San Francisco Classical Voice

San Francisco Symphony Opening Gala
The San Francisco Symphony season begins on Sept. 6 with Glinka's Ruslan and Ludmila Overture, Stravinsky's D-Major Violin Concerto, and Dvorák's Eighth Symphony. The intelligent and compelling Christian Tetzlaff is the violinist. As SFCV's Robert Commanday noted in March, this is a "real program, worthy to launch the season." Sept. 6, 8:30 p.m., Davies Hall, San Francisco, $130-$375, (415) 864-6000, www.sfsymphony.org. (M.V.C.)

S.F. Opera's A Masked Ball
San Francisco Opera's first season under General Director David Gockley opens with Verdi's midcareer A Masked Ball. Deborah Voigt stars as Amelia, with debuting tenor Marcus Haddock as the jolly King Gustav and debuting baritone Ambroglio Maestri as Amelia's fatally jealous husband, Ankarström. Marco Armiliato conducts. Sept. 8, 13, 17, times vary, War Memorial Opera House, San Francisco, $25-$235, (415) 864-3330, www.sfopera.com. (L.H.)

Opera San José's Roméo et Juliette
The South Bay scene kicks off with a rarity of particular interest. Beginning early this month, Opera San José starts its run of eight performances at the California Theatre of Gounod's lyric Roméo et Juliette, not heard in the Bay Area since Festival Opera's 2004 production. OSJ sports a new lineup of headline talent, including soprano Rochelle Bard making her debut as Juliette. The prize-winning Bard comes with a pedigree of East Coast companies, most recently in major roles with the Baltimore Opera. Sept. 9, 12, 15, 8 p.m.; Sept. 10, 17, 3 p.m.; California Theatre, San Jose, $65-$85, (408) 437-4450, www.operasj.org. (S.M.)

Die Fledermaus
Also at S.F. Opera this month is Johann Strauss Jr.'s operetta of marital indiscretion and revenge. Christine Goerke is Rosalinde, Wolfgang Brendel is Eisenstein, and Donald Runnicles conducts. Sept. 9, 12, 14, 16; Oct. 4, 8, 13; times vary, War Memorial Opera House, San Francisco, $30-$245, (415) 864-3330, www.sfopera.com. (M.V.C.)

The Peony Pavilion
Love conquers death in The Peony Pavilion, as a scholar falls in love with the ghost of a young girl and then brings her back from the grave. In its original form, the Chinese kunqu opera, a great classic, lasted 20 hours; Cal Performances presents a nine-hour version over three nights. You can, if you like, attend only one three-hour segment. There will also be a symposium on the piece Sept. 14-17 at Alumni House on the UC Berkeley campus (times not yet announced). Sept. 15-16, 7 p.m; Sept. 17, 3 p.m.; Zellerbach Hall, UC Berkeley, $30-$86, (510) 642-9988, www.calperfs.berkeley.edu/presents. (L.H.)

Il Trovatore
San Francisco Lyric Opera starts its new season at the Legion of Honor with Giuseppe Verdi's tragic Il Trovatore. Duana Demus is Leonore, Ben Bongers is Manrico, and Roberto Gomez is the Count di Luna. Sept. 15-16 and 22, 7:30 p.m.; Sept. 24, 1:30 p.m.; Florence Gould Theater, San Francisco, $15-$28, (415) 392-4400, www.sflyricopera.org. (M.V.C.)

Choral 9/11 Memorials
The fifth anniversary of 9/11 has brought out the best in the Bay Area's choral community. Pacific Collegium and Pacific Boychoir are performing a benefit concert for the National Disaster Search Dog Foundation, featuring the 1950s version of Duruflé's Requiem, with orchestra, as well as Gerald Finzi's lush Lo, the full final sacrifice and his innocent Dies Natalis. Sept. 9, 7:30 p.m., St. Paul's Episcopal Church, Oakland; Sept. 10, Trinity Episcopal Church, San Francisco; $10-$30, info@pacificcollegium.org, www.pacificcollegium.org.
On the day of Sept. 11, San Francisco City Chorus presents a concert of Mozart's Requiem, with a combined force of more than 150 singers drawn from area choruses. Sept. 11, 8 p.m., First Congregational Church, Berkeley, free, (415) 701-7664, www.sfcitychorus.org. (M.V.C.)

Kronos Remembers 9/11
The Bay Area's own Kronos Quartet marks the fifth anniversary of 9/11 with the West Coast premiere of Michael Gordon's The Sad Park, based on children's reactions to Ground Zero in New York. The program also includes music from Iraq, Afghanistan, Kazakhstan, and other regions of the Middle East and has all the makings of a haunting and unsettling performance. Sept. 11, 8 p.m., Yerba Buena Center, San Francisco, $35-$49, (415) 392-2545, www.performances.org. (M.V.C.)

Philharmonia Baroque
Nicholas McGegan leads the Philharmonia Baroque Orchestra into the new season with performances in San Francisco, Berkeley, Lafayette, and Palo Alto. The program, titled "A Genie and the Sun God," features Handel's Apollo e Dafne and the orchestral Suite from Rameau's Zaïs. With Christine Brandes, soprano, and William Berger, baritone. Sept. 8-9, 12, and 15, 8 p.m.; Sept. 10, 7:30 p.m., locations vary, $29-$67, (415) 252-1288, www.philharmonia.org. (M.V.C.)

Kiri and Flicka Together
Dame Kiri Te Kanawa and Frederica von Stade, nearly retired from the operatic stage, give a joint recital. It is likely to be both nostalgic and full of charm and affection. Sept. 21, 8 p.m, Zellerbach Hall, UC Berkeley, $48-$110, (510) 642-9988, www.calperfs.berkeley.edu/presents. (L.H.)

"New Music in an Old Cathedral"
Ten contemporary-music vocalists, instrumentalists, and composers take over Grace Cathedral for two evenings of musical musings to kick off the cathedral's 100th anniversary. The event is produced by UC Berkeley’s Center for New Music and Audio Technology (CNMAT). A taste of the proceedings, which will be different each night: "Voices for a Soprano and Live Computer,” performed by Stanford music professor John Chowning using eight-channel sound and featuring soprano Maureen Chowning. A workshop for families about the festival's music will take place at CNMAT in Berkeley on Sept. 9, 2-5 p.m. Sept. 14-15, 7 p.m., Grace Cathedral, San Francisco, $10-$40, (866) 468-3399, www.ticketweb.com. (M.B.)