Classical Music

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)
At center, from left, Robin Johannsen, Nicholas McGegan and Nicholas Phan perform in Philharmonia Baroque Orchestra and Chorale’s “Judas Maccabaeus.” (Courtesy Frank Wing)

Philharmonia Baroque’s ‘Judas Maccabaeus’ a triumph

Soloists, chorus shine in oratorio telling tale of Jewish victory

At center, from left, Robin Johannsen, Nicholas McGegan and Nicholas Phan perform in Philharmonia Baroque Orchestra and Chorale’s “Judas Maccabaeus.” (Courtesy Frank Wing)
Eun Sun Kim is slated to lead this weekend’s Adler Fellows Concert featuring up-and-coming singers. (Courtesy Nikolaj Lund)

Eun Sun Kim named San Francisco Opera music director

Korean conductor’s skyrocketing career includes engagements across the world

Eun Sun Kim is slated to lead this weekend’s Adler Fellows Concert featuring up-and-coming singers. (Courtesy Nikolaj Lund)
San Francisco Community Music Center’s “Navidad en la Misión” on Dec. 6 at Mission Dolores Basilica includes holiday music from across the centuries sung in Spanish. (Courtesy Judy Rosenfeld)

Holiday Classical and Choral 2019: Sing on!

Carols and more in churches and concert halls

San Francisco Community Music Center’s “Navidad en la Misión” on Dec. 6 at Mission Dolores Basilica includes holiday music from across the centuries sung in Spanish. (Courtesy Judy Rosenfeld)
Kitka’s repertoire features music from Eastern Europe and Eurasia. (Courtesy Vincent Louis Carrella)

Kitka’s ‘Wintersongs’ address climate change

Striking vocal ensemble sounds ancient and futuristic at the same time

Kitka’s repertoire features music from Eastern Europe and Eurasia. (Courtesy Vincent Louis Carrella)
From left, Heidi Stober as Gretel, Robert Brubaker as the Witch and Sasha Cooke as Hansel appear in San Francisco Opera’s “Hansel and Gretel.” (Courtesy Cory Weaver/San Francisco Opera)

SF Opera sets holiday mood with gentler, charming ‘Hansel and Gretel’

Family-friendly production lightens Grimm fairy tale

From left, Heidi Stober as Gretel, Robert Brubaker as the Witch and Sasha Cooke as Hansel appear in San Francisco Opera’s “Hansel and Gretel.” (Courtesy Cory Weaver/San Francisco Opera)
Lianna Haroutounian and Brian Jagde excel in San Francisco Opera’s “Manon Lescaut.” (Courtesy Cory Weaver/San Francisco Opera)

Favorite principals appeal in San Francisco Opera’s ‘Manon Lescaut’

Nicola Luisotti conducts with passion, great reception in return to podium

Lianna Haroutounian and Brian Jagde excel in San Francisco Opera’s “Manon Lescaut.” (Courtesy Cory Weaver/San Francisco Opera)
Karina Canellakis leads a Russian program with the San Francisco Symphony on Oct. 24-26 at Davies Symphony Hall. (Courtesy Mathias Bothor)

Karina Canellakis shares ‘thrilling ride’ with orchestras worldwide

Conductor calls quick rapport with musicians ‘natural’

Karina Canellakis leads a Russian program with the San Francisco Symphony on Oct. 24-26 at Davies Symphony Hall. (Courtesy Mathias Bothor)
Joseph Young, pictured conducting the Berkeley Symphony, opens the orchestra’s season on Oct. 24 at Zellerbach Hall. (Courtesy Dave Welland)

Joseph Young takes lead of Berkeley Symphony

Conductor heads up diverse, premiere-laden 2019-20 season

Joseph Young, pictured conducting the Berkeley Symphony, opens the orchestra’s season on Oct. 24 at Zellerbach Hall. (Courtesy Dave Welland)
Philharmonia Baroque Orchestra and Chorale, led by Nicholas McGegan, performs new and old music in “A Cosmic Notion.” (Courtesy photo)

Philharmonia Baroque peforms lofty season opener

‘Cosmic’ concert spans from Handel to otherworldly Shaw premiere

Philharmonia Baroque Orchestra and Chorale, led by Nicholas McGegan, performs new and old music in “A Cosmic Notion.” (Courtesy photo)
Rick Wakeman’s The Grumpy Old Rock Star tour at the Castro on Saturday includes covers from his 2018 album “Piano Odyssey” as well as fun anecdotes. (Courtesy photo)

Rick Wakeman brings his piano and comedy tour to The City

Yes keyboardist covers five-decade career in solo concert

Rick Wakeman’s The Grumpy Old Rock Star tour at the Castro on Saturday includes covers from his 2018 album “Piano Odyssey” as well as fun anecdotes. (Courtesy photo)
From left, Jeanine De Bique, Michael Sumuel and Nicole Heaston appear in San Francisco Opera’s “The Marriage of Figaro.” (Courtesy Cory Weaver/San Francisco Opera)

New production fine match for SF Opera’s ‘Marriage of Figaro’

‘Manor home’ trilogy of Mozart works gets off to good start

From left, Jeanine De Bique, Michael Sumuel and Nicole Heaston appear in San Francisco Opera’s “The Marriage of Figaro.” (Courtesy Cory Weaver/San Francisco Opera)
Michael Tilson Thomas conducted the San Francisco Symphony on Thursday in the premiere of John Adams’ “I Still Dance,” Schumann’s Symphony No. 3 and Rachmaninoff’s Piano Concerto No. 4 performed by Daniil Trifonov. (Courtesy Grittani Creative LTD)

SF Symphony debuts John Adams’ lively salute to MTT

Pianist Daniil Trifonov joins orchestra in enaging program

Michael Tilson Thomas conducted the San Francisco Symphony on Thursday in the premiere of John Adams’ “I Still Dance,” Schumann’s Symphony No. 3 and Rachmaninoff’s Piano Concerto No. 4 performed by Daniil Trifonov. (Courtesy Grittani Creative LTD)
John Chest, right, pictured with Brenton Ryan, sings the title role in San Francisco Opera’s “Billy Budd.” (Cory Weaver/San Francisco Opera)

SF Opera stages commanding ‘Billy Budd’

All male cast dazzles in Britten opera about good vs. evil

John Chest, right, pictured with Brenton Ryan, sings the title role in San Francisco Opera’s “Billy Budd.” (Cory Weaver/San Francisco Opera)