Merle Becker Benkavitch

“I was born and raised in Chicago and grew up with the Chicago Symphony and Lyric Opera. In August 1978, I moved to San Francisco at age 40 with a job transfer as a Federal Probation and Parole Officer. The San Francisco Opera was a prime factor in choosing to move here.

I heard about a tennis tournament sponsored by San Francisco Opera in honor of Luciano Pavarotti (who was actively playing tennis) and as an avid opera lover, tennis player and single woman, I was enthusiastic about meeting people combining these interests. On October 12, 1978 I attended the SFO benefit cocktail party prior to the tennis tournament. A handsome man of 6 feet 4 inches, named Bill, introduced himself to me, asking: “’Are you here with your husband?’” My response – and I thank my lucky stars today for it – was “’I haven’t met him yet.’”

Our first date was to play tennis and Bill – who was and is an outstanding tennis player and a leftie which can be a big advantage in tennis – and I started playing in tennis tournaments together. As a psychotherapist, I found out playing mixed doubles is a great way to get to know someone’s character and personality. We got married on April 25, 1980 in Las Vegas and will be celebrating our 37th wedding anniversary in 2017.

I had hoped to meet someone at that party that was an avid opera lover and tennis enthusiast and I got the tennis enthusiast and great partner. Bill has learned to like and appreciate opera—even Wagner—during our time together by helping me put together opera presentations for many years at the Jewish Home for the Aged, Canyon Ranch in Tucson, and for seniors participating in a program at San Francisco Opera. He comes with me to SFO periodically and has loved Mefistofele, Don Carlo, Wozzeck, The Nose at the Royal Opera House, and La Juive at the Bavarian State Opera.

So hopefully, I still have some time to totally convert him.

By the way, I did get to the semi-finals in the Pavarotti tournament and was honored to play against Luciano. He made the right choice by becoming a star tenor.”

-Merle Becker Benkavitch