Even with the announcement on Monday of San Francisco Opera's 2014-2015 season, attention should be paid to the one that got away. Britten's Peter Grimes, previously planned and then canceled (much to SFO General Director David Gockley's regret) by the Opera, will be presented by the San Francisco Symphony in a concert version in June.
And the time to buy tickets is now. Why? It's looking mighty good. The conductor is Michael Tilson Thomas, whose opera performances — rare as they are — have been exciting and memorable (his Flying Dutchman was especially sensational) and the cast is splendid.
Two outstanding alumni of the San Francisco Opera Center are returning from skyrocketing European careers: Stuart Skelton in the title role and Elza van den Heever as Ellen Orford. They will be joined by two "local notables," Eugene Brancoveanu as Ned Keene and John Relyea as Mr. Swallow. Alan Opie (Captain Balstrode), Ann Murray (Auntie), and Nancy Maultsby (Mrs. Sedley) round out the cast.
Last fall, Skelton performed in the London Philharmonic's Grimes, and was called in Andrew Clements' Guardian review "the best around today":
Skelton was superb when he sang Grimes in David Alden's exceptional ENO production four years ago, but now, with his experience of singing roles such as Tristan and Otello, there's an extra dimension, and the vocal heft is complimented by a touching delicacy when needed; his angry despair in his second-act confrontation with Ellen was heartbreaking, Every facet now is exceptional.