Esa-Pekka Salonen, the composer/conductor who until recent years led the Los Angeles Philharmonic, brings to the Pacific shore the same Philharmonia Orchestra whose many recordings — ArkivMusic.com lists a mere 1,590! — with some of the greatest conductors of the latter 20th century who have achieved legendary status. In November, they tackle one of the undisputed masterpieces of that century, in a concert that includes two singers celebrated for their performances in this opera, Johan Reuter and Angela Denoke. If you still think that atonal music = unlistenable, wait until you hear how brilliantly Berg’s riveting score captures the dead-end decadence of modern life.
Jason Victor Serinus regularly reviews music and audio for Stereophile, SFCV, Classical Voice North America, AudioStream, American Record Guide, and other publications. The whistling voice of Woodstock in She’s a Good Skate, Charlie Brown, the longtime Oakland resident now resides in Port Townsend, Washington.