MTT > Nadine Sierra > San Francisco Symphony > Bruckner and Mozart
It would be hard to find two composers more unlike each other than Mozart, the prodigious prodigy, and Bruckner, whom success eluded until he was 60. Fragments of Mozart’s unfinished opera Zaïde were found after his death; thankfully these include the exquisite soprano aria, Ruhe sanft, meine holdes Leben. The premiere of Bruckner’s grand Seventh...
Itzhak Perlman
It’s really awesome to be in the presence of genius, especially genius that has been realized and refined for longer than you’ve been alive. And even more so when the genius at hand is totally unpretentious and hilarious. __ A player of legendary renown, Itzhak Perlman is a musician who exceeds mere superlatives. He is...
Heras-Casado > Stephen Hough > SFS > Prokofiev > Liszt
It was a pleasure to see and hear the elegant Hough performing with the charismatic Heras-Casado. The gestations of Liszt’s concerto and Prokofiev’s symphony could not have been more different; even so, the singular result was two glorious works that are perpetual listener favorites. Liszt took 22 years to compose and revise (and revise again)...
The Hamburg Ballet > John Neumeier > Nijinsky
We loved John Neumeier and the Hamburg Ballet's exploration of the troubled psyche of genius dancer Nijinsky. We were enthralled by Neumeier's beautiful choreography, costumes, sets and lighting. Check out one of the remaining performances through February 19th. www.sfballet.org
Giancarlo Guerrero > Daniil Trifonov > Russian National Orchestra
We were blown away by the ferocity and grace of 21-year-old pianist Daniil Trifonov. So young and so talented! Hope we get to see him again soon. __ When the Russian National Orchestra made its 1996 debut at the Proms in London, the Evening Standard wrote, “They played with such captivating beauty that the audience...
Gil Shaham + Akira Eguchi
Music America’s 2011 Instrumentalist of the Year and long-time favorite soloist of San Francisco Symphony audiences, violinist Gil Shaham returns to Davies Symphony Hall for a one-night-only recital. Deemed by Music America as “one of the foremost violinists of our time,” Shaham showcases his exquisite playing and flawless technique in explorations of William Bolcom’s Suite...
Hubbard Street Dance > Cal Performances > Zellerbach Hall
Acclaimed for its athletic and innovative performances, Hubbard Street Dance Chicago stands at the forefront of American modern dance companies. For this visit, the troupe debuts Little Mortal Jump by Hubbard’s first-ever resident choreographer Alejandro Cerrudo, “a work of enchanting dance theater that captures the mystery, humor, terror and true romance of intimate relationships” (Chicago...
Dutoit > SFS > Ravel ~ Lalo ~ Elgar ~ Enigma Variations
Two Frenchmen provide tantalizing tastes of their backgrounds—Lalo’s Spanish heritage and Ravel’s Basque lineage. Lalo’s savory work, featuring such evocative styles as seguidilla and habanera, promises a workout for the Stradivarius of Canadian violinist James Ehnes, who’s been called “the Heifetz of our day.” Englishman Elgar’s Variations sketch characteristics of his friends and explore friendship,...
SF Ballet > Suite en Blanc > In the Night > Borderlands
The 2013 Season opens with a program featuring Borderlands, a world premiere by Wayne McGregor—his first commission for SF Ballet. Bay Area audiences and critics have thrilled to McGregor’s work in recent seasons, including Eden/Eden and Chroma, which the San Francisco Chronicle called “profound…fitful and frenetic.” The program also includes the SF Ballet premiere of...
Peer Gynt – MTT, Joélle Harvey, SFS
Ibsen asked Grieg to compose music for Peer Gynt, his dramatic poem about a very bad boy and the redemptive love of a very good woman. Witness an exploration of this musical fantasy which includes trolls, epic journeys to far-away lands, and mythological creatures through extended selections of this rarely heard score with video, actors,...
Black and White Ball
Great fun at the annual black and white ball featuring Paul Simon, Janelle Monae, Cyndi Lauper, Jacob Dylan and Mason Bates – raising funds for music education programs in in the bay area.
Ernst Reijseger at the Whitney Biennial
“He is a magnificent cellist, and he can do anything, anything on his cello. He could play the civil war, the American Civil war on his cello.” — Werner Herzog Ernst Reijseger gave a surprise performance during the Whitney Biennial, where he moved from gallery to gallery (to garden, to street) eliciting unheard of sounds...
