Classical Music

Esa-Pekka Salonen, pictured in his first performance with the orchestra as music director designate, won’t be opening San Francisco Symphony’s fall 2020 season in Davies Hall. (Courtesy Brandon Patoc/San Francisco Symphony)

San Francisco Symphony cancels concerts through Dec. 31

Fall 2020 season will not go on in Davies Hall due to pandemic

Esa-Pekka Salonen, pictured in his first performance with the orchestra as music director designate, won’t be opening San Francisco Symphony’s fall 2020 season in Davies Hall. (Courtesy Brandon Patoc/San Francisco Symphony)
Eun Sun Kim, San Francisco Opera’s music director designate, won’t be conducting “Fidelio” in the War Memorial Opera House in September. (Courtesy Kristen Loken)

San Francisco Opera cancels 2020 fall season

Spring performances remain scheduled for 2021

Eun Sun Kim, San Francisco Opera’s music director designate, won’t be conducting “Fidelio” in the War Memorial Opera House in September. (Courtesy Kristen Loken)
San Francisco Symphony’s online celebration of departing music director Michael Tilson Thomas began with a focus on his first year leading the orchestra. (Courtesy San Francisco Symphony)

SF Symphony celebrates MTT’s 25 years with 25 days of online programs

Beloved music director to be honored in June 28 virtual tribute

San Francisco Symphony’s online celebration of departing music director Michael Tilson Thomas began with a focus on his first year leading the orchestra. (Courtesy San Francisco Symphony)
Community Music Center voice teacher Jonathan Smucker, accompanied by by Michael Mohammed, appeared in the first program of the organization’s annual Field Day fundraiser in the first of a week-long series on Facebook.(Courtesy photo)

Community Music Center kicks off virtual Field Day

Festive annual performance marathon raises funds for scholarships

Community Music Center voice teacher Jonathan Smucker, accompanied by by Michael Mohammed, appeared in the first program of the organization’s annual Field Day fundraiser in the first of a week-long series on Facebook.(Courtesy photo)
San Francisco Ballet is streaming Cathy Marston’s “Snowblind,” a highlight of the troupe’s 2018 Unbound programming of new works. (Courtesy Erik Tomasson)

Stream coronavirus blues away with classical, dance

Regular online offerings from ballet, symphony, choral groups and much more

San Francisco Ballet is streaming Cathy Marston’s “Snowblind,” a highlight of the troupe’s 2018 Unbound programming of new works. (Courtesy Erik Tomasson)
Children’s Musical Theater San Jose kicks off today’s virtual concert and fundraiser for a pavilion in San Jose’s St. James Park. (Courtesy photo)

May Day for the Arts promotes South Bay pavilion project

Friends of Levitt Pavilion San Jose hosts community concert

Children’s Musical Theater San Jose kicks off today’s virtual concert and fundraiser for a pavilion in San Jose’s St. James Park. (Courtesy photo)
H.P. Mendoza’s San Francisco-set “Fruit Fly” closes CAAMFest Online: Heritage at Home on May 22. (Courtesy CAAMFest)

Jam-packed Asian Pacific American Heritage Month goes online

Share culture in books, food, films, fine art, music, panels

H.P. Mendoza’s San Francisco-set “Fruit Fly” closes CAAMFest Online: Heritage at Home on May 22. (Courtesy CAAMFest)
The San Francisco Symphony has canceled the remainder of its season. Courtesy Stefan Cohen

SF Symphony cancels all concerts for remainder of 2019-2020 season

The San Francisco Symphony announced the cancellation of all its remaining concerts…

The San Francisco Symphony has canceled the remainder of its season. Courtesy Stefan Cohen
Violinist Alexi Kenney appears in the premiere Tiny Dorm Concert at 5 p.m. March 27. (Courtesy photo)

SF Conservatory kicks off digital Tiny Dorm Concert series

Students, alumni, faculty and friends appear in online music, lecture sessions

Violinist Alexi Kenney appears in the premiere Tiny Dorm Concert at 5 p.m. March 27. (Courtesy photo)
“Aaron Copland and the American Sound,” part of the San Francisco Symphony’s “Keeping Score” documentary and filmed concert series, is streaming on the symphony’s YouTube channel through April 8. (Courtesy San Francisco Symphony)

S.F. Symphony streams ‘Keeping Score’ series

Documentaries, filmed concerts online in wake of performance cancellations

“Aaron Copland and the American Sound,” part of the San Francisco Symphony’s “Keeping Score” documentary and filmed concert series, is streaming on the symphony’s YouTube channel through April 8. (Courtesy San Francisco Symphony)
Pocket Opera’s “Don Giovanni” featured Jaime Korkos as Donna Elvira and Anders Fröhlich as Don Giovanni. (Courtesy Nicholas Korkos)

Pocket Opera, Mozart conquer the coronavirus

Sunday’s show goes on in appealing 43rd season opener

Pocket Opera’s “Don Giovanni” featured Jaime Korkos as Donna Elvira and Anders Fröhlich as Don Giovanni. (Courtesy Nicholas Korkos)
Cellist Maya Beiser and dancer Wendy Whelan appear in “The Day” at Herbst Theatre. (Courtesy Hayim Heron)

Dance in ‘The Day’ lacks urgency

Beiser, Whelan, Lang, Childs collaboration feels self-couscious

Cellist Maya Beiser and dancer Wendy Whelan appear in “The Day” at Herbst Theatre. (Courtesy Hayim Heron)
San Francisco Symphony is slated to perform a new composition by Chinese-born American composer Fang Man in March 2021. (Courtesy photo)

Esa-Pekka Salonen plans innovative 109th SF Symphony season

Dozens of premieres, first local performances in 2020-21

San Francisco Symphony is slated to perform a new composition by Chinese-born American composer Fang Man in March 2021. (Courtesy photo)
Catherine Cook reprises her role as Julia Child in a fundraiser for Opera Parallèle at Hayes Street Grill. (Courtesy Brian Staufenbiel)

Catherine Cook plays Julia Child in “Bon Appétit’

Mezzo-soprano sings and bakes in comic opera

Catherine Cook reprises her role as Julia Child in a fundraiser for Opera Parallèle at Hayes Street Grill. (Courtesy Brian Staufenbiel)
Jennifer Ashworth sings the title role in Lamplighters Music Theatre’s “Princess Ida.” (Courtesy Lucas Buxman)

Lamplighters revive, renew ‘Princess Ida’

Longtime troupe leaders present comic operetta updated for 21st century

Jennifer Ashworth sings the title role in Lamplighters Music Theatre’s “Princess Ida.” (Courtesy Lucas Buxman)
Apollon Musagète Quartet plays Feb. 9 in a Chamber Music San Francisco presentation. (Courtesy Nicolai Lund/Arts Management Group)

Winter 2020 Arts Preview: Classical

Virtuoso performers and dedicated amateurs bring chamber, choral, symphonic, jazz and world music to concert halls

Apollon Musagète Quartet plays Feb. 9 in a Chamber Music San Francisco presentation. (Courtesy Nicolai Lund/Arts Management Group)
Eun Sun Kim conducts San Francisco Opera’s gala opening concert and “Fidelio.” (Courtesy Marc Olivier Le Blanc)

Stories of political struggle on tap for SF Opera’s 98th season

‘Fidelio,’ ‘Handmaid’s Tale,’ ‘Der Zwerg’ come to War Memorial

Eun Sun Kim conducts San Francisco Opera’s gala opening concert and “Fidelio.” (Courtesy Marc Olivier Le Blanc)
New Century Chamber Orchestra headed by Daniel Hope, center, is celebrating Beethoven’s 250th birthday. (Courtesy Matthew Washburn)

New Century Chamber Orchestra debuts in new Presidio Theatre

Ensemble plays Beethoven in state-of-the-art venue

New Century Chamber Orchestra headed by Daniel Hope, center, is celebrating Beethoven’s 250th birthday. (Courtesy Matthew Washburn)
Avshalom Weinstein, left, and his father Amnon Weinstein are the founders of “Violins of Hope.”(Courtesy photo)

Holocaust-era instruments tell untold stories

‘Violins of Hope’ recalls lives, music of those who suffered at hands of Nazis

Avshalom Weinstein, left, and his father Amnon Weinstein are the founders of “Violins of Hope.”(Courtesy photo)
Mezzo-soprano Sasha Cooke, San Francisco Symphony artist-in-residence, sings with the orchestra next week. (Courtesy Stephanie Girard)

SF Symphony premieres MTT’s ‘Meditations on Rilke’

German poet’s evocative writing at center of ‘Love and Lyricism’ concerts

Mezzo-soprano Sasha Cooke, San Francisco Symphony artist-in-residence, sings with the orchestra next week. (Courtesy Stephanie Girard)