Donna’s Chronicles, “We joined the throngs of Golden State Valkyries fans…”

By Donna Sachet –

We joined the throngs of Golden State Valkyries fans at Chase Center, thanks to the kind invitation of Michelle Jester. Immediately upon arriving, the infectious spirit envelopes you, as a sea of violet wraps around the stadium and the roaring cheers reverberate throughout. What a treat to see this brand-new team in action, defying all expectations and securing their spot in the playoffs. Regardless of your interest in sports, we encourage you to turn your attention to this amazing success story!

The Rainbow Honor Walk hosted an event to celebrate the selection of Roger Casement for a plaque honoring his courageous life spent fighting for the basic human rights of others. The Irish American community showed up in droves at Casements Bar on Mission, where a recently completed mural by Tanya Wischerath of Casement adorns the spacious outdoor patio. A short program featured Consul General of Ireland in San Francisco Michael Smith, State Senator Scott Wiener, City Supervisors Rafael Mandelman and Matt Dorsey, Matthew Rothschild, and President of United Irish Societies Hilda Kissane. Guests were treated to live authentic Irish music, Casement souvenirs, and generous food courtesy of owners Gillian Fitzgerald and Sean O’Donovan. Stop by this lively bar in the near future for an Irish welcome and a salute to all things Irish!

In keeping with a long tradition, San Francisco Opera’s Opening Night was full of glamor! Finding the perfect escort for this event is never easy; we want that person to enjoy opera as much as we do and to understand the importance of opening night. We could not have done better than John Newmeyer, whom we met at Absinthe for a celebratory drink and bite, him in stately white tie, complete with gloves and top hat, us in deep green satin and a sparkling set of emerald and diamond jewelry that gave Bulgari a run for its money. We then strolled over to the Opera House for a bit of socializing before the performance. John had a lovely box seat and we were on the aisle in the orchestra. Giueppe Verdi’s Rigoletto proved the perfect opera to dazzle us with costumes, amaze us with vocal technique, and present an easy to follow, if terribly sexist, plot line. Simple angular sets with dramatic lighting kept attention on the action. The entire cast was incredible, but from her first appearance on stage, soprano Adela Zaharia demonstrated an effortless mastery of her wide-ranging notes and tender delivery.

At the intermission, we met John at the box bar, where many of the most glamorously dressed ladies and elegantly dressed men mingled, sipping Champagne and talking opera. As usual, generous Dede Wilsey, in a striking black gown with whimsical ornamentation, was surrounded by admirers. The second half of the opera flew by with increasingly unlikely and deeply tragic events, eventually ending in cries of horror and tears. The company received an enthusiastic standing ovation with many bravos and bravas ringing into the night.

The crowd then exited the Opera House and crossed Van Ness to City Hall, where oversized props and dramatic lighting created a fantastic setting for the after-party. The rotunda stairs were creatively lit, leading up to a colorful splash of color. One Light Court had a DJ with milder music and the other Light Court hosted a live band with much louder music. Food and beverage stations throughout offered a variety of delicious choices. Seating was scarce, but comfortable and welcome after such a long night. After a few more conversations and many more photographs, we descended the stairs to John’s waiting car and the end of a truly magnificent evening.

From the looks of the crowd, the SF Opera is having some success in broadening its audience. Younger and newer faces joined the many loyal ones we see each year and they seemed genuinely engaged in the art form and the festivity of the night. From our perspective, things look hopeful for this 103-year-old, internationally respected operatic company!

Donna Sachet is a celebrated performer, fundraiser, activist, and philanthropist who has dedicated over two decades to the LGBTQ Community in San Francisco. Contact her at empsachet@gmail.com

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Calendar a/la Sachet

Friday, September 12
2025 Hand to Hand Gala Project Open Hand celebrates 40 years SF Design Center Galleria
101 Henry Adams Street
6–10 pm
$300
www.openhand.org

Saturday, September 13
Buttons On! for DIFFA
Museum of Craft & Design
2569 3rd Street
Copain Wines & McCalls Catering Benefiting UCSF’s Ward 86
6–8 pm
$100 & up
www.DIFFA.org

Saturday, September 13
Myths & Legends: GAPA Runway Pageant
LGBTQ+ Asian & Pacific Islanders Miss, Mr., & Mx GAPA
Herbst Theatre
401 Van Ness
7 pm
$30 & up
www.gapa.org

Thursday, September 18
Serenade An evening of live singing
Imperial Crown Prince Nathan D’Aguiar fundraiser Raffles & auctions
Blackbird, 2124 Market Street
5 pm, 6:30 pm show
www.sfimperialcouncil.org

Donna’s Chronicles
Published on September 11, 2025