Schwabacher sadly passed away in the middle of last year’s edition, but the new kids (mostly in their 20s), they are all right. His legacy is safe and secure. We saw last week-end an excellent performance of Rossini’s La Cenerentola (that’s Cinderella in Italian) at the Cowell Theater in Fort Mason. Before we dig into that, a few PSAs: there are three more opportunities to catch the Merolini, and the next one is for free in the Yerba Buena gardens (Sunday, July 29th, 2 p.m.). So go check what they are about, and if you like it, you can go back to either Cowell Theater for the world premiere of Hotel Casablanca, or the Gala that concludes the program in the War Memorial Opera House (last year’s note here).

Pictures by Kristen Loken. Above, first row from left to right Daveda Karanas, Sam Handley, Ani Maldjian, Paul La Rosa, Daniela Mack, Alek Shrader, and holding the apples: Tom Corbeil, Kenneth Kellogg. Below: mostly the same singers in different combinations and Padmé Amidala.