So here, in sunny San Francisco, the theme for contemporary opera is the
Incorrect Reaper.

We'll have Jake Heggie's "Dead Man Walking," and then -- on a smaller
scale, but just as DEADly -- Ronald Caltabiano's "Marrying the Hangman,"
presented by SF Performances on Nov.  9 in Herbst Theater.

Performed by Phyllis Bryn-Julson and the chamber ensemble Psappha from
England, Caltabiano's work is based on a story whose background is a
little-known (at least to me) law in 18th century Quebec.  If sentenced to
death, you could get out of the predicament by becoming a hangman or, if of
the other gender, marry one.  The opera is about two such people, marrying
each other, the story told from her point of view.  For anyone else, to
sing such a role would be daunting, but there are plenty of notes in
Bryn-Julson's amazing three-octave range to cover it all.

(Caltabiano's name may you look familiar even if you haven't heard other
works from the SFSU faculty member; he was Aaron Copland's assistant for
the last five years of Copland's life.)

Janos Gereben/SF, CA
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