Benefactor Littlefield who gave life to struggling opera loses son Jacques at 59

January 13, 7:50 PMSF Opera ExaminerCindy Warner

Previous Next

Comment Print Email RSS Subscribe

Subscribe

Get alerts when there is a new article from the SF Opera Examiner. Read Examiner.com's terms of use.

Email Address   Include other special offers from Examiner.com Terms of Use

Jeannik Littlefield gave 35 million to the San Francisco Opera and brought joy to all with the beautiful productions that followed but she was to lose her son Jacques when he was only 59.  Capturing some of the beauty shared over these past few years since David Gockley arrived at the opera, John Martin gets breathtaking images backstage. 

He is one of the core group of long time supernumeraries, the background actors, as well as a photographer.  The shot above from Bonesetter's Daughter is one of his prize moments ever.  Creative personalities often have more than one outlet don’t they?  Jeannik Littlefield's son collected and restored tanks, for example, and was renowned for it.

Meanwhile I first became acquainted with John during Rigoletto. After he took photos of the courtesans and courtiers as well as Paulo Gavanelli as Rigoletto himself, some of the supers walked across from the opera house to Jardiniere restaurant for a little cast party.  The opera had much to celebrate.  Years of operating in the red were about to end with some relief and joy as the new director David Gockley announced Jeannik Littlefield was giving thirty five million dollars. 

There would be many spectacular operas to come including distinctive American operas.  For example Bonesetter's Daughter is by Amy Tan and set in part in San Francisco.  So John's photography of the beautiful productions created from the likes of Mrs. Littlefield's support has been magnificent.  He’s had a show of lifesize enlargements in full color. These shots from Bonesetter’s Daughter are mesmerizing are they not?  Here's a beautiful podcast with Amy Tan the writer and one with the librettist Stewart Wallace.

Meanwhile a member of the orchestra said he had come over to Jardiniere for a toast between acts of the opera.  Therefore it was just about time for him to slip back to the pit to play a few notes in the closing moments.  I believed him.

Unfortunately Jeannik Littlefield who put the opera in the red and received an uproarious ovation that exciting night before Rigoletto . . . the French widow of the man who built Hoover Dam . . . a member of the board of directors at the opera who brought joy and beauty to so many . . . would suffer misfortune as her son battled colon cancer for ten years before finally succumbing.   David Gockley confirms he has seen this sad news by a few words in an email to me today.  

My condolences.

Mrs. Littlefield saluted during Rigoletto for donating 35 million dollars

For more info:  www.SFOpera.com