A thrilling Frau ohne Schatten delivers the goods in San Francisco

United StatesUnited States R. Strauss, Die Frau ohne Schatten: Soloists, Chorus and Orchestra of San Francisco Opera / Sir Donald Runnicles (conductor). War Memorial Opera House, San Francisco, 10.6.2023. (HS)

Camilla Nylund (Empress), Nina Stemme (Barak’s Wife), Johan Reuter (Barak) and David Butt Philip (Emperor) © Cory Weaver

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J’Nai Bridges and Ulysses Owens Jr. cross over their musical styles in ‘Notes on Hope’, with uneven success

United StatesUnited States Various, ‘Notes on Hope’: J’Nai Bridges (mezzo-soprano), Ulysses Owens Jr. (percussion), Reuben Rogers (string bass), Carol Robbins (harp), Ted Rosenthal (piano), David Rosenthal (guitar), Jalen Baker (vibraphone). San Francisco Performances, Herbst Theatre, San Francisco, 28.4.2023. (HS)

Ulysses Oens Jr. © Rayon Richards

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An odd but fascinating olio from Wu Man and the Kronos Quartet

United StatesUnited States Various: Wu Man (pipa), Kronos Quartet / David Harrington, John Sherba (violins), Hank Dutt (viola), Paul Wiancko (cello). Presented by Cal Performances, Zellerbach Hall, University of California, Berkeley, 1.4.2023. (HS)

Kronos Quartet has a twenty-year association with the pipa artist Wu Han © Stephen Kahn

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