Some San Francisco evenings begin under the lights on Van Ness Avenue, and this fall one of them belongs to Mozart. San Francisco Opera is staging The Marriage of Figaro at the War Memorial Opera House, with performances running through Sunday, November 29, 2026. It is one of the most beloved comedies in the repertoire, and a fitting way to spend a crisp November night in the city’s cultural heart.
Mozart’s opera has charmed audiences since 1786, and this staging gives it a fresh frame. Director Michael Cavanagh sets the story in post-revolutionary America, turning Figaro’s single madcap day into a sly study of power and class. The bones of the comedy remain: the quick-witted valet Figaro and his bride-to-be, Susanna, spend their wedding day outmaneuvering a meddling Count, with the slighted Countess quietly turning the household in their favor.
A Night at the War Memorial
The War Memorial Opera House is a landmark in its own right, a 1932 Beaux-Arts hall at the heart of the Civic Center, where the foyer and sweeping staircase make the night feel like an occasion before the curtain rises. The opera is sung in Italian with English supertitles, so no fluency is required. The hall sits at the edge of Hayes Valley, walkable to some of the city’s best wine bars and restaurants and reachable from nearly every neighborhood by Muni or BART. For residents, it’s a reminder of what living in or near San Francisco makes possible: world-class culture a short ride from the front door. Curtain times and tickets are at sfopera.com, and popular dates go early, so book ahead.
The Details
When: On stage through Sunday, November 29, 2026, closing with a matinee on November 29. See sfopera.com for performance dates and curtain times.
Where: War Memorial Opera House, 301 Van Ness Avenue, San Francisco (Civic Center).
Learn More: San Francisco Opera
Source: sfopera.com
