Opera Academy of California (OAC) presents " Winter Season in Opera" a special Opera Scene Evening featuring for the first time in the same program Scenes and Arias from both " La Bohème" by Leoncavallo and by Puccini. Also performed are arias from famous but rarely performed Russian operas "Christmas Eve" by Rimsky-Korsakov and " Tsarina’s Slippers" by Tchaikovsky based on the same story by Russian writer Gogol.

The performances are led by Yefim Maizel, the internationally renowned stage director from the Metropolitan Opera, and conductor Alexander Katsman, Music Director of the Livermore Valley Opera and alumnus of the San Francisco Opera’s Merola Program.

The program will showcase eleven young and talented Bay Area singers.

The Performances are held at the Magic Theater, Fort Mason in San Francisco from 8:00 to 10:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday (December 5th & 6th, 2008) and from 2:30 to 5:00 p.m. on Sunday (December 7th, 2008).

Tickets $40 ($25 for students and seniors); call (415) 642-0176 or visit www.opera-academy.com.