Preparations for the world premiere of “Heart of a Soldier” at San Francisco Opera continue as the company gears up for opening night on Saturday, September 10. The new opera by composer Christopher Theofanidis, featuring a libretto by Donna Di Novelli, adapted from James B. Stewart’s 2002 book and directed by Francesca Zambello, features Hampson in the role of Rick Rescorla, the real-life hero who died in the 9/11 tragedy after saving the lives of more than 2700 Morgan Stanley employees. Cori Ellison writes about “Heart of a Soldier” in a recent feature in the New York Times.