1906 Concert & Sing-Along: A Caruso Memory
Yerba Buena Gardens Stage Mission Street,
between 3rd & 4th, San Francisco
Monday, April 17: 5:30pm 'til 6:30pm

The California Historical Society presents a
1906 Concert & Sing-Along: A Caruso Memory
with selections from the Bizet opera Carmen, as presented on April 17, 1906 by the great tenor Enrico Caruso in his final concert ever in San Francisco. Following the free outdoor musical event, near the site of the Grand Opera House in which Caruso performed, the California Historical Society will be open with free admission for all to view its landmark exhibit Jack London and the Great Earthquake and Firestorms of 1906 ( 678 Mission Street, at 3rd). Also celebrating its 100th birthday, Zeum's historic Looff Carousel in Yerba Buena Gardens ( 4th & Howard Streets) will be providing free rides on its historic “horses” during-and-after the event. Historic songs of the period and selections from Carmen will be performed by members of San Francisco's Pocket Opera, Matthew O'Neill, San Francisco Opera Adler Fellow, San Francisco Opera star Sheri Greenawald and other special “surprise” appearances. Piano accompaniment will be provided by Mark Morash, Music Director for San Francisco Opera Center. Emcee for the concert is long-time Bay Area radio personality Alan Farley of KALW. Additionally, the concert will be broadcast live on KALW “Information Radio”, 91.7 FM.

“What better way to commemorate the 100th anniversary of San Francisco’s re-birth from the devastation of the Quake than with a tribute to the City’s equally as durable and memorable cultural history,” said Stephen Becker, California Historical Society. “There's a reason that the Phoenix is the City's symbol: we arose from the flames better than ever. What a perfect reason to sing.”

“Around the office, we call it Casuso to Caruso,” said David Perry, noting that Alfredo Casuso, DP&A, Inc.'s Creative Director, hatched the idea late last year. “I'm so delighted that Stephen Becker and the California Historical Society have stepped forward to create a new historic moment: one hundred years to the night, and on almost the exact same site, since Caruso's last appearance in San Francisco.”

The 1906 Concert & Sing-Along: A Caruso Memory is co-sponsored by the Yerba Buena Gardens Festival, San Francisco Performing Arts Library and Museum, MJM Property Management, and David Perry & Associates, Inc. Generous underwriting has been provided by Donna Huggins and Chuck Huggins, recently retired CEO of See's Candies.

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