The San Francisco Opera has played an important part in the history of opera in America, and continues to be at the helm of the American opera scene. Since its founding, the company has supported the biggest names. At a time when the Metropolitan Opera management was making artistic miscalculations, there was reconciliation in San Francisco. Many great names appeared in signature roles on the San Francisco stage first - Kirsten Flagstad as Isolde, Lauritz Melchior as Tristan, and Leontyne Price as Aida. The company continues to focus on a few high-quality productions per year. With the brilliant conductor Donald Runnicles and the Artistic Direction of veteran Pamela Rosenberg, 2003 was especially exciting. San Francisco staged all of Messiaen's "Francis of Assisi" for the first time in America.