SFCV Latest News

Shimmy and Style From OEBS

Thomas Busse — Sun, 26 Feb 2012 20:49:02 +0000

A familiar Beethoven symphony works at cross-purposes with two rarities by European Jewish composers.

Grand Opera Returns to Sacramento

Edward Ortiz — Sun, 26 Feb 2012 18:35:04 +0000

Although less than “grand,” a respectable production of Rigoletto is given at the Sacramento Community Center.

If You've Got the Time, He's Got the Story

Janice Berman — Sun, 26 Feb 2012 17:27:49 +0000

In “Story/Time” Bill T. Jones uses chance, dance, music, and narrative to make every minute count.

Weinberg’s Provocative Holocaust Opera

Jason Victor Serinus — Fri, 24 Feb 2012 20:00:10 +0000

A masterful opera on Blu-ray grippingly depicts Nazi brutality and the horrors of war.

Alessandrini's Mighty Haydn and Mozart

Georgia Rowe — Fri, 24 Feb 2012 18:12:41 +0000

With Rinaldo Alessandrini on the podium, the San Francisco Symphony delivers a vibrant, dynamic performance of Mozart and Haydn.

New Century Welcomes Mandolin Mates

Jeff Kaliss — Fri, 24 Feb 2012 16:33:47 +0000

Three centuries of mandolin music are embraced by performers Mike Marshall and Catarina Licthenberg in their conversation with SFCV and their upcoming concerts around the Bay.

Bill T. Jones: True Story

Janice Berman — Thu, 23 Feb 2012 21:46:58 +0000

Inspired by the work of John Cage, a noted choreographer’s Story/Time didn’t happen merely by chance.

The Take-No-Prisoners Takács

John Lutterman — Thu, 23 Feb 2012 19:09:44 +0000

A premier string quartet again takes top honors with works by Janáček, Debussy, and Britten.

Lou Harrison: A World of Music

Brett Campbell — Thu, 23 Feb 2012 18:50:22 +0000

A new film documents the rich life of the revered, polymath composer Lou Harrison.

Kids Around the Bay

Peggy Spear — Thu, 23 Feb 2012 16:07:12 +0000

The Magic in That Flute

Ken Bullock — Wed, 22 Feb 2012 18:39:10 +0000

A beloved opera gets manga-nized and reinvented, as a “fantasia on a theme by Mozart.”

Trifonov Trips the Light, Fantastically

Anatole Leikin — Tue, 21 Feb 2012 23:40:01 +0000

An astonishing young piano virtuoso captivates listeners with his rare storytelling gift.

The Wide World of Ali Akbar Khan

Jeff Kaliss — Tue, 21 Feb 2012 21:14:50 +0000

A world-renowned college of Indian music in the North Bay continues to share the treasures of North Indian classical music.

Music News: Feb. 21, 2012

Janos Gereben — Tue, 21 Feb 2012 17:59:55 +0000

Musica Pacifica: Dancing in the Isles

Thomas Busse — Tue, 21 Feb 2012 17:45:06 +0000

The Musica Pacifica ensemble gets down, and delightful, with dance and folk tunes drawn from the British Isles.

When Philanthropy Goes Wrong

Michael Zwiebach — Mon, 20 Feb 2012 23:00:32 +0000

The funding of arts organizations needs a radical rethink, if we want them to survive and thrive.

Occupy Don Giovanni

Georgia Rowe — Mon, 20 Feb 2012 22:26:25 +0000

A gritty contemporary setting backs up bright singing in West Bay Opera’s version of a Mozart classic.

Danielle de Niese’s Bouquet of Baroque Beauty

Jason Victor Serinus — Mon, 20 Feb 2012 17:51:53 +0000

Engaging and heartfelt performances of Baroque classics distinguish this revelatory recital by the young Australian/Sri Lankan soprano.

To Hell With Love

Janice Berman — Mon, 20 Feb 2012 00:47:22 +0000

In a program highlighting Yuri Possokhov’s gifted choreography, the San Francisco Ballet has a dance with Dante.

Reunion of Rich Sounds: SFS and de Waart

David Bratman — Sun, 19 Feb 2012 20:43:04 +0000

Its former music director leads the S.F. Symphony in a novel overture, a grand organ symphony, and a little-known Rachmaninov concerto.

In Memoriam: Todd Donovan (1970-2012)

Janos Gereben — Sat, 18 Feb 2012 17:09:35 +0000

Todd Donovan, 41, died Monday of complications from a brain tumor. A multi-talented musician, he sang baritone roles, including some major ones; played the saxophone; and produced and performed in benefit recitals across the U.S. and notably in the Bay Area.

New Treasure From American Bach Soloists

Steven Winn — Fri, 17 Feb 2012 18:24:25 +0000

For years, Bach muddied the waters of the “authentic” version of his St. Matthew Passion, but now American Bach Soloists will clarify certain things.

Hovhaness’ Early Influences

Jeff Dunn — Fri, 17 Feb 2012 16:42:32 +0000

A superprolific Armenian-American composer said that ideas “persecute him,” causing him to write every day. This CD offers a range of his works, with their high-quality tunes and, in one work, effective drama.

Aleron Trio

Michael Zwiebach — Fri, 17 Feb 2012 01:44:03 +0000

Listeners can expect to hear a variety of styles from the classical repertoire to a fusion of genres including American jazz and Irish idioms.

Heroes and Giants

Michael Zwiebach — Fri, 17 Feb 2012 01:35:38 +0000

The Oakland-East Bay Symphony's coming concert, Heroes and Giants, is a demonstration of Michael Morgan’s programming genius.

Orchestra of 'Second City' is Riotous No. 1

Janos Gereben — Fri, 17 Feb 2012 00:44:40 +0000

A concert by the CSO under the baton of Riccardo Muti offered two thrilling evenings in one: a great orchestra, led by a superb conductor, presenting two fascinating new works, and textbook (but vibrant) readings of evergreen classics.

Rinaldo Alessandrini conducts Mozart and Haydn

Michael Zwiebach — Thu, 16 Feb 2012 23:39:06 +0000

Conductor Rinaldo Alessandrini, the imaginative musician who founded Concerto Italiano 28 years ago, will be featured on an upcoming SFS program of Mozart and Haydn.

Other Minds Festival: Connecting to Composers

Brett Campbell — Thu, 16 Feb 2012 19:12:25 +0000

Charles Amirkhanian travels the world to find new music and innovative composers, and will soon convene his latest finds at the 17th Other Minds Festival in Woodside.

Kids Around the Bay

Peggy Spear — Thu, 16 Feb 2012 17:37:29 +0000

Afiara String Quartet

Michelle Dulak Thomson — Thu, 16 Feb 2012 00:27:32 +0000

The Afiara String Quartet balances a lively interest in new works with deep insight into core classical repertoire.

Beauxs Will be Beauxs

Janice Berman — Thu, 16 Feb 2012 00:04:45 +0000

The San Francisco Ballet presented a varying program — ranging from Mark Morris' Beaux and wayne McGregor's Chroma to Christopher Wheeldon's Number Nine — that seemed oddly fitting for the day it fell on, Valentines Day.

Volti's Moving MLK Tribute

Jason Victor Serinus — Wed, 15 Feb 2012 21:13:50 +0000

A chamber choir probes music of the heart and soul, including a work inspired by Martin Luther King’s vision of freedom when in the Birmingham jail.

American Mavericks: MTT, Jessye Norman, Joan LaBarbara, and Meredith Monk

Jeff Dunn — Wed, 15 Feb 2012 20:48:45 +0000

For the purest maverickism, attend the second concert honoring four rule-breakers and featuring top-notch artists.

Colin Currie: Invitation to the Dance of Percussion

Jason Victor Serinus — Tue, 14 Feb 2012 23:00:48 +0000

New ways of eliciting sounds from a battery of ancient-to-modern instruments mark the performing style of a world-renowned Scottish percussionist.

Classical's New Bow (Wow): Dogs

Maria Goodavage — Tue, 14 Feb 2012 21:14:23 +0000

Do dogs dig Debussy? Some preliminary research has resulted in a line of recordings that is fast becoming the latest must-have pooch product.

Kirill Gerstein: The Great Transition Musician

Ken Iisaka — Tue, 14 Feb 2012 17:32:03 +0000

Steeped in jazz, esteemed pianist Kirill Gerstein tackles classical works, and the result is a draw.

Music News: Feb. 14, 2012

Janos Gereben — Tue, 14 Feb 2012 17:07:43 +0000

Andsnes’ Royal Banquet

Ken Iisaka — Mon, 13 Feb 2012 18:02:33 +0000

When is a piano recital more like a sumptuous feast, followed by a glittering ball? When the artist is Leif Ove Andsnes.

Wolfgang Holzmair With Russell Ryan

Jason Victor Serinus — Mon, 13 Feb 2012 02:26:42 +0000

This most sensitive artist presents Schubert’s emotionally chilling, potentially cathartic Winterreise (Winter journey).

The Manga Flute, West Edge Opera

Lisa Petrie — Mon, 13 Feb 2012 02:20:43 +0000

Manga meets Mozart in this colorful production.

Gatsby: All There But the Center

Jeff Dunn — Sun, 12 Feb 2012 19:44:08 +0000

Ensemble Paralléle's production of John Harbison’s The Great Gatsby, newly trimmed and reorchestrated with the help of Jacques Desjardins, is a triumph of improvement over previous productions.

Bang on a Can: Beautiful, Dark, and Scary

Matthew Cmiel — Fri, 10 Feb 2012 22:20:18 +0000

A ground-breaking new-music ensemble is still epically cool, releasing its first CD set in four years.

Time For Bruckner, Blomstedt, S.F. Symphony

Jeff Dunn — Fri, 10 Feb 2012 17:48:59 +0000

The S.F. Symphony's concert entirely devoted to Bruckner’s massive Fifth Symphony, offered a time-bending experience for those utterly engaged by the work.

Kids Around the Bay

Jeff Kaliss — Thu, 09 Feb 2012 19:36:36 +0000

Is This Real Treemonisha?

Jason Victor Serinus — Wed, 08 Feb 2012 19:43:57 +0000

Scott Joplin’s historically significant ragtime opera is reconstructed and heard anew, if not in an ideal performance.

Magnificat: Two Decades of Exploration

Trista Bernstein — Wed, 08 Feb 2012 19:30:09 +0000

A significant Baroque ensemble tops its 20th anniversary season with Monteverdi’s music on love and war.

Kirill Gerstein: Classical Ally to Jazz

Jim Farber — Wed, 08 Feb 2012 16:25:52 +0000

A young Russian-born pianist wins awards, emigrates to the West, concertizes widely, and teaches music at a prestigious school — all in a day’s work.

REDCAT: The Magic Down Below

Jim Farber — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 22:17:21 +0000

Los Angeles Philharmonic regulars and visitors might be unaware of it, but the best of L.A.’s adventurous contemporary arts scene is happening right beneath their feet.

Music News: Feb. 7, 2012

Janos Gereben — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 19:17:26 +0000

Riccardo Muti: Building Bridges With Music

Wynne Delacoma — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 18:16:52 +0000

The new music director of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, headed for performances in San Francisco, reflects on music’s ability to connect people and build the culture.

Wind Quintet Airlift to Menlo

Stephanie Jones — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 23:41:49 +0000

Music@Menlo’s winter series gets a French twist, with a wind quintet imported from Lincoln Center.

Singing Strings From the Cypress

Be'eri Moalem — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 22:27:34 +0000

Composite rhythms in a challenging program highlight a string quartet’s recital in an intimate art gallery.

Amassing For Glory

Anna Carol Dudley — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 18:54:17 +0000

Massive choral forces perform a 16th-century Italian Mass, to splendid effect.

Into the Soul of Camille Claudel

Georgia Rowe — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 18:23:23 +0000

In a stunning performance, a new song cycle is born, capturing episodes from the life of a French sculptor.

Takács Quartet

Michelle Dulak Thomson — Sat, 04 Feb 2012 01:35:54 +0000

Bay Area chamber music aficionados flock to the Cal Performances concerts of this exceptional ensemble.

TAO: The Art of the Drum

Lisa Petrie — Sat, 04 Feb 2012 01:28:56 +0000

The drummers of TAO bring a modern flair to the ancient art form, drawing on the diverse backgrounds of its performers.

Herbert Blomstedt conducts Bruckner's Symphony No. 5

Jeff Dunn — Sat, 04 Feb 2012 01:20:30 +0000

Herbert Blomstedt leads the Symphony in what many believe is his signature piece, Bruckner’s Fifth Symphony.

Joyce Yang: Everything Relative

David Bratman — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 16:37:30 +0000

The strong-fingered, highly rhythmic, and coolly emotional pianist Joyce Yang chooses a crafty program for her debut disc.

Elgar and Symphonies Enlighten at Marin

Jeff Dunn — Thu, 02 Feb 2012 19:11:16 +0000

If you ever wondered how today’s symphonies contrast with those of a century ago, a trip to the Marin Symphony to hear Alasdair Neal conduct the orchestra would have been enlightening.

Kids Around the Bay

Jeff Kaliss — Thu, 02 Feb 2012 16:51:00 +0000

A Legacy You Can't Refuse

Trista Bernstein — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 17:10:41 +0000

The mandolin-centered Luna Nova Quartet draws in listeners, with its unique sound and memories evoked of the instrument in many film scores.

Music News: Jan. 31, 2012

Janos Gereben — Tue, 31 Jan 2012 18:24:24 +0000

The Bold and Muti-ful Marriage at the Chicago Symphony

Wynne Delacoma — Tue, 31 Jan 2012 17:01:20 +0000

Faced with the retirement of one famous conductor, the Chicago Symphony went courting and landed its man.

Please Cry For Me, Argentina

Jim Farber — Tue, 31 Jan 2012 00:27:05 +0000

Long Beach Opera’s politicized version of Astor Piazzolla’s surreal “tango operita,” Maria de Buenos Aires treads a fine line.

How to Make Music Out of Misery

Michelle Dulak Thomson — Mon, 30 Jan 2012 22:53:41 +0000

A magnificent, fantastically controlled string quartet marches up the mountain with four Shostakovich quartets, plus a heartfelt bonus work.

English Delights From the PBO

Jonathan Rhodes Lee — Mon, 30 Jan 2012 18:57:41 +0000

An array of instrumental music, from delightful to incredible, make for an English feast, whipped up by a top guest-chef.

The Berkeley Symphony Time Machine

John Lutterman — Mon, 30 Jan 2012 17:54:19 +0000

Dreamlike reveries contrast with straightforward neoromanticism in the Berkeley Symphony’s programming of French and Russian composers.

Royal Mix From the Across the Pond

David Bratman — Mon, 30 Jan 2012 17:07:13 +0000

The Royal Philharmonic and pianist Thibaudet prove that the Hungarian half of its program can stand respectably next to the traditionally weighty Brahms German half.

The Passionate Guitar of Zoran Dukić

Scott Cmiel — Sun, 29 Jan 2012 22:47:18 +0000

An esteemed European guitarist is cheered to the rafters in his second Bay Area recital.

Kronos and Qasimov Explore Central Asia

Jeff Kaliss — Sun, 29 Jan 2012 17:43:03 +0000

Fresh from a European tour, the Kronos Quartet hosts a pair of Bay Area presentations of the tantalizing music of Azerbaijan, along with fascinating new additions to their repertoire.

Jindong Cai: Celebrating the Arts of Asia

Jeff Kaliss — Fri, 27 Jan 2012 22:23:57 +0000

The revered arts and culture of several Asian countries are celebrated in a festival at Stanford, now in its eighth year.

Pulling Out All the Stops on Arts Funding

Michael Zwiebach — Fri, 27 Jan 2012 17:40:36 +0000

Arts organizations serving their broad constituencies need to fight for — and celebrate — victories in government funding.

Kids Around the Bay

Jeff Kaliss — Thu, 26 Jan 2012 17:50:43 +0000

Leif Ove Andsnes: Quarter Century in the Spotlight

Trista Bernstein — Wed, 25 Jan 2012 17:17:24 +0000

A renowned Norwegian pianist finds home even on his frequent tours, and values the intimacy of smaller concert halls.

Masterpiece Recorded by Mackerras, At Last

Jeff Dunn — Wed, 25 Jan 2012 17:15:36 +0000

A fascinating, rarely heard Czech symphony by Josef Suk meditates on death, and is well worth a hearing.

Music News: Jan. 24, 2012

Janos Gereben — Tue, 24 Jan 2012 19:16:16 +0000

Classical Piano Duo for the YouTube Generation

Ken Iisaka — Tue, 24 Jan 2012 17:59:24 +0000

The dynamic piano duo Anderson and Roe covers the classics, and brings new life to popular works of today from various genres.

Food for Thought With the California Symphony

Jeff Dunn — Tue, 24 Jan 2012 17:23:50 +0000

Score one for the California Symphony and cello soloist Joshua Roman, who displays major talent.

Kahane's Triumphant Return to Santa Rosa

Steve Osborn — Mon, 23 Jan 2012 18:21:45 +0000

Revisiting his former home podium, a noted conductor and pianist connects wonderfully with colleagues in familiar and not-so-familiar music.

Welcome Aboard: Lamplighters Gondoliers

Janos Gereben — Sun, 22 Jan 2012 16:29:07 +0000

The Gondoliers presented by the Lamplighters offers a delightfully silly plot by G&S, and a happy ending, carried on the wings of captivating music, some worthy of Puccini.

Exquisite Contrasts Vitalize S.F. Symphony Afternoon

Jeff Dunn — Fri, 20 Jan 2012 22:24:49 +0000

Two dazzling women — a pianist, a flamenco singer — infused a San Francisco Symphony matinee with a vivacity that thrilled listeners.

Christopher Maltman's Journey Through Beauty

Georgia Rowe — Fri, 20 Jan 2012 22:04:53 +0000

An outstanding British baritone, blessed with a brilliant accompanist, takes listeners on an atmospheric cruise, with memorable highlights along the way.

Family Concert: Around the World in Song

Lisa Petrie — Fri, 20 Jan 2012 20:13:29 +0000

Benjamin Simon and the S.F. Chamber Orchestra delight in collaborating with youth ensembles such as the gifted Piedmont Choir.

Shostakovich, Scores

David Bratman — Fri, 20 Jan 2012 18:25:59 +0000

There’s something for everyone in the music on a new two-CD set that explores a hidden (and openly honest) side of Shostakovich: his movie scoring.

John Harbison: Gatsby Motors Into Town

Jeff Dunn — Fri, 20 Jan 2012 17:00:07 +0000

A Bay Area ensemble performs a reduced-forces version of a classic American novel, set in opera form by John Harbison.

The Great Gatsby: Ensemble Parallèle

Jason Victor Serinus — Fri, 20 Jan 2012 00:14:16 +0000

Ensemble Parallèle presents the world premiere of Jacques Desjardins’ chamber orchestration of John Harbison’s The Great Gatsby

Kids Around the Bay

Jeff Kaliss — Thu, 19 Jan 2012 16:57:19 +0000

Music and Cognition: The Mozart Effect Revisited

Jesse Hamlin — Thu, 19 Jan 2012 00:22:06 +0000

Listening to Mozart won’t make you smarter. Music training, though, appears to enhance language skills, according to recently reported studies.

Jake Heggie: To Compose a Triumph

Jason Victor Serinus — Wed, 18 Jan 2012 17:52:13 +0000

A voluble, wide-ranging San Francisco opera composer discusses the premiere of his song cycle portraying a French artistic genius.

The Dallas Opera Announces a Major New Opera

Jason Victor Serinus — Wed, 18 Jan 2012 00:30:16 +0000

Composer Jake Heggie and Librettist Terrence McNally team up to create Great Scott, an opera referencing bel canto works of yore, which The Dallas Opera will premiere three seasons hence.

S.F. Opera: Cautious Optimism

Janos Gereben — Tue, 17 Jan 2012 20:00:42 +0000

The San Francisco Opera is in a better position financially than previously reported, and the lineup for the upcoming season is impressive.

Music News: Jan. 17, 2012

Janos Gereben — Tue, 17 Jan 2012 19:15:20 +0000

Herbert Blomstedt: Homecoming

Georgia Rowe — Tue, 17 Jan 2012 17:13:59 +0000

A great conductor approaches 30 years in his ongoing love affair with his former symphony, leading two programs in February.

Warm Sounds of the Jupiter Quartet

Mark MacNamara — Mon, 16 Jan 2012 19:42:07 +0000

A much-lauded quartet soldiers on with two substitute players, due to a birth in the string family.

Susan Graham: Second That Emotion

Jason Victor Serinus — Sun, 15 Jan 2012 21:52:36 +0000

A recital by Susan Graham presented by Cal Performances offered a host of effortlessly produced sounds so healthy, warm, and filled with beauty that it was tempting to fantasize that life was equally sweet and uncomplicated.

A Martyr for the Masses

Lisa Hirsch — Sun, 15 Jan 2012 00:25:06 +0000

A semistaged production of Debussy's Martyr offered transporting performances, retaining spectacular elements of the original work, while emphasizing its beautiful music and religious mystery.

András Schiff, Ghost Whisperer

Anatole Leikin — Fri, 13 Jan 2012 17:51:12 +0000

From butterflies to specters, an esteemed pianist’s rendition of Schumann remains fitfully two-dimensional, respectable but too tame.