[From the 1/10 SFCV.org Music News] Opera's heroes - Parsifal, Siegfried, Max, Calaf, Bunyan - are powerful and decisive, but typically none too bright. San Francisco Opera's new general manager and resident hero-to-be, David Gockley, hits the ground running, swinging an imaginary Nothung, but he also makes a lot of sense. Over past decades, three of Gockley's predecessors were asked repeatedly why San Francisco has no broadcasts or recording, when smaller companies - such as Seattle or Gockley's Houston Grand Opera - does. Ask the same question from Gockley, at his very first news conference today, and there are no excuses of "artist fees and unions." Instead, a simple and forceful promise: "We will broadcast within a year. I am also setting up a high-definition digital video studio to record and distribute our work on websites, iPods, etc. Electronic media is the way of the future - with the agreement of our union partners - and what saves the art form... and jobs." Decisiveness, of course, can also go the way not to everybody's liking. Instead of hemming and hawing about yet another postponement of the long-awaited production of Berlioz's "Les Troyens," Gockley said - with regret but finality - that "budget and casting difficulties" have forced him to cancel the project. Gockley took over the job from Pamela Rosenberg only 10 days ago officially, but at his press conference today, he announced a new season, and a wealth of news that must have taken months or years of work to prepare. "For long," he said, "it's been a dream of mine to head up this company." Besides the unexpected extension of the next season to 10 productions; the appointment of Francesca Zambello as artistic adviser; details of an "American Ring" cycle coming here from Washington National Opera; a world premiere by Philip Glass (with Christopher Hampton, about Appomattox, due in 2007); and importing key administrators besides retaining music director Donald Runnicles and many top staff members; Gockley presented plans for a season that's a curious and welcome phenomenon. In a very short time, Gockley filled in and dressed up a meager season left for him. (The most visible - and welcome - "instant change" is doing away with the company's sorry "wedge" logo, presenting instead a radiant starburst, in the familiar image of the War Memorial's great chandelier.) Gockley explained the lines of responsibility, thanking Rosenberg for stopping the planning process when the management change became known. This way, he said, the season after next was left "virtually clear," allowing Gockley to a free hand. In an already surprising quick turnover (departing general directors usually leave several seasons all set in stone), Gockley went on to speculate openly about what may be in store in 2007-'08 and after, naming titles in the categories of new works, early Verdi, great Romantic pieces, American opera, plus, specifically, "Peter Grimes" and "Die Tote Stadt." In the more immediate future, the 84th San Francisco season will run from Sept. 8 through July 1, 2007, presenting among principal singers (in chronological order of productions) Deborah Voigt, Marcus Haddock, Christine Goerke, Wolfgang Brendel, Paolo Gavanelli, Christine Brewer, Allyson McHardy, John Osborn, Karita Mattila, Marina Domashenko, Hadar Hale(c)vy, Marco Berti, Mariusz Kwiecien, Hope Briggs, Soile Isokoski, Joyce DiDonato, Graham. See below for the full season schedule. In opera, casting is planned for years ahead, but rarely are such plans revealed. Gockley, however, announced his intention to engage for future productions such coveted singers as Marcelo Alvarez, Stephanie Blythe, Natalie Dessay, Rene(c)e Fleming, Juan Diego Fle"rez, Barbara Frittoli, Angela Gheorghiu, Marcello Giordani, Thomas Hampson, Ben Heppner, Dmitri Hvorstovsky, Anna Netrebko, Samuel Ramey, and Ramon Vargas. Top staff appointments include that of Shane Gasbarra as director of artistic and music administration, and of Drew Landmesser as the Opera's new production director. Gasbarra held a similar position with Gockley in Houston, Landmesser comes from the Lyric Opera of Chicago. San Francisco Opera 2006-'07 season UN BALLO IN MASCHERA by Giuseppe Verdi DIE FLEDERMAUS by Johann Strauss, Jr. RIGOLETTO by Giuseppe Verdi TRISTAN UND ISOLDE by Richard Wagner THE BARBER OF SEVILLE by Gioacchino Rossini MANON LESCAUT by Giacomo Puccini CARMEN by Georges Bizet DON GIOVANNI by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart DER ROSENKAVALIER by Richard Strauss IPHIGENIE EN TAURIDE by Christoph Willibald Gluck Janos Gereben/SF www.sfcv.org [log in to unmask]