Reviews

Uneven playing, despite her brilliant pianistic gifts, marks Valentina Lisitsa’s latest CD.

Despite a small turnout, Ricky Gordon's Green Sneakers is a major achievement, unflinching in chronicling the decline and death from AIDS of his partner Jeffrey Grossi, played magnificently by Jesse Blumberg. 

With brilliant bow technique and uncommon musical mastery, violinist Leonidas Kavakos dishes up a bounty of Beethoven.

Ten years after its first production, Golijov’s dreamlike Ainadamar made its long-awaited Bay Area premiere with a stellar cast in a stunning new production by Opera Parallèle.

The Ives Quartet parlayed a feast of chords into an enjoyable recital in Palo Alto, featuring David Conte’s strong second quartet.

Rochelle Bard animates West Bay Opera’s Lucia di Lammermoor with vocal finesse and believability.

Is lyric tenor Alek Shrader a “Young Master”? That was the question of the evening when the Merola and Adler Fellow alum-made-good returned to San Francisco.

Pablo Heras-Casado took on the San Francisco Symphony guest-conductorship responsibility with high energy and an attractive program.

Philharmonia Baroque outdoes even itself in “storm and stress” works by Mozart, Haydn, and J.C. Bach.

Gorgeous-voiced Jonas Kaufmann earns his fame as a leading Wagnerian tenor with a superb disc, every selection a gem.