He was a star singer. Then he ended up on San Francisco's streets. |
Tim Blevins is singing on the sidewalk outside San Francisco’s War Memorial Opera House. He sways slightly as his low voice swells in volume. A shopping cart crammed with his belongings is pushed off to the side, and he has a cardboard sign propped up at his feet: “Inquire about CDs.”
Most people walk past him, heading straight into the venue. A man stops to buy one of his CDs for $5; a woman pauses to marvel at his talent. “What a voice you have!” she exclaims. “Oh my God.”
Later, after the passersby have filtered through the opera house’s doors, Blevins stares up at the balcony.
Article continues below this ad
“I used to sing in places like this, for real,” he remarks, half to the camera, half to himself.
A screenshot of Tim Blevins from the documentary “Figaro Up, Figaro Down.”
A screenshot of Tim Blevins from the documentary “Figaro Up, Figaro Down.”
This is a scene from “Figaro Up, Figaro Down,” a new documentary detailing Blevins’ rise to the top of the opera world and his subsequent descent into substance use and homelessness. Produced over the course of 10 years, the film tracks the singer’s struggles, bouncing between single-room occupancies in SoMa and the Tenderloin as he attempts to find stability.
Article continues below this ad
Don't let Google decide who you trust.
Next week “Figaro Up, Figaro Down” is slated to screen at the Marina Theatre and BAMPFA as part of the 2026 San Francisco International Film Festival. Blevins, as well as director Javid Soriano and producer Rob Richert, are expected to appear as guests.
In his prime, Tim Blevins was something of a Broadway rock star. He graduated from Juilliard, and his confident, macho style........