Opera Parallèle Hosts 15th Anniversary Benefit at City Club of San Francisco 

San Francisco’s Opera Parallèle, an award-winning national trailblazer of contemporary opera, celebrated its 15th anniversary with a blowout benefit party on March 27. Inspired by the theme In Pursuit of a Dream, the event honored local classical music star composer Jake Heggie, at a VIP event held at City Club of San Francisco. Joining the festivities were renowned mezzo-sopranos Susan Graham and Frederica von Stade, along with other artists, who performed a program of beloved musical selections that created a memorable evening.  

The elegant benefit soirée began with a champagne welcome reception, offering guests an opportunity to mingle and toast the occasion before heading into the City Club Dining Room for a sumptuous four-course dinner. The evening was a music-filled celebration of Opera Parallèle’s innovative spirit, which also honored the most recent achievement of Jake Heggie, recipient of the prestigious Musical America 2025 Award as Composer of the Year. Led by founder and conductor Nicole Paiement, Opera Parallèle is working to re-invent opera for our modern world by merging tradition with innovation.