San Francisco Opera workshop series, The Opera in You, presented in partnership with San Francisco Public Library, continues this Summer and Fall
Free In-Person Writing/Storytelling Workshops at SFPL Potrero Branch and Diane B. Wilsey Center for Opera, Plus Online Workshops, July-October 2025
Retell your story: sfopera.com/operainyou
The Opera in you 2025.pdf Photos
SAN FRANCISCO, CA (June 26, 2025) — San Francisco Opera and San Francisco Public Library (SFPL) celebrate the art of storytelling with The Opera in You, an ongoing free writing and storytelling workshop series inviting the public to discover their own operatic tales. The workshops will be held in person at SFPL’s Potrero Branch and San Francisco Opera’s Diane B. Wilsey Center for Opera at the Veterans Building and online from July through October 2025.
San Francisco Opera is a place for sharing stories. From the legend of the Holy Grail in Wagner’s celebrated masterpiece Parsifal to the world premiere of Huang Ruo and David Henry Hwang’s The Monkey King, opera is all about telling stories in new ways. In this season of The Opera in You, teaching artists will focus on the theme of retelling stories that represent our cultures, our childhoods and the world we live in today. Stories connect us to our past, present and future. The stories we tell can reveal amazing journeys and teach us empathy. Whether dramatic tales of triumph, survival, perseverance or hope, everyone has a story to tell, no matter their age or background.
The team of teaching artists is led by storyteller, improviser and teacher Corey Rosen (at Wilsey Center), joined by writers and storytellers Patricia Cotter (online), F.T. Kola (online), Sara Marinelli (Wilsey Center) and Christian Wilburn (SFPL Potrero branch and Wilsey Center).
THE OPERA IN YOU 2025 SCHEDULE
Now in its third year, The Opera in You is a partnership of San Francisco Opera’s Department of Engagement and Connectivity and San Francisco Public Library to offer free writing and storytelling workshops—this year focusing on the theme of “stories retold.” Led by experienced and passionate teachers, the workshops will explore the unique experiences within all of us, while building storytelling literacy skills in a creative and collaborative environment.
There is no cost to participate. Registration is required for the in-person and online workshops. Previous writing/storytelling experience is not required, and all are welcome. For more information and to register, visit sfopera.com/operainyou.
FREE IN-PERSON WORKSHOPS (5 weekly sessions):
Potrero Branch
https://sfpl.org/locations/potrero
Dates: Saturdays, July 12, 19, 26; August 2, 9
Time: 3 p.m.–5 p.m.
Instructor: Christian Wilburn
Diane B. Wilsey Center for Opera
Veterans Building, 401 Van Ness Avenue, Fourth Floor
Dates: Thursdays, July 10, 17, 24, 31; August 7
Time: 5:30 p.m.–7:30 p.m.
Instructor: Sara Marinelli
Diane B. Wilsey Center for Opera
Veterans Building, 401 Van Ness Avenue, Fourth Floor
Dates: Saturdays, July 12, 19, 26; August 2, 9
Time: 11 a.m.–1 p.m.
Instructor: Christian Wilburn
Diane B. Wilsey Center for Opera
Veterans Building, 401 Van Ness Avenue, Fourth Floor
Dates: Sundays, September 14, 21, 28; October 5, 12
Time: 11 a.m.–1 p.m.
Instructor: Corey Rosen
FREE LIVE ONLINE WORKSHOPS (5 weekly sessions):
Dates: Tuesdays, July 8, 15, 22, 29; August 5
Time: 6–8 p.m.
Instructor: F.T. Kola
Dates: Saturdays, September 6, 13, 20, 27; October 4
Time: 12–2 p.m.
Instructor: Patricia Cotter
*For the complete press release, open the PDF version above.