Deacon’s Retreat
March 10-12, 2026
Join with Bp David and Bishop-Elect Greg to discuss the role of the deacon in the life of EDSJ now and into the future.
Check in begins on March 10 at 4pm
Please bring snacks and beverages to share during hospitality
Per person pricing for 2 nights, 6 meals:
Private Occupancy: $250
Double Occupancy: $208
Quad Occupancy: $184
Registration closes on February 24.
Late registration incurs a $25 fee.
May 15-17, 2026 – FULL
The great composer Giuseppe Verdi was a leading artist of Italy’s reunification into a single country in the mid-Nineteenth Century, known as the “Risorgimento.” His operatic masterworks brought to the stage the values and issues of the Risorgimento, giving vivid creative expression to the ideals of his time. His stirring and melodious music provided a common bond for peoples divided by political boundaries, customs, and dialects. Verdi’s personal life—his humble beginnings, his professional triumphs and family tragedies, his moral integrity, his patriotic yearnings—became symbolic of an emerging nation’s vital spirit. We will explore Giuseppe Verdi’s life and art in their historical context and use video examples (with English subtitles) to examine in detail his magnificent music dramas, whose creative genius continues to thrill audiences everywhere. No previous opera background required. Just watch, listen, and enjoy.
Tentative Opera Schedule
Friday, May 15th
4 PM – Registration & Lodging Check-in
5 PM – Orientation & Social
6 PM – Dinner
7PM – 9 PM – Opera Course ***Opera course description to be added
Saturday, May 16th
8 AM – Breakfast
9 AM – 12 PM – Opera Course (10:30 AM -Coffee/Tea Break) ***Opera course description to be added
12 PM – Lunch
1 PM – 5 PM Opera Course (3 PM – Coffee/Tea Break) ***Opera course description to be added
5:30 PM – Social
6:30 PM – Dinner
7:30 PM – Performance
Sunday, May 17th
8 AM – Breakfast
9 AM – 12 PM – Opera Course (10:30 AM -Coffee/Tea Break) ***Opera course description to be added
12 PM – Farewell Lunch
October 16-18, 2026
Opera fans love Giacomo Puccini. The last of the great Italian opera composers, he never fails to thrill us with his soaring melodies or to move us with his pathos. But let’s take a closer look at Puccini’s world and discover what lies behind the music, as we watch him evolve from a composer in the grand tradition of Italian opera into a ground-breaking exponent of supercharged post-Romantic “verismo.” We’ll search for the real people and true stories behind his operas, and uncover fascinating details about Puccini’s often tumultuous career. We’ll investigate his life and art in their historical context and use video examples (with English subtitles) to examine in detail his emotionally stirring music dramas. No previous opera background required. Just watch, listen, and enjoy.
Tentative Opera Schedule
Friday, October 16th
4 PM – Registration & Lodging Check-in
5 PM – Orientation & Social
6 PM – Dinner
7PM – 9 PM – Opera Course ***Opera course description to be added
Saturday, October 17th
8 AM – Breakfast
9 AM – 12 PM – Opera Course (10:30 AM -Coffee/Tea Break) ***Opera course description to be added
12 PM – Lunch
1 PM – 5 PM Opera Course (3 PM – Coffee/Tea Break) ***Opera course description to be added
5:30 PM – Social
6:30 PM – Dinner
7:30 PM – Performance
Sunday, October 18th
8 AM – Breakfast
9 AM – 12 PM – Opera Course (10:30 AM -Coffee/Tea Break) ***Opera course description to be added
12 PM – Farewell Lunch
Clifford (Kip) Cranna is Dramaturg (Scholar in Residence) Emeritus of San Francisco Opera, where he served on the staff for 40 years. In 2008, he was awarded the San Francisco Opera Medal, the company’s highest honor. Dr. Cranna holds a Ph.D. in musicology from Stanford University and teaches opera appreciation at Stanford Continuing Studies, the Fromm Institute at the University of San Francisco, and the Osher Lifelong Learning Institutes (OLLI) at UC Berkeley, San Francisco State University, and Dominican University.
Per person pricing includes 2 nights of lodging, 6 meals (Friday Dinner – Sunday Lunch), nightly evening socials, and Saturday night performance
Single Occupancy: $ 590
Double Occupancy: $520
Quad Occupancy: $480
Commuter or R.V. Rate: $420
A $100 non-refundable deposit is due at the time of registration to secure your reservation.
PLEASE NOTE OUR SPRING PROGRAM IS FULL, CLICK BELOW TO REGISTER FOR OUR FALL PROGRAM.
