Opera dramatically highlighted little-known aspects of the California Gold Rush in the early 1850s, as cultures and personalities collided in the scramble for instant wealth. Sourced from historical writings, the opera looked past the romanticized Hollywood image of this crucial period in California history. Rather it examined remarkable real-life characters, including some extraordinary women, who flocked to the Gold Country hoping to strike it rich, only to have their optimism clash with the greed, violence, and prejudice of a rapidly changing world. San Francisco Opera’s dramaturg Kip Cranna will explore the opera’s background and historical sources and present video excerpts of this remarkable new work.