SF Opera commissions 3 world premieres

The San Francisco Opera plans to commission new operas by American composers Christopher Theofanidis, Mark Adamo and Jennifer Higdon.

The announcement Monday coincided with the release of the schedule for 2009-10, conductor Nicola Luisotti's first as music director. The company canceled a planned new production of Britten's "Peter Grimes" and a revival of Puccini's "La Boheme" because of finances.

Theofanidis' work will focus on heroism and the 9/11 terrorist attacks in 2001. It will have a libretto by Donna DiNovelli and is planned to premiere in September 2011. Adamo's opera, "The Gospel of Mary Magdalene," is scheduled to open in June 2013 and will have a libretto by the composer. Higdon's opera, with a libretto by Gene Scheer, is to open in the autumn 2013. The subject was not announced.