San Francisco Opera Presents Free Opera in the Park Concert, Sunday, September 13, Robin Williams Meadow, Golden Gate Park
Opera in the Park (photos: Kristen Loken)
Opening Weekend of San Francisco Opera’s 2026–27 Season culminates with outdoor concert presented by San Francisco Chronicle
with Music Director Eun Sun Kim leading the San Francisco Opera Orchestra and opera stars from the fall season
Picnic Contest for most impressive picnic spread returns
opera in the park 2026.pdf Photos
SAN FRANCISCO, CA (August 24, 2026) — The opening weekend of San Francisco Opera’s 104th season concludes on Sunday, September 13 with the Company’s presentation of Opera in the Park. This popular and free event presented by the San Francisco Chronicle features Caroline H. Hume Music Director Eun Sun Kim conducting the San Francisco Opera Orchestra and stars of the Company’s fall season at Robin Williams Meadow in Golden Gate Park.
This year marks Diane B. Wilsey’s 20th as the Opera’s Opening Weekend Grand Sponsor, making possible the season-opening Opera Ball benefit and opening night performance of Simon Boccanegra on September 12 along with Opera in the Park on September 13.
Classical California is a radio sponsor for the 51st Opera in the Park, and on-air hosts Dianne Nicolini, Maggie Clennon Reberg and Jennifer Miller Hammel will welcome the audience. San Francisco Opera’s Tad and Dianne Taube General Director Matthew Shilvock will emcee the event. From the casts of the first two operas of the 2026–27 Season—Giuseppe Verdi’s Simon Boccanegra and Thea Musgrave’s Mary, Queen of Scots—Opera in the Park soloists scheduled to appear include sopranos Eleonora Buratto, Sofia Gotch, Mary Hoskins, Toni Marie Palmertree and Heidi Stober; tenors Joshua Guerrero and Christopher Sokolowski; baritones Amartuvshin Enkhbat, Thomas Mole and Gabriel Natal-Báez; and bass-baritone Christian Van Horn. The program of arias and ensembles highlights works by Leoncavallo, Donizetti, Puccini, Richard Strauss, Verdi, Glinka and Weber, among others, as well as a movie musical favorite.
PICNIC CONTEST
Picnic spreads at Opera in the Park (photos: Kristen Loken)
Back by popular demand after the inaugural picnic contest last year, the competition for best picnic spread returns at Opera in the Park. Arrive early to claim your patch of grass and decorate it with the most impressive picnic you can imagine. During the first half of the afternoon concert, judges will be scouting the grounds for the ultimate picnic to win the grand prize!
OPERA BEAR’S CLUB HOUSE
Opera Bear's Club House for children and families at Opera in the Park (photos: Kristen Loken)
Bearitone the Opera Bear welcomes opera’s littlest fans to Opera in the Park for coloring, crafts and lawn games, such as giant Jenga, cornhole, ring toss and Connect 4. Located near the concessions area, the Opera Bear’s Club House offers a fun space for children and families to play, create and connect during the concert.
ABOUT OPERA IN THE PARK
Established by former San Francisco Opera General Director Kurt Herbert Adler in 1971, Opera in the Park celebrates the opening of the Company’s season with a free outdoor concert. The annual event now typically draws more than 10,000 to San Francisco’s idyllic Golden Gate Park for an afternoon of arias, duets and popular song. Many operatic luminaries have performed at Opera in the Park, including Montserrat Caballé, Marilyn Horne and Renata Scotto. Luciano Pavarotti appeared at Opera in the Park on three occasions, beginning in 1973 with soprano Licia Albanese for the series’ second event, a concert to honor the memory of Company founder Gaetano Merola. When the Music Concourse and bandshell sustained damage after the 1998 earthquake, the concerts were moved to Sharon Meadow, later renamed Robin Williams Meadow in 2018.
ABOUT SAN FRANCISCO OPERA
San Francisco Opera’s 104th season opens September 12 with Verdi’s Simon Boccanegra led by Music Director Eun Sun Kim. Highlights of the season include a new co-production with English National Opera of Thea Musgrave’s Mary, Queen of Scots, Wagner’s Das Rheingold, and works by Massenet (Manon), Mozart (The Marriage of Figaro) and Puccini (Tosca), along with a variety of concerts. For more information about San Francisco Oprea and the 2026–27 Season, including the Company’s acclaimed young artist development programs, education and community initiatives, livestreams and digital content, archives, free events and introductory ticket programs, visit sfopera.com.
*For the complete press release, open the PDF version above.