
She demands me to be at my most conscious and aware.” But throughout there’s this clarity of mind. Later on, as “the gravity of circumstances hit her, she becomes more stark and straightforward. Musically it feels wonderful.”įor Bullock, Dame Shirley is all “light and effervescent” as she recounts her early impressions of her Gold Rush adventure.

“John (Adams) writes so well for the voice. “I could cry,” the mezzo-soprano continues, about playing a woman who kills a predatory man and is lynched, “but I have to be able to sing.”Īt the same time, she adds, the pleasure of singing the role is palpable. “I’m a black woman in America.”įresh from a rehearsal of San Francisco Opera’s forthcoming “Girls of the Golden West,” the new John Adams-Peter Sellars opera in which she plays a violence-scarred Gold Rush barmaid, Bridges locates the hot-wired connection to her character. “I live this every day,” says J’Nai Bridges. Michael Short/Special to The Chronicle Show More Show Less Michael Short/Special to The Chronicle Show More Show Less 4 of4 Girls of the Golden West cast member J'Nai Bridges portrays character Josefa Segovia. Michael Short/Special to The Chronicle Show More Show Less 3 of4 Girls of the Golden West cast member Julia Bullock portrays character Dame Shirley.

Michael Short/Special to The Chronicle Show More Show Less 2 of4 Girls of the Golden West cast member Hye Jung Lee portrays character Ah Sing. Programs, artists, dates, prices, and availability subject to change.1 of4 From left, Girls of the Golden West cast members Hye Jung Lee, Julia Bullock, and J�Nai Bridges, poses for a portrait in the Wilsey Center Taube Atrium Theater in San Francisco, CA, on Sunday October 29, 2017.
#“girls of the golden west” series#
“There should be no doubt that Girls of the Golden West is the most powerful opera of the moment.” – Los Angeles Times See other concerts in this series This concert performance features most of the original cast. As Sellars has said, “These true stories of the Forty-Niners are overwhelming in their heroism, passion and cruelty, telling tales of racial conflicts, colorful and humorous exploits, political strife and struggles to build new life.” Responding to these incidents, Adams’ propulsive music captures all the conflicting emotions with his characteristic insight. Director Peter Sellars drew from historical texts when he created the libretto, particularly from the memoirs of a woman who called herself Dame Shirley. John Adams’ powerful new opera, Girls of the Golden West, is a rejection of the whitewashed romantic view of California in the early days of the Gold Rush. Visit this page for the latest updates and to learn more. Create Your Own Package tickets can be donated, returned for account credit, or refunded.

Subscriber Add-On tickets can be donated, returned for account credit, or refunded.
#“girls of the golden west” full#
This will enable subscribers to keep their seats when we return for a full season of music back at Walt Disney Concert Hall. We have moved all 2020/21 subscriptions into the 2021/22 season.Due to the continuing COVID-19 crisis, all LA Phil-presented concerts at Walt Disney Concert Hall have been canceled through June 9, 2021.
