Lively casts and timely reflections mark the premiere of this sports opera double bill in San Francisco

United StatesUnited States ‘Birds & Balls’: Soloists, Orchestra of Opera Parallèle / Nicole Paiement (conductor). SFJAZZ Miner Auditorium, San Francisco, 5.4.2024. (HS)

Nikola Printz (Billie Jean King) and Nathan Granner (Bobby Riggs) in an operatic reenactment of their 1973 match © Kristen Loken

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Esa-Pekka Salonen’s distinctive Sibelius in the first SFS concert after announcing his 2025 departure

United StatesUnited States Sibelius: Lisa Batiashvili (violin), San Francisco Symphony / Esa-Pekka Salonen (conductor). Davies Symphony Hall, San Francisco, 14.3.2024. (HS)

SFS librarian Margo Keiser presents Esa-Pekka Salonen with a bouquet from the musicians © Kristen Loken

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SF Symphony in 2024-25 and news about Esa-Pekka Salonen

Esa-Pekka Salonen and San Francisco Symphony to part ways after one final season

Conductor Esa-Pekka Salonen © Drew Altizer

Esa-Pekka Salonen surprised almost everyone in 2018 by signing a five-year contract to be San Francisco Symphony’s music director after he had told the world that he did not want to have that role again. His tenure began in 2020 – unfortunately coinciding with the onset of COVID-19 – and now there will not be another term. He will leave the post when his five-year contract ends in June 2025. The organization has just over a year to decide who might be next to lead the orchestra.

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Kronos Quartet enchants with Indonesian singer-composer Peni Candra Rini’s world premiere

United StatesUnited States Various: Kronos Quartet (David Harrington, John Sherba [violins], Hank Dutt [viola], Paul Wiancko [cello]), Peni Candra Rini (voice), Leslie Gray, Andy McGraw, Midiyanto (shadow theater). Cal Performances, Zellerbach Hall, University of California, Berkeley, 2.3.2024. (HS)

The cat ‘scherzo’ from gfedcba by Michael Gordon © Lenny Gonzalez

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