2008 Reviews
May 13, 2008
opera
Lady in the Dark
Martinez Opera presents a creditable production of Madama Butterfly.
The Duke’s Exotic Consort
Duke Ellington's opera comique Queenie Pie springs to glorious life in Oakland Opera Theater's restoration.
recital
The Rachmaninov Challenge
Romanian pianist Mihaela Ursuleasa gives a strong recital, but she isnt’ a match for Rachmaninov’s music.
symphony
Hard Nut? Consider It Cracked
Leif Ove Andsnes dazzles in Brahms' Second Piano Concerto, abetted by the San Francisco Symphony.
chamber music
Of Fairy Tales and Love Songs
Delightful pairings make for enchantment in Gold Coast Chamber Players' performance.
Three Hits and a Little Miss
Sunny repertory works bedeck a Mother's Day concert in the Avedis Chamber Music Series.
recital
Pedal to the Metal
The young Polish pianist Rafal Blechacz explores Chopin's "strange" Preludes in his local debut.
Doubled Reimaginings
Finnish pianist/composer Magnus Lindberg teams up with cellist Anssi Karttunen in a program of new music and reworkings.
May 6, 2008
symphony
Near-Reckless Brilliance
Violinist Vadim Gluzman saves the day at the San Francisco Symphony, on an all-Russian program.
dance
From Beautiful to Dutiful
San Francisco Ballet busts out 10 new works, in a wonderful collusion of wide-ranging music and compelling dancing.
symphony
The Strings Have It
Playing with its usual brilliance, the Philharmonia Orchestra of London courts being lackluster in its interpretations.
chamber orchestra
Exploring Styles of Performing
The Berkeley Akademie Ensemble seems daunted when playing without a conductor, but blooms with one on the podium.
opera
Scaling the Bartók-Ravel Summit
Doing justice to an unusual double bill is child’s play for Berkeley Opera.
recital
Lost in Song
Soprano Felicity Lott spins out lieder and French art songs in a warm, witty recital.
contemporary music
Musical Fragrances in the Air
S. F. Contemporary Music Players present San Francisco nights, French dances, and Argentinian sands.
symphony
Dulled Impact
Despite electronics, full orchestra, and two choruses, one glorious baritone dwarfs the rest.
April 29, 2008
symphony
Dynamically Constrained
With Bernard Labadie at the helm, the San Francisco Symphony serves up an all-Haydn program with a martial air.
contemporary music
Mystic Rapport
Percussionist Evelyn Glennie and guitarist Fred Frith conjure sonic possibilities in their dual recital.
choral music
No Winning Combination
The UC Berkeley Chamber Chorus and University Chorus sing Reich, Bernstein, and James MacMillan, with mixed results.
contemporary music
Souvenirs of Spirituality
The Adorno Ensemble goes on a world tour in search of often-exotic spirituality.
recital
Inner Demons Unleashed
Young Chloe Pang fearlessly tackles Rachmaninov's Third Piano Concerto in her S.F. Conservatory recital.
symphony
Music to Evoke Hope
The Sacramento Philharmonic presents a concert of unity, with performers from the Middle East and Africa.
April 22, 2008
CD
Fantastic Journey
Longtime collaborators Riley, Kronos, and Wu Man unite East and West on metaphysical planes.
chamber music
Truly Historic
San Francisco bids a fond farewell to the Beaux Arts Trio after 52 years of glorious playing.
early music
Flawless Singing, Lacking Flavor
Alongside the American Bach Soloists, countertenor Ian Howell displays his artistry with Scarlatti, Bach, and Handel.
contemporary music
Women on the March in April
The Empyrean Ensemble highlights female composers, to much success.
opera
A Rippin’ Pippin
Pocket Opera proves ever-constant with its delights in its mounting of Così fan tutte.
recital
Towering in Every Aspect
The magnificent bass-baritone Bryn Terfel leaves his audience smiling.
April 15, 2008
CD
Playing With Fire
Musica Pacifica offers virtuoso Italian repertoire from the 18th century.
opera
Young Singers Reanimate History
The San Francisco Conservatory revives an opera from 17th-century Venice.
contemporary music
Bright in the Dead of the Night
Eighth blackbird performs an electrifying concert of multiples.
symphony
Sonic Tattoos
Christopher O’Riley solos in an impressive Bartók Third Piano Concerto, and the Santa Rosa Symphony shines.
chamber orchestra
A Salute to Brahms
Lighting the candles for Brahms' 175th birthday, San Francisco Chamber Orchestra plays his Second Serenade.
early music
Funny, Even in Translation
Magnificat performs a concert version of Stradella's delightful comic opera.
recital
Setting Beethoven in Time
András Schiff continues his demanding traversal of Beethoven's piano sonatas.
chamber music
Still Packing a Punch
The Juilliard foursome displays its enduring passion for juicy classicism.
symphony
Of Doleful Countenance
Charles Dutoit leads the San Francisco Symphony in two works inspired by Don Quixote.
April 8, 2008
CD
A Period-Instrument Ninth
Philharmonia Baroque Orchestra and three choruses deliver a state-of-the-period Beethoven Ninth.
early music
Baroque’s Lively Light
Zadok and Dettingen Te Deum, with Nicholas McGegan, lead Philharmonia Baroque Orchestra’s inspired performance.
symphony
Balletic Fluidity and Expression
Laura Jackson shows grace and intelligence in her Berkeley Symphony conducting debut.
Don’t Cry for Her Argentina
Daniela Mack displays extraordinary vocal prowess and restraint in her Schwabacher Debut Recital.
contemporary music
Opening a Bag of Tricks
Rock guitarist/composer Steve Mackey mixes it up with a percussion ensemble.
symphony
The Many Moods of Mahler
The all-volunteer Redwood Symphony powers up for Mahler's massive Third Symphony.
choral music
Sounds of Sweetness
San Francisco Choral Artists gathers a springtime bouquet of monochromatic pastels.
April 1, 2008
recital
Impressive in Size and Substance
Elza van den Heever's soprano has both power and beauty.
world music
Energy by the Drumload
Chen Zimbalista dishes out showmanship and virtuosity in equal measure.
symphony
Youth vs. Experience
Pianist Yuja Wang joins the Academy of St. Martin in the Fields in two concerts that are at times thrilling and disappointing.
early music
Unified Musical Pleasures
Harmonie Universelle explores the Italian influence on 17th-century Germany.
recital
Stylish Work on Eight Strings
Guitarist Paul Galbraith reassesses his relationship to the instrument, and the repertoire itself.
contemporary music
Earnest Eclecticism
The Switchboard Music Festival bends genres and often assaults the ears.
symphony
Uneven Temperaments
Conductor Alan Gilbert turns in a lackluster performance with the San Francisco Symphony.
symphony
More of These Tones, Friends
Symphony Silicon Valley delivers a solid performance of Beethoven’s Ninth.
March 25, 2008
symphony
Unexaggerated Brilliance
Gustavo Dudamel exceeds the expectations of a starry-eyed S.F. Symphony audience.
chamber music
Legends Befit Legends
Vocal legends, plus a sterling newcomer, honor one of music's greats, the mezzo Pauline Viardot.
recital
Liszt the Admirer
Pianist Louis Lortie tears up the keyboard with the composer's tributes to Wagner.
March 18, 2008
early music
She Came to Conquer
Isabel Bayrakdarian's Cleopatra commands the stage in a richly rewarding Philharmonia Baroque concert.
recital
Music to My Ears
Baritone Eugene Brancoveanu hews closely to the composers' intent in a glorious recital.
chamber music
Trio From the Winner’s Circle
The Janaki String Trio explores the tiny but remarkably high-quality repertoire for violin, viola, and cello.
symphony
First Impressions of Figueroa
The second conductor-candidate makes his appearance with the Berkeley Symphony.
recital
Versatility of a Master Guitarist
Manuel Barrueco journeys from Bach to Albéniz, by way of Piazzolla.
symphony
Persia With Oomph
Oakland East Bay Symphony's program combines Iranian music with Strauss and Rachmaninov.
opera
For the Love of Donzetti
Berkeley Opera presents a buoyant Elixir, featuring an exciting soprano discovery.
choral music
New Work Pays Off Richly
Chanticleer and the Shanghai Quartet take listeners down a winding, beautiful Chinese path.
chamber music
Miracle on Third Street
The Cypress String Quartet mesmerizes schoolkids and older folks alike with a new Rohde work, plus Haydn and Bartók.
March 11, 2008
festival
Meeting of the Minds
The 13th Other Minds Festival revels in contrasting viewpoints.
Three Degrees of Welcome
The last concert of the Other Minds Festival proves the old adage that "enough is as good as a feast."
chamber music
Subtly Rethinking the Music
The Brentano String Quartet brings introverted intensity to familiar works, and plays a bright new, bravura piece.
festival
Scrutinizing Stravinsky
Joseph Horowitz and guest artists explore the protean works and distinctive style of Igor Stravinsky.
symphony
As We Really Like It
Gil Shaham displays magnificent style in William Schuman's Violin Concerto, with the San Francisco Symphony.
choral music
Vocal Pleasure
The versatile male singers of Clerestory perform with musical excellence and enthusiasm.
contemporary music
Musical Mixing Pot
BluePrint cooks up a multicultural stew from diverse ingredients.
early music
Smaller, But No Less Passionate
San Francisco Bach Choir brings the St. John Passion out of the shadows.
chamber orchestra
Baroque to Borikén
Guitarist David Tanenbaum and seventh-grader Audrey Vardanega enliven San Francisco Chamber Orchestra’s "Variations" concert.
opera
One Hell of a Funny Opera
Offenbach’s most popular operetta gets a boost from Donald Pippin’s riotously stylish libretto translation.
March 4, 2008
symphony
Striking Contrasts
Michael Tilson Thomas leads the San Francisco Symphony through two works of his own, as well as two profoundly different symphonies by Sibelius and Shostakovich.
chamber music
Winning Ways
The Mandelring Quartet treats its Mill Valley audience to bedrock pieces played with a fierce focus.
choral music
An Oratorio Lit From Within
Edward Elgar’s meditative, impressive oratorio The Dream of Gerontius receives a fluid, powerful performance in Sacramento.
recital
Restorative Pianism
Pianist Yundi Li displays dash and style in his recital, but takes some liberties.
choral music
Aiming for the Stars
The American Bach Choir strives for visionary vocalism, but often falls short of transcendence.
chamber music
Sweet Reveries on a Sunny Day
The estimable Miró Quartet dives into Mozart, Beethoven, Takemitsu, and Debussy.
choral music
Earth, Wind, and Fire
Volti and the Piedmont Children's Choirs join together for an evening of original commissions.
Controlled Flights of Vocal Fancy
The expert dilettanti of the California Bach Society sing 17th-century Italian works.
February 26, 2008
symphony
All Mozart, All Marvelous
Herbert Blomstedt leads the San Francisco Symphony in three masterpieces in different forms, with Jonathan Biss a superb addition on the piano.
recital
Dazzling but Aloof
Joshua Bell's wizardry on the violin is sometimes too subtle to fully appreciate.
symphony
Can-Do Candidate
Hugh Wolff takes charge of the Berkeley Symphony as the first of six candidates auditioning for the music director position.
early music
Big Thoughts
AVE and the Whole Noyse join forces for an ambitious program of music by Isaac and Josquin.
recital
Ridin’ High
The strapping baritone Lucas Meachem charms and thunders in a wide-ranging recital.
contemporary music
Style Surfing
Meridian Arts Ensemble plays an eclectic program for brass and percussion.
February 19, 2008
early music
New Musical Worlds
Hespèrion XXI evokes the music of lost paradises from the time of Columbus.
opera
Instruments Sing in West Bay Così
Direction in the pit and onstage lift West Bay Opera’s Così.
chamber music
Playing of Gleaming Perfection
The Tokyo String Quartet provides a little something for everyone in its predictably superb recital.
Coltrane’s Love Crosses Boundaries
The Turtle Island Quartet fearlessly presents its interpretations of a jazz master.
symphony
Completing the Incomplete
The Russian National Orchestra performs a new version that finishes Schubert's "Unfinished" Symphony.
early music
Chansons of Courtly Love
Fortune's Wheel brings to life the refined French love songs of the 15th century.
dance
The War of the Wilis
Two ballet companies stage Giselle on the same weekend, and age and experience count in both.
early music
Young Man in a Hurry
The up-and-coming harpsichordist Benjamin Alard displays his technical chops on his first U.S. tour, but has work to do on interpretation.
February 12, 2008
recital
Controlled Pyrotechnics
The young pianist Yuja Wang tosses off Scriabin, Liszt, Bartók, and others in her Bay Area recital debut.
chamber orchestra
Reclothing the “Emperor”
Philharmonia Baroque Orchestra rides to victory with Beethoven, Schubert, and a quintuple-time overture by Anton Reicha.
contemporary music
Out There … But Where?
The Bang on a Can All-Stars join forces with jazz-fusion artist Don Byron and vocalist Iva Bittová.
symphony
Triple Threat
The San Francisco Symphony tackles Ligeti, Bartók, and Shostakovich under visiting conductor Ingo Metzmacher.
chamber music
White-Hot, and New
The Emerson String Quartet plays two intense commissioned works, plus Bartók and Martinů.
contemporary music
Grand Tour of the Unorthodox
The Earplay ensemble presents a wide-ranging program of music both new and seasoned, with some surprises.
chamber music
Brahms: It’s What’s for Dinner
The Capuçon–Angelich Trio serves up a three-course feast, with superlative playing.
early music
Renaissance Faire
San Francisco Renaissance Voices re-creates a feast for St. Valentine.
February 5, 2008
contemporary music
Musical Alchemy
San Francisco Contemporary Music Players premiere Jorge Liderman's Furthermore …, along with a range of other transcendent pieces.
chamber music
Walking a Tightrope
The Belcea Quartet returns to San Francisco to play an intense, strikingly polished program.
dance
Fill ‘er Up
Virgil Thomson scores propel two American choreographies that the San Francisco Ballet dances with verve.
chamber music
Illuminating Inspirations
The Alexander String Quartet and Robert Greenberg brighten a morning recital with quartets of Maurice Ravel and Lou Harrison.
recital
Wild Ride on Horn and Hide
Virtuoso trumpeter Håkan Hardenberger and percussionist Colin Currie cut a blazing path through contemporary European music.
contemporary music
Joyous Eclecticism
The Del Sol Quartet ranges through works for didgeridoo, clarinet, and birdcalls in an exhilarating recital.
Honoring Vaughan Williams
The Basically British series commemorates the 50th anniversary of the death of an English giant.
symphony
Graced by a Lotus
Momo Kodama joins the Berkeley Symphony in Toshio Hosokawa’s piano concerto, with Kent Nagano at the helm.
Warhorses at a Trot
Vladimir Ashkenazy and the San Francisco Symphony plod through compositions of place.
January 29, 2008
dance
Total ImMERCEsion
Merce Cunningham shuffles sight, sound, and movement in two distinct versions of eyeSpace.
recital
Messiaen, Heaven Sent
Pianist Christopher Taylor's soaring triumph in Vingt Regards sur l’Enfant-Jésus.
choral music
An Off-Season Oratorio
American Bach Soloists offers a stellar postholiday performance of Bach's Christmas Oratorio.
symphony
Highs From the Low Country
The Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra makes waves with two stormy French symphonies.
recital
Rock and Dmitri, Transfigured
Pianist Christopher O’Riley juxtaposes Shostakovich and Radiohead.
symphony
Not Enough of a Good Thing
The Santa Rosa Symphony plays standards, along with a tantalizing homage to Debussy by George Tsontakis.
choral music
A Satisfying Requiem in Oakland
Oakland East Bay Symphony and Chorus transform Verdi's masterwork into a public act of remembrance.
contemporary music
Sounds Like This
Mills College presents the avant-garde music of its composer-in-residence, Helmut Lachenmann.
symphony
Memory Lapse
Myung-Whun Chung conducts the San Francisco Symphony in Messiaen and Mahler without a score, but still fails to connect with the players.
recital
Cool and Bloodless
Singing Schubert songs, tenor Ian Bostridge reflects on their texts instead of probing their musical and emotional depths.
January 22, 2008
chamber orchestra
Classical Music Unwound
New Century Chamber Orchestra moves backward in time with a hip, multisensory program devised to draw young audiences.
recital
Rare Finds in Deft Hands
Violinist Gil Shaham sizzles in a recital featuring rare works filled with sunshine and yearning.
symphony
The Ill-Tempered Harpsichord
The San Francisco Symphony performs Bach, a jaw-dropping Schubert symphony, and a clangorous Xenakis keyboard work.
contemporary music
Terry Riley’s Brilliant Sun Rings
Flying through space and time with the Kronos Quartet.
symphony
Opposite Attractions
The Marin Symphony and Israeli violinist Vadim Gluzman excel in a program of Stravinsky and Tchaikovsky.
contemporary music
Eclecticism on Parade
Adesso presents an intriguing mix of rhythmic grooves, ragtime, and percussion.
recital
Clarity, but Little Fire
Calm, cool performances mark the recital of pianist Aleck Karis and cellist Charles Curtis, with the warmer clarinetist Anthony Burr.
January 15, 2008
recital
High Artistry
Countertenor David Daniels displays a glowing voice and ardent phrasing across a range of songs and arias.
opera
A Chinese Classic in European Style
The China National Opera ventures a new version of a famous love tragedy.
early music
Illuminating the Chanson
The duo Asteria performs Burgundian songs from the 15th century with uncanny intimacy.
symphony
Halves and Have-Nots
Barber's Andromache's Farewell and Beethoven's Fourth rescue the San Francisco Symphony's concert with Deborah Voigt.
choral music
Vocal Epiphanies
Coro Hispano de San Francisco serves up a feast of music to accompany the Three Kings.
chamber music
A Musical Conversation
The Pacifica Quartet offers a first-rate preview of its studio interpretation of Elliott Carter's Quartet No. 5.
recital
Racing Bach
Organist Anthony Newman puts the pedal to the metal and leaves interpretive nuance in the dust.
January 8, 2008
contemporary music
Overtones From Across the Border
Quinteto Latino performs haunting, intriguing music from Latin America.
chamber music
Variations on the Quartet
Even on an off night, the Alexander String Quartet offers something to like.
choral music
Songs Stuck Between Two Worlds
Kitka channels the Rusalki, restless figures of Slavic folklore, in a vocal-theater project of mixed effectiveness.
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