Founded nearly a century ago and holding the distinction of being the continent's second largest opera group, the San Francisco opera, or SFO, is a legendary company that commands the greatest talent and most discerning audiences in the world. First debuting with a performance of La bohéme in 1923, the SFO has gone on to put on a wide and diverse range of operas and classical performances featuring world class vocalists and performers. Each year the opera holds a gala on the opening night of their performance season which draws luminaries from all over San Francisco and the world to its luxurious and classy halls. The opera is calls home the beautiful San Francisco Opera House, an enormous Greek-style architectural masterpiece featuring grand columns and arched doorways- a fitting backdrop to the classic pieces of art being performed nightly during the opera's active season. Originally founded by Gaetano Merola, who had a vision of a San Francisco-based opera troupe that would not be beholden to outside companies, he launched its first season in 1922 and the San Francisco Opera was born, an immediate critical success. This rich history informs everything about the San Francisco Opera today- take part in that history by seeing a performance by one of the world's premier opera groups as soon as you can!