San Francisco

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

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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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Esa-Pekka Salonen finds his own style in Prokofiev after stumbling in Bartók

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United StatesUnited States Ravel, Bartók, Prokofiev: Pierre-Laurent Aimard (piano), San Francisco Symphony / Esa-Pekka Salonen (conductor). Davies Symphony Hall, San Francisco, 17.2.2023. (HS)

Esa-Pekka Salonen conducts pianist Pierre-Laurent Aimard and the SF Symphony © Kristen Loken

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Everest – An Immersive Experience wraps a graphic opera around the audience

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United StatesUnited States Joby Talbot, Everest – An Immersive Experience: Vocal ensemble, Soloists and Orchestra of Opera Parallèle / Nicole Paiement (conductor). Z Space, San Francisco, 3.2.2023. (HS)

Avatars of Hadleigh Adams as Doug Hansen (l) and Nathan Granner as Rob Hall – a vigorous duet as they start their final climb on Everest © Stefan Cohen

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San Francisco Opera’s upcoming 2023-2024 season emphasizes fresh works

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San Francisco Opera – September 2023 to June 2024

Music director Eun Sun Kim and general director Matthew Shilvock © Codey Pickens

Works by contemporary composers Mason Bates, Rhiannon Giddens and Kaija Saariaho bring fresh voices to San Francisco Opera’s next season at the War Memorial Opera House and continues a trend to present new works.

Adding to last fall’s world premiere of Antony and Cleopatra by John Adams and this coming June’s El último sueño de Frida y Diego by Gabriela Lena Frank, these three pieces place San Francisco squarely in an era that is reviving interest in modern opera.

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With Michael Tilson Thomas back on the San Francisco Symphony podium, a program of rarities springs to life

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United StatesUnited States Debussy, Messiaen, Villa-Lobos: Jean-Yves Thibaudet (piano), Cynthia Miller (ondes Martenot), San Francisco Symphony Chorus (guest director: Grant Gershon), San Francisco Symphony / Michael Tilson Thomas (conductor). Davies Symphony Hall, San Francisco, 26.1.2023. (HS)

Michael Tilson Thomas and Jean-Yves Thibaudet share a moment at the start of Debussy’s Fantaisie © Stefan Cohen

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