Classical Music Reviews

Every week, our professional critics attend concerts throughout the Bay Area to let you know what went well...and occasionally what didn't. Let their insights enrich your musical experiences, and feel free to share your own views!

Early Music/Baroque Review
December 11, 2018
Philharmonia Baroque Lights Up Winter
BY Michael Zwiebach

With Patrick Dupré Quigley at the podium, countertenor Reginald Mobley thrills with Vivaldi’s Nisi Dominus.

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Chamber Music Review
December 11, 2018
One Found Sound Explores New Musical Connections with “Divergence”
BY Jessica Balik

The hip, conductorless ensemble ranges seamlessly from a contemporary work based on an Indian theme to a Mozart classic.

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Opera Review
December 11, 2018
A Rarely Performed George Enescu Opera Languishes in Amsterdam
BY Charles Shere

The Romanian composer’s intriguing music is stifled by the heavy production in the Dutch National Opera’s Œdipe.

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Chamber Orchestra/Orchestra Review
December 11, 2018
William Boughton and Symphony Silicon Valley Go Bold With Mozart and Mendelssohn
BY David Bratman

Clarinetist Michael Corner shines in a Mozart concerto.

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Opera Review
December 11, 2018
The Future Is Bright With S.F. Opera’s Adler Fellows
BY Steven Winn

A powerhouse concert showcases the impressive range of talent and accomplishment in the class of 2018.

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Opera Review
December 7, 2018
A Threepenny Gamble at the Conservatory of Music
BY Steven Winn

The school’s Music Theater Ensemble tackles a Brecht/Weill classic.

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Chamber Orchestra/Orchestra Review
December 5, 2018
Santa Rosa Symphony Heralds the Holidays
BY Steve Osborn

A rollicking “William Tell” highlights the seasonal program.

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Opera Review
December 4, 2018
Through a prism Darkly
BY Jim Farber

A new opera by Ellen Reid and Roxie Perkins explores the lasting effects of sexual trauma.

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Opera Review
December 4, 2018
Solo Opera Delivers a Sweet Gift of the Magi
BY Nicholas Jones

David Conte’s tuneful music makes a heartfelt comedy.

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Opera Review
December 4, 2018
Ars Minerva Produces a Winning Revival of Ifigenia in Aulide
BY Lisa Hirsch

Great singing and savvy production values infuse robust life into Giovanni Porta’s forgotten Baroque opera.

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