Respighi's mini-opera tells the tragedy of a couple's young love cut short. The originality of this work lies in the emphasis on a woman's strength and patience following her lover's death, and her dedication to living a full life despite the perpetual yearning for the same kind of peace her partner has found. Strength of character and vitality are also paramount in the Debussy, one of the most viscerally engaging works of the string quartet repertoire. Though his only work for string quartet, it manages to be representative of the entire impressionist movement. Through four commanding movements of bold gestures, shimmering colors and tender melodies, Debussy masterfully weaves his sweeping and fantastical tale.
Comprised of violinists Jory Fankuchen & Natasha Makhijani, violist Clio Tilton, and cellist Samsun Van Loon, the Chamber Music Society of San Francisco (CMS of SF) brings world-class chamber music, with a flair for storytelling, to settings that reach far beyond the concert hall. Simone McIntosh is versatile in her musical endeavors; from art song to opera, which range from early music to contemporary. A mezzo-soprano, she is currently an Adler Fellow at the San Francisco Opera.