Music News
UPDATE: Symphony’s Gala of Good Cheer
For an orchestra approaching the century mark, the San Francisco Symphony looked and sounded mighty frisky at its season-opening gala Wednesday night in Davies Hall.
An industrial-strength organization — which turns 100 in 2011, has an operating on a budget of $54 million, and plays for an audience of 600,000 each season — SFS and the bejeweled Davies Hall crowd of 2,700 have united in giving the impression of a successful junior prom, combined with virtuoso performances.
Michael Tilson Thomas conducting the orchestra
Photos by Kristen Loken
Good cheer and musical excellence began as the audience, responding to Michael Tilson Thomas’ animated conducting, delivered a powerful, roof-shaking “Star-Spangled Banner,” easily the best I’ve heard in the 31 season-opening concerts I’ve attended. Then, with the professional orchestra musicians taking over for the talented amateurs of the audience, the enchanting ballet music from Delibes’ Sylvia lifted spirits even more.
Raw energy continued to flow with the Symphonic Dance Suite from Bernstein’s West Side Story. From the finger-snapping “Prologue” to the syrupy “Somewhere,” the fightin’ “Rumble,” the extra-cool “Cool Fugue,” “Mambo,” and “Cha-Cha.” MTT led a vital performance, which approached the intensity and overwhelming experience of the same music played in the same hall less than a year ago by the Simón Bolívar Youth Orchestra of Venezuela, under the baton of Gustavo Dudamel.
The main course of the second half followed the appetizers before the intermission. Rachmaninov’s Piano Concerto No. 3 in D Minor is not just the most difficult work of the genre, it is an obsession, a nightmare, a potential apotheosis for pianists. (If you haven’t seen “Rach 3″ chronicled in Shine, you could activate your Netflix account.)
Yefim Bronfman
Under MTT’s supportive and knowing baton, the orchestra knitted a silk-smooth, “Russian-accented” carpet to support Yefim Bronfman’s steely fingered, technically dazzling, and relentlessly powerful piano. There might have been some fluctuation in the opening Allegro between mere sounds and “real music,” but the unbridled romanticism of the Adagio was winning, and the Finale was miraculous.
It takes 40 minutes of superhuman effort to come to the conclusion of the concerto. Yet Bronfman finished this marathon in full possession of strength and ability, producing powerful “singing” that normally exists only as an objective or an ideal, rather than actual fact.
The resulting ovation formed the second bracket, barely containing the evening’s overflowing good cheer. MTT and SFS had a grand start to a promising season.
Composers, Inc. Sails Into Year 25
The unique organization of Composers, Inc. is continuing its pursuit of all-new-music-at-all-times into its 25th season. The opening concert, on Oct. 14, will feature seven world premieres by California composers, including Ann Callaway, Edmund Campion, Matthew Cmiel, Cindy Cox, Donald Crockett, Richard Felciano, and Derek Jacoby.
On the program: Campion’s From Swan Songs, performed by violinist David Abel and pianist Julie Steinberg, and Crockett’s Wet Ink, played by Victor Romasevich and Marilyn Thompson — those two will be joined by San Francisco Symphony principal hornist Robert Ward to perform Callaway’s Ballade for violin, horn, and piano.
Cox’s Turner (paying tribute to the painter J.M.W. Turner) will be performed by violist Ellen Ruth Rose with the composer at the piano. Jacoby’s Trio No. 2 will feature the New Pacific Trio, resident ensemble at the University of the Pacific, consisting of violinist Ann Miller, cellist Nina Flyer, and pianist Sonia Leong.
Felciano’s Festa for vibraphone and piano will be presented by SFS principal percussionist Jack Van Geem and pianist Marc Shapiro. Van Geem and percussionists Ward Spangler and Artie Storch will perform Dance Like Mad by Cmiel. For ticket information, call (415) 392-4400.
David Abel and Julie Steinberg
Photo by Patrick Roddie
Paying for Bonesetter
Opera is expensive. New productions are even costlier. And, world premieres cost an arm and a leg … made of precious stones.
For a third of a century until 2005, David Gockley produced at least one premiere every single season he headed Houston Grand Opera. Since he took over the San Francisco Opera three years ago, he’s been upholding that bold policy, somehow finding the extra funds needed, even in the midst of catching up with what he is referring to as “the recent years of tremendous financial stress,” meaning a deficit, now eliminated. But now, there is another period of great stress out there, and Gockley is facing the financing of yet another commissioned world premiere, that of the Stewart Wallace-Amy Tan opera The Bonesetter’s Daughter.
Given its complex sets, rich costumes, and the cost of commissioning, staffing, casting, rehearsing the work, this will cost a pretty penny. How much? When asked the question outright, Gockley did a quick calculation and came up with the total of $1.3 million.
Since that conversation last week, some additional facts have entered into the budget equation. The authorization of an additional, full run-through (a virtual second dress rehearsal) means serious extra cost. Costumes and props are imported from China (naturally enough), and they are not from any bargain basement — “designed by Han Feng and made in Shanghai, [they] mix modern Chinese fabrics and antique cloth,”
Bonesetter costumes
Chances are $1.3 million will turn out to be a significantly underestimated total, but if Gockley’s track record is upheld, his bet will be covered. The company’s first obligation, he has said, is to survive, meaning to not spend beyond its means. When outgo increases, the general director must find more income — and chances are it will not come from ticket sales, even if Bonesetter is a rousing success. It’s a tough job, running an opera company, especially one trying to keep producing new works.
So far, significant support has come from John A. and Cynthia Fry Gunn, Roberta Bialek, OPERA America’s Opera Fund, and the National Endowment for the Arts. There are also the San Francisco Opera Company Sponsors: the Ann and Gordon Getty Foundation, William and Flora Hewlett Foundation, Franklin and Catherine Johnson, Koret Foundation, Mrs. Edmund W. Littlefield, Bernard and Barbro Osher. Wells Fargo is the season sponsor of San Francisco Opera; corporate partners include United Airlines and Chevron.
Production photo from Bonesetter
Photo by Terrence McCarthy
China, Here We Come?
It’s way early and completely unconfirmed, but Big Ears here is picking up serious conversations about the San Francisco Opera production of The Bonesetter’s Daughter touring Shanghai and three other Chinese cities. This would happen during the company’s December to March off-season, partially (and heavily) subsidized by organizations in China.
The tour would include the San Francisco cast, chorus, and production team — all but the stage crew. The part of the plan with regards to taking the Opera orchestra as well needs lots of work, as the musicians are contracted for only 24 weeks, and this would be on top of the contract. However, chances are that the complete production, including orchestra, would be the most attractive scenario to the hosts in China.
Magik Future, Aspirations for Health Care
After the debut of the Magik*Magik Orchestra last month, we asked founder Minna Choi about the group’s plans.
Future plans include a show with Carla Kihlstedt’s band 2 Foot Yard in November, a couple film scores in the spring, and some prospective recording projects with some bands at Tiny Telephone are also being tossed around for the end of this year, among other surprises.
Our longer term goal is to file for 501(c)(3) status this year and secure enough donor funding to one day be in the position to offer health care to the 40-50 young folks involved. After finishing school, most of us go without [insurance] and that’s a problem that would be cool to solve somehow in a creative way. Joel Hamilton, our sound guru, also happens to be really involved in helping young music freelancers get health care and we’ve been brainstorming cool ways to incorporate that into our business model.
Joel Hamilton
Photo by Trisha O’Hara
Symphony as Ballet, Lengthwise
The San Francisco Symphony’s Sept. 10–12 subscription concerts, featuring Beethoven’s Symphony No. 9, will also include Oliver Knussen’s Symphony No. 3. (On Sept. 13, only the Beethoven will be performed, in a Pension Fund benefit concert.)
The Knussen work runs about 15 minutes, and it will be followed by a 25-minute intermission before the hour-long Beethoven. Balletomanes can relate to the timing, having been through repertory events of 15- to 20-minute pieces, followed by half-hour intermissions.
Oliver Knussen
Left Coast Turnover
As Kurt Rohde begins his Rome Prize residency, he is turning over his Left Coast Chamber Ensemble to Interim Director Anna Presler. Rohde says:
For the past five years, I have really been burning the candle at all ends. In addition to my letting the ‘101 things that I do’ go, it was time for someone to do different things with LCCE.
I was artistic director of LCCE for 16 years. I will still play viola in the group and volunteer for things, but no more ‘being in charge.’ It is a nice relief overall, and came at the right time: I was not yet sick of it, no one hated me yet, and things were going well. Anna will be director for the next two years, and in time, we will figure out what we will do next: the group involves all members in the process.
The new Left Coast season begins Nov. 6, with a program called Metamorphoses, featuring world premieres by William Beck and Wayne Peterson, and the music of Bloch, Britten, and Dohnányi.
S.F. Opera Broadcasts
Broadcasts of recent San Francisco Opera performances continue on the WFMT network, Saturday mornings at 10:30 a.m., with some especially interesting programs coming up:
- Sept. 6 — Gluck’s Iphigénie en Tauride, with Susan Graham, Bo Skovhus, Paul Groves, and Mark S. Doss; conducted by Patrick Summers.
- Sept. 13 — Puccini’s Madama Butterfly, with Patricia Racette, Brandon Jovanovich, Zheng Cao, and Stephen Powell; conducted by Donald Runnicles.
- Sept. 20 — Phillip Glass’ Appomattox, with Dwayne Croft, Andrew Shore, Roslyn Jones, and Elza van den Heever; conducted by Dennis Russell Davies.
- Sept. 27 — Wagner’s Das Rheingold, with Mark Delavan, Stefan Margita, Richard Paul Fink, Jennifer Larmore, Jill Grove, David Cangolesi, Andrea Silvestrelli, and Günther Groissböck; conducted by Donald Runnicles.
- Oct. 4 — Handel’s Ariodante, with Susan Graham, Ruth Ann Swenson, Sonia Prina, Veronica Cangemi, Richard Croft, and Eric Owens; conducted by Patrick Summers.
Appomattox
Strange Prediction: ‘Good and Sick’ of Bernstein
Terry Teachout writes in The Wall Street Journal:
Leonard Bernstein would have turned 90 years old last Monday, and next month Carnegie Hall and the New York Philharmonic will join forces to celebrate the occasion with “The Best of All Possible Worlds,” a four-month festival of performances, lectures, film screenings, and general hoopla.
Truth to tell, the festivities have already started — PBS has been replaying its 1998 American Masters documentary on Bernstein at what seems like hourly intervals, and summer music festivals are programming his compositions by the carload — so by the time Michael Tilson Thomas and the San Francisco Symphony finally get around to a pair of all-Bernstein concerts in San Francisco on Sept. 17, and kick off the proceedings at Carnegie Hall a week later, we may well be good and sick of the conductor-composer-commentator-cutup whom the world once knew simply as “Lenny.”
For the Davies Hall concerts, see about the Carnegie Hall festival.
Leonard Bernstein
Et Tu, Australia?
In wake of the Beijing Olympics, and eight years late, the Sydney Symphony has confirmed that it mimed its entire performance at the opening ceremony of the 2000 Sydney Olympics. Even worse, the tape was recorded, in part, by its southern rival, the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra.
“It was all prerecorded and the MSO did record a minority of the music that was performed,” the Sydney Symphony Managing Director Libby Christie has said. The reason the orchestra did not play live was that Olympics organizers “wanted to leave nothing to chance.” The chief conductor of the orchestra back then was former San Francisco Symphony Music Director Edo de Waart.
Janos Gereben (janosg@gmail.com) is a regular contributor to San Francisco Classical Voice.
©2008 By Janos Gereben, all rights reserved.
In defense of the Melbourne Symphony, it would be near impossible for an orchestra to play together in a stadium. The echo is so late and because of amplification, so strong that it would be very confusing to any musician, let alone a group of musicians. Indeed, many solo vocalists singing the national anthem have suffered train wrecks due to stadium acoustics — search for Michael Bolton’s performance on youtube and you’ll hear what I’m talking about.
A full orchestra? Forget it! Can you imagine how upset the people of every nation would become when the orchestra messed up their national anthem? I certainly don’t condone orchestra-synching, but that is the only way it would work in big stadium. Perhaps it’s inappropriate for orchestras to perform in stadiums in the first place.
This came to people’s attention in light of the little chinese girl who wasn’t permitted to lip-synch her own performance at the olympics because it was felt that she wasn’t attractive enough. That was inexcusable!
Please forgive the digression, but this is yet another reminder of why we should have boycotted the olympics in the first place. We shouldn’t support any country in which people’s basic human rights like freedom of expression (or even the right to be acknowledged for your own performance if you are judged not to look good enough) are at the mercy of the state. Looking the other way as we buy their cheap slave-made widgets is shameful, and may come back to haunt us or our children someday in the future.
Posted by Joe Schmeaux on September 2, 2008 at 3:25 pm