By Cheryl North

The San Francisco Opera opens its 2015-16 season Saturday night with "Luisa Miller," Giuseppe Verdi's 1849 "breakthrough" opera. Singing the title role will be soprano Leah Crocetto, who has developed her talent during general director David Gockley's decade of leadership.

Joining her is an outstanding international cast: tenor Michael Fabiano as Luisa's class-conflicted lover, Rodolfo; Ukrainian baritone Vitaliy Bilyy, as Luisa's father; bass-baritone Daniel Sumegi as Count Walter, Rodolfo's father; Russian mezzo-soprano Ekaterina Semenchuk as Federica, the aristocratic cousin Rodolfo is forced to marry; and in the role of the Count's steward, Wurm, one of Verdi's most memorable villains, Italian bass Andrea Silvestrelli. Music director Nicola Luisotti conducts the production by Francesca Zambello.

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Source: http://www.dailydemocrat.com/