Coinciding with San Francisco’s annual Pride Weekend, San Francisco Opera celebrated the LGBTQIA+ community with a special Pride Concert featuring immersive projections and a post-show dance party on Friday, June 27, 2025, at the War Memorial Opera House. San Francisco Opera’s Caroline H. Hume Music Director Eun Sun Kim and Robert Mollicone led the San Francisco Opera Orchestra and soloists Jamie Barton, Brian Mulligan, and Nikola Printz.
Tal Rosner’s video designs filled the hall, and Justin A. Partier was the night’s lighting designer. Concluding San Francisco’s Pride Weekend, on Sunday, June 29, the Company joined other local arts institutions to march in the 55th Annual San Francisco Pride Parade.
Sapphira Cristál hosted the Pride Concert. A powerhouse performer and finalist from RuPaul’s Drag Race Season 16, and a classically trained opera singer, Cristál brought her signature grace, glamour, and unapologetic authenticity to the Opera House stage. She shared, “Pride, for me, is about … standing in the full glory of who I am—past, present, and future. It’s about celebrating not just my individuality, but also my connection to a powerful, beautiful community that has made space for my authenticity, art, and joy.”
The evening also included a pre-show Happy Hour with discounted food and drinks, an interactive Altar of Remembrance by the Marigold Project, an LGBTQIA+ Historical Exhibit by the GLBT Historical Society, sections of the AIDS Memorial Quilt display by the National AIDS Memorial, a pre-show discussion with SF Pride Executive Director Suzanne Ford, and a post-show dance party led by DJ Juanita MORE!
Drag legend and columnist Donna Sachet attended on behalf of the San Francisco Bay Times, which also had a ticket giveaway with the winner being Arlene Edwards of GLIDE Memorial Church. Sachet commented at the event, “This is proof we exist.” Both she and Edwards greatly enjoyed the memorable evening, and are already looking forward to next year’s concert.
The organizers shared afterward that “the War Memorial Opera House was illuminated—by music, by light, by joy, and by the power of community. San Francisco Opera’s first-ever Pride Concert wasn’t just a performance. It was a declaration. Of queer brilliance. Of belonging. Of love in all its forms. From the soaring voices on stage to the shimmering projections overhead … from dancing in the lobby to tears in the final ovation … it was a night that reminded us why we gather, why we sing, why we celebrate.”
They added, “To every artist and audience member—thank you. You made history with us. We’ll see you next year.”
Published on July 17, 2025
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