15% on the adult-priced ticket, too!

Related Events

Education & Community Events: Artist Talk
Friday, Mar 1, 6-7 pm
Alumni House
Free and open to the public.
A look inside the creation of The Secret Garden with composer Nolan Gasser, Visual Designer Naomie Kremer, and librettist Carey Harrison, in an Artist Talk moderated by Kip Cranna, San Francisco Opera's Director of Music Administration.

Education & Community Event: Exploration workshops: Inside the Secret Garden
Alumni House, $5
Saturdays, Mar 2 and Mar 9, 3:30-4:30 and 5-6 pm
Experience this new opera in an interactive, multi-generational workshop based on the themes, story, characters and music of The Secret Garden.

March 2, 3:30-4:30 pm:

March 2, 5-6 pm:

March 9, 3:30-4:30 pm:

March 9, 5-6 pm:

Education & Community Events: Sightlines
Sun, Mar 10, 2-2:30 pm
Zellerbach Hall
A talk with the creators of The Secret Garden. Open to ticket holders of that afternoon's performance only.

Donor Event: Donor Intermission
Fri, Mar 1, 7:30 pm
Zellerbach Hall Mezzanine
(Donors of $1,200+)
During select performances throughout the season, Producer's Circle members are invited to join us for complimentary refreshments in our donor lounge, the Zellerbach Room, located on the north side of the Zellerbach Hall lobby. For especially popular events, find us on the Mezzanine at Zellerbach Hall. Donor Intermissions are the perfect place to enjoy a complimentary glass of wine in the company of other Producer's Circle members.

Membership benefits like these are our way of thanking our supporters for their much needed contributions. To find out how you can become a Donor, please call 510.643.8783 or visit our Support section.

Education & Community Events: Naomie Kremer: Rudimentary Pixilation
UC Berkeley Art Museum and Pacific Film Archive (BAM/PFA)
2626 Bancroft Way, Berkeley
March 1–10, 2013
Admission to view this work is free
On the occasion of the San Francisco Opera and Cal Performances co-production of The Secret Garden, BAM/PFA presents a painting and video work by the opera's Visual Designer, Naomie Kremer. The painting, Rudimentary Pixilation, is based on a photograph she made of a group of performers at an alternative performance space in Berkeley in the 1980s. Kremer, a painter and mixed-media artist, has explored a wide array of approaches in her creative practice. Intrigued by the idea of "dissecting and re-entering a finished painting," Kremer produced the video animation Rudimentary Moves—also on display—in which she deconstructs and animates selected elements of the painting. More information: http://bampfaberkeley.edu

For more Secret Garden events around the Bay Area, visit sfopera.com/SanFranciscoOpera/media/SiteAssets/Marketing--PDFs/Enrich-Your-Experience_SG.pdf.

Program Notes

Program notes are available online. [PDF]

Multimedia & Interviews

Naomie Kremer talks about The Secret Garden
Cal Performances and San Francisco Opera present the world premiere of The Secret Garden, a family opera based on the beloved children's novel by Frances Hodgson Burnett. Music is by composer Nolan Gasser and the libretto is by Carey Harrison. The production's visual designer Naomie Kremer talks about how she created the video backgrounds for the opera. The production runs March 1-10, 2013.