Animal Supers in My Claque

(think Shirley Temple)

Following the Oliver Farewell Bash and a Wednesday night Magic Flute before a very appreciative audience (much laughter and applause for the animals) Ulrica barely had time to rest The Voice before she was off again on the social whirl that is her life.

Thursday evening saw a dinner party for the Flute cast hosted by SFO benefactors Bob and Terri Ryan at their Eddy Street home. Bob and Terri are longtime supporters of young singers and often play host to Merolini and Adler Fellows. The walls of their home are covered with 8 x 10's of the many singers who have stayed with them.

Priscilla Lore

Bob cooked up a wonderful barbeque of salmon, chicken and sausage; the dessert, Chocolate Paté, being fiercely guarded by Twyla.

This time it was a third of the Three Ladies: Twyla Robinson (outstanding at this year's Opera in the Park) who was the houseguest, hence the Flute connection. Many of the principals were there, including our beautiful Pamina , Ana Maria Martinez (profiled in the current Opera News ), the hilarious Papageno, Johannes Martin Kranzle,

Kranzle and Rosedale

and our sparkling-voiced Queen of the Night, Suzanne Ramo. Also in attendance were another third of the Ladies, SFO debutante Heather Meyers, and -- according to Terri the best Armored Man she has ever heard -- Nils Olsson. SFO accompanist Paul Harris and his very entertaining wife, hoch dramatischer Sopran Alicia, added much to the international flavor of the evening.

Korniej and Lore

But as always the Supers outshone everyone. Particularly stunning on this occasion were bejeweled Salamander Jaye Hepburn, elegant Griffin Priscilla Lore and the vivacious cover Yvette Rosedale wearing the most remarkable pair of shoes. Handsome newbie Robert Palma was there, flushed with success after his SFO debut the previous evening, substituting for an ailing colleague as the front end of the Camel.

Hepburn and Lichtman

Many thanks to Bob and Terri for inviting us Supers. As our (mostly unacknowledged) presence at the official SFO cast parties was unfortunately short-lived, we were all particularly appreciative of being included in this delightful evening.

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