Chatting up the Little Chinese Man

I hadn't seen him in three months, three weeks and three days, but as I pulled up to the curb in front of my building, there was the Little Chinese Man. All the more terrifying was the sight of Luna following ten feet behind him. Who is Luna, you ask? She's my stalker who moved into my building almost two years ago, where I remain trapped by the real estate market and limited options.

Luna was holding a kitten in her hands, her face in an obvious state of delight. You can't tell she's crazy by looking at her, but she is indeed. I felt sorry for the kitten. I know what happened to the last pet she had and it's not a cuddly tale.

As I took in the spectacle of these twin terrors in front of my home I felt as if I were being consumed by an invisible wave of paranoia, fear and schizophrenia. Though the sky was a gorgeous cerulean, blackness engulfed my being. Well, something like that.

"Hi Tom," I said with a chipper tone in my voice, hoping that Luna would keep moving, quickly going up to her apartment where the kitten was certain to meet an unfortunate end one day, and that if I chatted up the Little Chinese Man I would be buying myself some time to make sure she wasn't around when I entered the building.

The Little Chinese Man looked at me quizzically, his horrible countenance  twisted into a plain state of non-recognition coupled with desire- he looked like he had just tasted something awful and wanted a second bite.

"Do I know you?" he asked.

"Yes, we met three months, three weeks and three days ago in front of your hotel," I replied, doing the math quickly in my head.

A vague look of recognition flashed in his eyes and then they sparked.

"Yes, I remember now. Yes, I do remember. Tell me your name again."

"John."

"Yes, that's right," and then he licked his lips, cocking his head to one side.

"Well, it's nice to see you again. Enjoy the afternoon," I said, my mind beginning to splinter under the accumulated weight of years now passing and their constant encounters with doppelgangers and lunatics.

He sized me up. I'm at least three inches taller than he, but I could see his mind working at how he could take me down. I was thinking about taking his picture- I have a new phone with a decent camera. We were at a stand-off.

"Yes, thank you. See you again soon I hope," he said with a lilt. I watched him as he walked down the street, and after he'd gone twenty paces he looked over his shoulder. I waved at him, my hand perfectly executing the slightly-cupped, gently rotating hand motion one does when riding in a convertible during a parade .

I entered the vestibule of the building, warily scanned the lobby keeping an eye out for Luna, and made my way home. Safe again.

Justifying the censorship of A Serbian Film in the U.S.

In response to numerous complaints about the removal of "approximately 30 seconds" from A Serbian Film for  its upcoming US release on DVD, Invincible Films, the U.S. distributor, posted the following on the film's Facebook page today:

"We do not condone censorship of any kind but there are some serious legal risks to releasing this film uncut, and if you have been following the news surrounding this film you know what they are. The distributor is simply not willing to take those risks regardless of the potential financial benefit. We want this film to be released as the filmmakers intended but as long as there are DA's out there looking to make a name for themselves and outdated laws the distributors are not in a position to be pioneering for free speech."

I said in my original post I didn't think the film stood a chance of getting an unedited release and while I too, don't condone censorship, I think Invincible is making the right call here. A completely unedited version would almost certainly have child porn charges brought against them and why would a small company like Invincible want to willingly expose itself to a legal fight that will probably cost more than the film will ever make? To appease a small fringe of the horror market? I wouldn't do it either.

[SPOILER ALERT!!!]

Now here's some red meat for all the "purists"- having seen the film uncut and in a theater, I'm not so sure A Serbian Film, as much I respect it, doesn't cross over the line into what's illegal to distribute or exhibit in this country. Everyone who's followed the film's controversies around the globe knows exactly which scenes will be cut. So who wants to go on record as saying "Yes, I really do want to see simulated acts of "newborn porn" and and the incestuous rape of a small child completely un-cut- it's my right!" Seriously?

If you don't get to see an un-edited version, believe me, you won't be worse off for missing those 30 seconds. In fact, I'd say Invincible is probably doing you a favor. Even with the minor cuts, it's still likely to be way too much for most audiences- but you can find out for yourself on October 25th- and then decide if you really want to see more.

Here we are again...

There's a song by the 70's rock band Nazareth called "Telegram" which was a favorite of mine as a teenager. There's a strong sense of nostalgia and ennui permeating the song from start to finish, which is essentially about the life of a performer. After a couple of minutes of driving rock with a percussive piano providing as much of the beat as the drums, the song has a bridge to the Byrds' "So You Wanna be a Rock and Roll Star" that's very reminiscent of what Queen was also doing at that time. At the six minute mark the song's denouement begins- a Beatles-esque final stanza with these lyrics, performed in kind of sing-song, dance hall manner:

Here we are again, singin' the same old songs / Lookin for someone who will sing along / Here we are again playin' the same old scenes / Lookin'for someone who will share our dreams / Here we are again facing the same old sights / Lookin' for someone who will share our nights

The tune entered my mind as Penelope and I gingerly made our way into the small, crowded Press Room of the opera house last night and has been lodged there ever since. Entering the room, there, in the back corner, I espied Axel and Ms. D, wine and snacks in hand. It then struck me that it was two years ago the three of us had attended this very same event and it was that night I met Maria Gostrey. So much has happened since then, and in retrospect that evening seems to be the starting point for two years of lust, desire, madness & passion. After the performance, as Axel, Ms D, the Opera Tattler, Penelope and I were standing on the sidewalk in front of the house discussing the performers, I had a sense of inverted deja vu. This time there would be no blonde descending the steps in a Cavalli gown, yet here we were, once again. It was a palpable sensation which is still lingering.


We were there for the Merola Grand Finale- an evening dedicated to showcasing some of the best aspiring young opera singers in arias and set pieces, concluding a summer of intensive training and career development. The evening began with the SFO Orchestra, led by Johannes Debus, playing the overture to Rossini's Semiramide- an odd choice that didn't really work well as it limped along. Throughout the rest of the evening Debus would lead the orchestra well, though on more than one occasion the young singers struggled to be heard over it and some simply disappeared into the sound altogether. By the concluding number three hours later- again Rossini- everything seemed to be in place.

 Mark Diamond, Scott Quinn, Elizabeth Zharoff, Joo Wan Kang and Cooper Nolan.

Photo by Stefan Cohen

Scott Quinn and Mark Diamond (who was an impressive Figaro in the recent Barber) then performed “Au fond du temple saint” from Bizet's Pearl Fishers, and both men could have benefited by singing with greater volume, though I can only imagine how difficult it is to be in the first slot in such a large house.


Elizabeth Zharoff, who floored me in her Schwabacher performance, toned her volume way down while singing “Suis-je gentille ainsi?…Je marche sur tous les chemins” from Massenet's Manon. If I had one expectation of greatness among the women from this year's group it would be Zharoff, but tonight she seemed like a different performer than when I had heard her previously. She could still clearly be heard, and her voice has a beautiful tone, but when one has that kind of power I want to hear it let loose at full bore and for this piece she didn't.


Next came Guodong Feng's “Zazà, piccolo zingara” from Zazà, a Leoncavallo opera I hope to one day hear somewhere in its entirety but probably never will. Feng sang the brief aria with a burnished tone and it seemed to pass by very quickly, leaving wanting to hear more.


Laura Krumm, who was also impressive at the Schwabacher concert, started off strongly with “Bel raggio lusinghier,” from Semiramide, but midway the song flagged, though she recovered her energy nicely by the end.


Phillipe Sly was an excellent King as he sang “Andiam, fidi, al consiglio…Invida sorte avara” from Handel's Ariodante. His was one of the strongest performances of the night.


Singing “Sei tu?…Minacciata è la mia vita” from Donizetti's Lucrezia Borgia, Renée Rapier and Heath Huberg had difficulty drawing me into their duet. I'm not sure this selection worked to the advantage of either, but thankfully Rapier got a chance to really shine in the evening's conclusion. She looked great in her tux- the best sartorial choice of the evening.

“Vy tak pichalni…Ya vas lubyu”- from Tchaikovsky's Queen of Spades,  was beautifully sung by Suchan Kim, though I found myself mesmerized by Zharoff's scapulae as she stood with her back to the audience during the aria.


Next came the one true star turn of the night, as I expected it may be. Jonathan Michie proved his magnificent performance as Figaro a couple of weeks back was no fluke. Singing the gorgeous "Batter My Heart" from Dr. Atomic,  he owned the stage with both presence and vocal excellence. He's truly magnetic and I hope he's going to be an Adler Fellow because he's certainly a singer to watch. Fantastic.


Though Mozart's Die Entführung aus dem Serail is an opera I really have no pleasure in hearing, Suzanne Rigden and Pei Xin Chin were both in excellent form for the comedic duet. Rigden has a wonderful stage presence to match her bright, strong voice and Chen's journeyman-like work ethic and booming bass made him an audience favorite.

Deborah Nansteel didn't own “Divinités du Styx” from Gluck's Alceste as much I thought she might, but here again I found the selection of material not to her advantage. If anyone onstage should have been singing Verdi, Nansteel would be the one.


Xi Wang and Cooper Nolan performed “Lucia, perdona…Sulla tomba che rinserra…Verranno a te” from Donizetti's Lucia di Lammermoor. I heard Wang sing part of the mad scene from Lucia in a master class, so it seems she's determined to have the role in her rep, but Nolan was the one who really shined in the duet, his voice a perfect fit for the role of Edgardo.

Joo Won Kang, who possesses and extraordinarily lovely baritone, sang “L’orage s’est calmé…O Nadir…” from The Pearl Fishers  to great effect.


Marina Boudart Harris gave a truly memorable performance as Strauss' Arabella, singing “Das war sehr gutgave  Mandryka” with John Maynard. The pair combined to make the sole German work on the bill one the evening's musical highlights.

For all his efforts, I couldn't get past the unintended novelty of Pei Xin Chen performing “O patria…O tu Palermo” from Verdi's I vespri siciliani and the sight of him wielding a succession of increasingly absurd firearms during aria caused laughter in the audience. The night's one true misfire.

At this point the night began to flag, not helped by two more Italian arias, neither of which served their singers particularly well, though they sang them with conviction: Daniel Curran's “Tornami a dir che m’ami” from Donizetti's Don Pasquale, and Adam Lau paired with John Maynard in “Il rival salvar tu dêi…Suoni la tromba” from Bellini's I Puritani. More variety in the scheduling, please.

Renee Rapier, Philippe Sly, Cooper Nolan, Suzanne Rigden and Deborah Nansteel. Photo by Stefan Cohen.

The finale was a delight on every level- an extended excerpt from Rossini's L’Italiana in Algeri which was brilliantly choreographed by stage director Ragnar Conde. The stage was full of comedic and visual flair. Rapier was a sexy and vivacious Isabella, Cooper Nolan not only sang Lindoro with aplomb but did it while executing moves that would have made Jackie Gleason proud. Phillipe Sly got in another good turn as Mustafa as did Rigdon as Elvira, and everyone onstage made this come vibrantly alive to close out the evening on a high note.

After it was all over and the OT, Ms D and Axel made their way south down Van Ness, Penelope and I headed north and ended up at the newly opened Jasper's, hopeful they could provide a decent Manhattan to end the evening. Our bartender, a delightful woman named Allison with an amazing head of hair, was not only knowledgeable about bourbon, but has a genuine enthusiasm for it. We took her suggestion to use Blanton's in place of Woodford, though I silently thought the idea of using Blanton's in a mixed drink a bit much. She happily re-made our drinks when we sent them back, requesting a different vermouth than Punta Mes, which is just wrong to use in a Manhattan. The second time she got it right (for us, that is). Some things won't change.

A dozen picks from San Francisco Performances' 2011-12 Season

Ute Lemper

San Francisco Performances always brings really interesting performers to town, often in intimate settings. Their Salons at the Rex are generally not-to-be-missed gigs featuring up-and-coming performers and their recital series are rivaled only by Cal Performances. Their upcoming season features an exceptionally strong line-up and when you add theirs to what's going on with the Symphony's Centennial, a very strong schedule at Cal Performances this year, and a great SFJazz line-up for the fall, the 2011-2012 season is pretty daunting. And then there's the Opera to boot.

Nobody can see it all, though I know a couple of people (Brian, Axel) who come pretty close. To help you narrow it down (though I really do this for myself so I don't lose track of all of this), here's the last dozen picks from the major performing arts companies in the Bay Area (YBCA has too much going on all year to include just a dozen). I'll do one more of these posts highlighting other organizations whose schedules or offerings aren't as extensive (Shorenstein, SFO, SFB ACT, etc.). Undoubtedly I'll leave off something that turns out to be phenomenal or ignore a fantastic artist about whom I'm ignorant- that's the downside to living in an area with so much to see and do.

Here's the dozen from SF Performances, though this list could have easily been almost twice as long:

Stephanie Blythe in recital with Warren Jones-   October 13

Here's an opportunity to hear one of the world's leading mezzo-sopranos in recital, accompanied by Warren Jones in a program of American works.

Simon Keenlyside in recital with Malcolm Martineau-   October 27

The baritone will perform songs by Mahler, Strauss, Debussey, Duparc and Butterworth, accompanied by Malcom Martineau.

Marc-André Hamelin-  November 2

Hamelin's recent press on the East Coast has been nothing but raves and I've yet to see him perform. The program will feature his own Études along with sonatas by Berg and Liszt.

Alexander Melnikov-  November 12

Last year a Russian friend of mine asked if I've ever heard of Melnikov. When I replied "No," she said I must see him perform. Well, here he is making his local recital debut in the first of two appearances on SFP's schedule this year in an all-Shostakovitch program. 

Karita Mattila in recital with Martin Katz-  December 6

Mattila's first local recital will feature songs by Poulenc, Debussy, Aulis Sallinen, and Marx. I'll be amazed if this doesn't sell out. She'll be accompanied by Martin Katz.

Alexander String Quartet with Joyce DiDonato and Jake Heggie-  February 4

This program celebrates the 30th anniversary of the quartet with the world premiere of Jake Heggie's Camille Claudel, Into the Fire based on the life of the French sculptor and confidante of Rodin, to be sung by the marvelous Joyce DiDonato; Debussy's string quartet and songs by Fauré and Hahn are also on the program.

Ute Lemper and the Vogler Quartet-  March 31

Lemper may be the most alluring cabaret singer in the world. The program will feature songs by Schuloff, Eisler, Weill, Piaf, Brel, Satie and Piazolla, capturing music from across the spectrum of 1920s Europe. 

Vijay Iver Trio-  April 7

Iver's one of the hottest names in jazz right now, whose recent accolades include a Grammy nomination for his recent album and being named 2010 Musician of the Year by the Jazz Journalists Association. The pianist will be accompanied by Stephan Crump on bass and Marcus Gilmore on drums.

Arditti Quartet-  April 12

I've missed previous performances by this well-regarded quartet and the program for this appearance made me certain that this time I wouldn't, with works by Beethoven, Berg, Adés and Bartók. This is is a good year for hearing Adés in the Bay Area, with his works being performed by the San Francisco Symphony and he'll appear with the Calder Quartet this season in a Cal Performance show. It's about time.

Armitage Gone! Dance-  May 18, 19

Every year SF Performances brings great dance programs to the Bay Area so it's hard to decide which one(s) to choose for this list, but the idea of seeing a dance work based on String Theory is just too quirky to pass up.

Stephen Isserlis and Robert Levin-  May 19, 20

Isserlis and Levin will be performing two different all-Beethoven programs, both centered on the cello sonatas and featuring other, less frequently performed pieces alongside of them.

Isabelle Faust and Alexander Melnikov-  May 30

Even more Beethoven, which is never, ever a bad thing, especially in the hands of two highly regarded young artists. Melnikov returns on the piano to accompany Faust in four of the Violin Sonatas, including the Kreutzer. 

Single tickets go on sale August 22. Design-your-own subscriptions can be had now by calling 415.392.2545

Four Saints in Four Acts- yes, four

Florine Stettheimer’s set for Act I of the 1934 production of Four Saints in Three Acts; Yale Collection of American Literature, Beinecke Rare Book and Manuscript Library, Yale University, New Haven; photo: Harold Swahn.

SFMOMA and YBCA have teamed up with Ensemble Parallèle, Luciano Chessa and Kalup Linzy to present  Four Saints in Three Acts: An Opera Installation, which began a four performance run last night in the Novellus Theater. The "Installation" part refers to "A Heavenly Act," created by Chessa and Linzy, which precedes the Virgil Thompson and Gertrude Stein opera  Four Saints in Three Acts (not an installation).  For the most part the first act doesn't add anything to the Three which follow it.


"A Heavenly Act" features Chessa re-working Thompson's music and Stein's lyrics, cut from an later revision of the opera by Thompson sometime in the fifties, with Linzy performing multiple duties while deliberately out-of-focus seraphim are projected behind the stage. It's visually arresting for a moment, then becomes a bit tedious, though there's a gospel sequence that pulls everything together brilliantly, if only for one segment of the whole.


When it ends, the lights come up halfway, a neat bit of staging resembling seeing the seafloor disappear before your eyes, and an altogether different lighting scheme signals the beginning of Four Saints, proper. Musically and visually, the Ensemble Parallèle production works splendidly. Conductor and Music Director Nicole Paiement and Director Brian Stauenbiel have created another engaging, well-crafted and beautifully performed piece and while it may not be as arresting as the brilliant Orphée they presented earlier this year, it succeeds on the strength of its very strong cast and theatrical flair.


Even if he weren't brilliantly costumed in red, it would be hard to take your eyes off Eugene Brancoveneau's Saint Ignatius whenever he opens his mouth. His voice just gets better and better. Competing with Brancoveneau for attention is John Bischoff's Compère, a delightful singer and actor who presides over it all with an air of Keith Moon keeping it in check. The entire cast is vocally splendid, but three women deliver especially memorable turns: Wendy Hillhouse as the Commère was brilliant; Nicole Takesano's Saint Sarah was another standout whose clear voice drew attention; and Heidi Moss' Saint Teresa I, dressed in a fantastic yellow gown (all the costumes by Christine Crook were great), centered all of the madcap activity swirling around her.


As can be expected with Ensemble Parallèle, the staging and lighting by Matthew Antaky are clever and inventive. I especially liked seeing the Picasso portrait of Stein at the top left of the backdrop, making it seem as if Stein herself was a saint, watching the show from above. Paiement conducted the 22-piece orchestra with her usual precision and flair.

Denk you. Denk you very much.

This photo of Jeremy Denk "performing" Beethoven's 2nd Piano Concerto was taken by Hiroyuki Ito and appeared in the NY Times today. I've been asked by more than one person what I find so objectionable about Denk's performances. Consider this photo a visual aid. To top it off, from the reviewer's account it appears he's making a a habit out of saying he'll perform one thing only to show up unprepared and ends up playing something else. Fie!

Still at the precipice?

Over the past year San Francisco Opera's General Director David Gockley has made some alarming statements about the fiscal health of the company, going so far as to say it was on the "precipice." Reading between the lines, I took his statements to be thinly veiled attempts to set the table upon which he could wrangle concessions from the unions, who would soon be negotiating new contracts with SFO. At the beginning of this month the company and the union representing the orchestra agreed to a three year contract where it seems everyone got something in the bargain while still saving the company more than a million dollars a year. That's some pretty smooth negotiating on both sides- nice job everyone! Perhaps you could show Congress how it's done.

There's still another contract waiting to be  ratified for the choristers, dancers, directors and stage crews. I haven't seen any news on that one, though the contract expired last month. If Gockley can achieve a similar success with this contract, will this quiet the calls of the sky falling or is there more bad news to come from other quarters? We'll have to wait and see. 

Hardly Strictly 2011- the whole list:

There are 86 performers on the schedule for this year's Hardly Strictly Bluegrass Festival, taking place September 30 - October 1 in Golden Gate Park. 

Reckless Kelly
Simon Joyner
The Low Anthem
Patty Griffin
The Belle Brigade
Doctor John and the Lower 911
Kurt Vile and the Violators
Buddy Miller
Irma Thomas
A.A. Bondy
Blame Sally
Abigail Washburn
Ryan Bingham and the Dead Horses
The Feilice Brothers
Those Darlins
Broken Social Scene
Nell Robinson and Jim Ninally and their All-Star Band
The Mother Hips
Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit
Ricky Skaggs
The Devil Makes Three
Bill Oructt
The Del McCoury Band and the Preservation Jazz Hall Band
The Swanson Family Band
Bob Mould
Robert Earl Keen
The Band of Heathens
Elbow
David Bromberg Quartet
Robert Plant and the Band of Joy
AllofaSudden
South Memphis String Band
Alison Brown Quartet
Wendy Bird
Ollabelle
Bela Fleck, Zakir Hussain and Edgar Meyer
MC Hammer
Dive Bar Dukes
Moonalice
Frank Fairfield
Ralph Stanly and the Clinch Mountain Boys
The Jayhawks
Joe Purdy
Seamus Kennedy
Mekons
Punch Brothers featuring Chris Thile
River Whyless
John Prine
Greensky Bluegrass
Southern Culture on the Skids
Over the Rhine
Earl Scruggs
The Wronglers with Jimme Dale Gilmore
Otis Clay with Chick Rodgers
Dry Branch Fire Squad
Fitz and the Tantrums
M.Ward
Jonathan Wilson
Jessica Lea Mayfield
Hot Buttered Rum
Kris Kristofferson and Merle Haggard
Robyn Hitchcock
Guy Clark and Verlon Thompson
Dark Star Orchestra
The Civil Wars
Buckethead
Emmylou Harris
Thurston Moore
Jolie Holland
Cass McCombs
Bright Eyes
Laurie Lewis and the Right Hands
Gillian Welch
Conspiracy of Beards
Seldom Scene
Kieran Kane
Kevin Welch and Fats Kaplin
The Flatlanders featuring Joe Ely, Jimmie Dale Gilmore and Butch Hancock
Charlie Musselwhite
PMW
Gomez
DeVotchKa
Chris Isaak
Justin Townes Earle
The Blind Boys of Alabama
Steve Earle and the Dukes and Duchesses featuring Alison Moorer


Admission is free.

Two nights, two Barbers

Not all that long ago, the Merola Opera program's summer schedule featured two different operas in which the participants got to strut their stuff. In recent years tighter budgets (I'm  assuming), has changed that to one opera with different casts and this year they invited me to see both casts perform Rossini's Il Barbiere di Sivilia on consecutive nights. Which means in the last twenty-seven hours I've spent six of them watching The Barber of Seville- roughly matching the same amount of sleep I've had in that time. Seeing the casts this way is meant to be a showcase, but it inevitably turns into a kind of competition- one can't help comparing the two, seen so close together in the same production.

There are two remaining performances and if I were to advise you to see one or the other I'd say it depends on whether you want to see a performance featuring a better all-around comic ensemble which really brings out the buffa in the Barber, or would you prefer to hear slightly stronger singing? For those of you who chose the first option, you want to go see the first cast, whose 2nd and last performance is today. For those of you who prefer stronger singing, I'd say the 2nd cast, performing again on Sunday, might please you more. The best compliment I can give this year's Merola participants is that either way you really can't lose.

Yet a caveat is needed there, I think, because the first cast had to, well, go first- and I think that's always a bit nerve-wracking. Who wants to go first? No one except those obnoxious eager Johnnys and Janes in elementary school who always had their hands up as soon as the teacher asked a question, no matter what the question was. Yes, you can read that as a vote for the cast of the first night being my own personal preference, though the audience, judging by applause, seemed to be more enthusiastic on the second night. Perhaps because it was a Friday night?

Thursday night got off to a bit of a shaky before quickly settling in to what was an all-around delightful performance. With the orchestra placed on the floor in front of the stage (why not use the Herbst's pit- is it too small?), it began with Adam Lau's Don Basilio transforming Heath Huberg's Count Almaviva into his disguise as "Lindoro." I say shaky because it took Huberg and Suzanne Rigden's Rosina a couple of scenes to settle down vocally. Rigden went on to have an excellent overall night, with not only strong high-notes but a performance that reminded me of Reese Witherspoon's better comedic outings. Huberg ended up being quite convincing as the count and was especially strong in the second act.

The night took off with the entrance of Jonathan Michie as Figaro. Michie has incredible stage presence. He has rock star stage presence and it doesn't hurt that he's incredibly handsome. Picture Marc Bolan wielding a straight-edge razor and you get the idea. Oh wait, that was Johnny Depp in Sweeney Todd. Okay, go with that- it's a fair comparison. He can also sing and if there's anyone in the current crop of Merola singers destined to be a star he's the one I'd put my money on.

Jonathan Michie: Photo by Kristen Loken

Philippe Sly's Doctor Bartolo, done up as an 18th century Bozo the mean clown in a John Waters film, was a comedic delight, though he had problems keeping up with the faster parts of the score, something members of both casts seem to struggle with at times, but he also possessed the strongest voice onstage the first night. Deborah Nansteel's Berta made the most of her second-act aria- the strong performance she gave in the Schwabacher concert two weeks ago was no fluke.

Philippe Sly: Photo by Kristen Loken

All of these pleasures aside, the unexpected highlight of the performance (besides Michie's stunning presence) was Adam Lau's Don Basilio. Not only did he deliver vocally, but Lau has one of the most expressive faces I've seen on a stage- in any medium. He's simply a terrific, very funny actor. This particular cast worked extremely well as a comedic ensemble.

Suzanne Rigdon, Adam Lau: Photo by Kristen Loken 

Last night's cast didn't have the same strength, but made up for it with stronger vocal performances. As the second cast's Figaro, Mark Diamond gave an incredibly self-assured performance on every level. If he doesn't quite have Michie's charisma, he rivals him in looks and vocal talent and has the goods to give Nathan Gunn and Jonas Kauffman a run for their money as the next barihunk people will be frothing at the mouth over. He also has a superb voice and the role is a natural for him. He's so attractive onstage I think he's actually going to have to work at toning it down to be taken seriously beyond comic roles, though it appears he could have a great career ahead of him if even if he never ventured beyond the comedies of Rossini, Mozart and Donizetti- but he should go further than that, because underneath his pretty-boy exterior is an obviously highly talented young singer.

Mark Diamond: Photo by Kristen Loken

Renée Rapier's Rosina was a strong, seemingly effortless performance, but it's interesting to note how a female role changes in subtle ways when performed by a brunette compared to a blonde (Rigden). I don't think I'm alone in finding something disconcerting about seeing the brunette as the more innocent or trustworthy character even though Rapier played the role with considerably more sass- it was just harder to see it come through. A lifetime of social conditioning- exposed in unexpected ways.

John Maynard's Bartolo was an altogether different interpretation than Sly's and for some reason he
ick factor not felt on the previous night. He too, struggled in the faster parts of the role, but overall sang well.

John Maynard, Renée Rapier: Photo by Kristen Loken

Peixin Chin’s Basilio lacked Lau's comedic brilliance but made up for it with a voice of imposing strength and tone, though his Italian needs some work. Still, I can see a Commendatore in his future and he could make an excellent Grand Inquisitor. Marina Boudart Harris as Berta equalled Nansteel from the night before, and the limitations of the small role didn't give much of an opportunity for contrast. Daniel Curran as Almaviva had to work hard within the ensemble to stand out, but he had many good moments and his delivery was consistent throughout the evening.

An unexpected highlight for me was the strong stage direction and imaginative design of the production across the board, with the exception of the use of garlands to form curtains on the stage which was almost painful on the eyes. The Mark Weiner and Judgement Day gags were quite funny, even if the former seemed lost on 99% of the Thursday night audience. Kudos to are deserved for all involved: Conductor Mark Morash, Director Roy Rallo, Scenic Designer Erik Flatmo, Costume Designer Kristi Johnson and Lighting Designer Jax Messenger.

Purchase tickets here on the San Francisco Opera Web site or before the performance at the Herbst Box Office. There are two left, both 2:00 PM matinees.

Necessary Monsters

Photo by Pak Han

Given the current messy, sad state of things, I sent the Femme Fatale an email asking if she was going to be attending one of the performances of Necessary Monsters, and if so, which one. I made my plans accordingly after receiving her response. While she was attending the show on Friday I was in Half Moon Bay celebrating my sister's birthday, so it worked out rather well. This little tidbit of information has more relevance than you may suspect, because the Femme Fatale, my sister- my entire family and probably everyone close to me for that matter- are all necessary monsters of my own design, though I don't mean that to sound exactly as it may come across.

What exactly is a "necessary monster," you ask? "A portrait of human culture and experience as told by our imaginations," says Carla Kihlstedt, paraphrasing Jose Luis Borges in his Book of Imaginary Beings, where he writes:

 "We do not know what the dragon means, just as we do not know the meaning of the universe, but there is something in the image of the dragon that is congenial to man's imagination, and thus the dragon arises in many latitudes and ages. It is, one might say, a necessary monster, not some ephemeral and casual creature..."

It doesn't necessarily have to be a dragon- the relationships which dominate our lives can take on the same pattern as Borges' creatures and is it a stretch to suggest they serve a similar purpose in our real, not imagined, lives? That is to say that though Borges' imaginary beings are meant to be symbolic, or representational, I think they also have a place in reality. Sometimes the imaginary version of the beings in our lives are easier to accept than their real-life counterparts- at least in mine, which may be quite different than yours.

It makes sense to me that in some hard-to-define way we need these monsters and if they didn't exist our imagination would create them out of need. For me, the Femme Fatale is a "dragon,"  though in reading the descriptions of Borges's beasts perhaps she's a Lamia, but I suspect she sees herself as a Nymph. Penelope is also one of Borges' metaphorical dragons, but in truth I think she's a Simurgh, a kind, benevolent being who can't abide snakes. My sister can be either a Fairie or a Harpie, depending on her mood, and of course the The Little Chinese Man is my Doppleganger. Whether I view them as dragons or creatures of another form, they all populate different parts of my imagination, fulfilling different needs, which I have made real and manifest. At least I think so. It's hard to tell anymore, this has been going on for so long. Perhaps this is because I am a Satyr.

Kihlstedt goes on to say "Each monster is a facet of one human being," so one human being can represent a different [but necessary] monster to an individual, and in turn an individual can be comprised of several different monsters. This is how I understand it. Are you confused yet?

If you had seen Kihlstedt's brilliant performance piece on this subject, entitled what else- Necessary Monsters- a song-cycle based on characters found in Borges' book, all of this prattle would make much more sense. Falling somewhere between a concert as performance art, a steampunk opera, and theater, Necessary Monsters is one of the most moving things I've seen recently, though it's going to be extremely difficult to relay its essence. In part this is because I think Kihlstedt, who has been working on this piece for awhile, and it's something of a work in progress, has really tapped into something elemental about the nature of imagination and personality and has created an almost perfect vehicle to express it.

The show begins with a woman known only as "The Collector" (a superb turn by Denmo Ibrahim) walking about the stage organizing storage boxes into a "just so" order, as if doing so will keep the monsters inhabiting  her mind at bay. There's a box for each imaginary being, who one by one take their place onstage. Despite the desire of the The Collector to keep things nice and tidy, these creatures refuse to be contained and soon the stage is feels wonderfully chaotic- my thoughts during the first 15 minutes of music was that I was watching an opera performed by the family in the The Hills Have Eyes. That's meant to be a tremendous compliment.

Kihlstedt's music never flounders throughout piece, traversing a lot of different genres performed by seven musicians playing a multitude of instruments and wielding a wide array of vocal talents. Kihlstedt's opening number, "An Animal Dreamed," may be the most easily remembered. Singing in a voice that sounded like a theremin (maybe there was one on stage and I just didn't notice), it's an eerie invitation to follow her down a rabbit hole. The effect is continued when the Squonk (a being who cries at the drop of a tear, performed by vocalist and cellist Theresa Wong) cries endlessly while following a melody performed on her cello and followed by Kihlstedt's violin.

Seven other songs follow, each one representing a different being and creating a heady, captivating cumulative effect as the music constantly shifts. By the time Matthias Bossi's Hochigan (percussion and drums) backs Michael Mellender's (on bass among other instruments) Ink Monkey,  the music has become straightforward hard rock, only to turn back on itself to the Brechtian tone of Freddi Price's lascivious One Eyed Being in a white bowler. Price, by the way, is a dazzlingly talented multi-instrumentalist and plays a phenomenal trumpet.

Yes, I know this all sounds confusing and chaotic and it was, but it also worked beautifully. The rest of the talented ensemble is Dina Maccabee as the Nisna on viola and vocals and Rob Reich as the Lamed Wufnik on piano, accordion glockenspiel and voice. While the show had a visual design that looked decidedly handmade (including Wong's whimsical, Calder-esque headgear), the performance came across as assured, well-thought out and thoroughly rehearsed. If you have a chance to see it, I can't recommend it enough. If you click on this link, you can hear "An Animal Dreamed" and some other music from the work, as well as see a video of Kihlstedt discussing it.

When it was over, Necessary Monsters left me in a decidedly odd mood. When we returned to my place, I felt compelled to watch a horror movie that somehow conveyed this. Awfully enough, I thought that the only thing that could follow such a strongly philosophical performance was Martyrs- a film Penelope would absolutely abhor. I have no idea what I was thinking, but thankfully it wasn't available on Netflix streaming and I gave up on trying to find the "right" choice. Bowls of popcorn and glasses of bourbon before us, we settled in to watch something neither of us found worthwhile and soon abandoned it for some more music.

At a quarter to one in the morning, I received a text message from the Femme Fatale, saying she hoped we enjoyed the show- or something like that.

Pak Han has a gallery of wonderful photos taken during what looks like a rehearsal here.

Josh Kosman of the SF Chronicle has a much more succinct review here.

A dozen picks from the 29th Annual SFJazz Festival

The 29th Annual SFJazz Festival (September 15- December 18) has more than three dozen headliner concerts plus family matinees, member-only performances, club gigs under their hotplate series, high school all-star concerts and educational programs to boot. Presenting artists from around the world and from a staggering array of musical genres, their programming forces one to make some pretty hard choices when it comes down to selecting what to go see.  I always feel that whatever I choose is going to be at the expense of missing something I'll find out later I really wished I'd seen, then at other times I'll take a chance on a performer I know little about and come away floored.

This fall there are they are bringing back two artists whom I've seen before that are definite musts if you haven't seen them before- Esperanza Spalding and Goran Bregovic. I'd add Wayne Shorter to that list as well, but he has heavy competition on that date from the concert by the Calder Quartet taking place in Berkeley and the final day of Hardly Strictly Bluegrass competing for attention. For jazz purists that's an easy choice, but for people with a wider palate it becomes one of those days you regret because any of those three performances promise to be rewarding. Regretfully leaving Shorter off the list (as well as the formidably talented and entertaining Savion Glover), here are the dozen shows SFJazz is presenting this fall that make the hard cut:

Booker T   September 17
Following 2009's rocking  Potato Hole, recorded with Neil Young and the Drive By Truckers, the legendary Hammond B-3 player has a new album recorded with The Roots that hearkens back to various stages of his 50-year career with a contemporary, hip-hop influenced sound that manages to never loss sight of where he's been. It's bound to be a funky night, whatever he's got in store.

Pat Metheny  September 24
Metheny will be performing as a duo with local bassist Larry Grenadier, probably featuring songs off the recent What's It All About- a solo album of covers which starts off with Simon and Garfunkel's "Sounds of Silence" played on a 42-string guitar then veers from the Ventures "Pipeline" to "Betcha By Golly, Wow" to "That's the Way I Always Heard it Should Be."Seriously. I hope he's bringing that guitar to the stage of the Marine's Memorial Theatre. While some of the music on What's It All About is almost too pretty, Metheny's mastery and imagination are apparently endless and it will be interesting to hear what he has planned this time around.

The Robert Glasper Trio  September 29
Lots of what's written about Glasper mentions his music being influenced by hip-hop and his work with artists like Kanye West and Eryku Badu. While there are some definite hip-hop influenced rhythms and sounds on his recent Double Booked, it shows Glasper to be first and foremost and extraordinarily talented jazz pianist with an excellent sense of  rhythm and timing. He'll be performing with bassist Derrick Hodge and drummer Mark Colenburg.

Esperanza Spalding  October 1
Spalding's show last year at Davies Symphony Hall was one of the best performances I've seen in years- it was phenomenal, actually, and that was before her surprising Grammy win cast her fully into the well-deserved limelight. She's an artist who reminds me of 70's-era Stevie Wonder in talent and range. I'm unsure if the show is going to be a repeat of the Chamber Music Society tour or if she's going to bring the long-awaited Radio Music Society (which should be finished by then) to Oakland's Paramount Theatre, but either way this will be one of the most anticipated concerts of the season. Don't miss it.

Benny Green  October 10
The excellent pianist Green will be joined by Peter Washington on bass, Kenny Washington (no relation) on drums and saxophone legend Donald Harrison to perform "Monk's Dream"- a project revisiting material from Monk's masterpiece as well as other material from one of jazz's towering figures. Green plays with soul and a touch of bluesy grit- check out his terrific album Testifyin'! Live at the Village Vanguard for a taste of what he can do.

Daniela Mercury  October 14
I recently put together a mix for a party and found myself continually adding tracks to it by this Brazilian singer, whose music is simply irresistible. Built on seriously deep grooves from a wide array of Latin rhythms, Mercury's music is pure pleasure, made all the more alluring by her warm voice and sophisticated arrangements. Her show at the Paramount will undoubtedly be a  party of Carnaval-esque proportion. They should take all of the seats out, because everyone will be dancing from the first downbeat.


McCoy Tyner  October  16
It's easy to toss around the label "living legend" but McCoy Tyner is definitely one of them. Over a 50 year career he's created a staggering body of work. For this concert Tyner will be revisiting the 1963 album John Coltrane and Johnny Hartman. The singer Jose James will take on Hartman's vocals and Chris Potter will be stepping into Coltrane's shoes. Tyner, naturally, was the pianist on the album that features Billy Strayhorn's "Lush Life," Irving Berlin's "They Say it's Wonderful," Wood and Mellin's "My One and Only Love," and Rodgers and Hart's "You are Too Beautiful" among the songs.

Joshua Redman & Brad Mehldau  October 22

Redman's name may be more well-known on the West Coast, and I certainly don't meant to take anything away from one of the best contemporary sax players around, but I've only recently discovered the extraordinary talent of Brad Mehldau. He's a pianist who transcends genres, covering everything from standards to Radiohead and on his Largo there's a tune called "Sabbath" that sounds heavily influenced by "Wheels of Confusion" from the heavy metal band's Vol. 4. On top of that he's recorded albums of original material with Renee Fleming and Anne Sofie Von Otter and on his live recordings often sounds more like a "classical" artist.  The pairing of these two formidable talents is the show I await with the greatest anticipation among the twelve on this list.

Jim Hall Quartet  October 23
A musician's musician, the master guitar player will celebrate his 80th birthday with Greg Osby on saxophone, Scott Colley on bass, and Joey Baron on the drums. Hall has played with Bill Evans, Sonny Rollins, Ella, Ben Webster, Wayne Shorter and Art Farmer to name a few. Short on flash, but long on talent, this should be a night of solid, serious playing.

Goran Bregovic & his Wedding and Funeral Orchestra  October 28
I saw Bregovic and his ensemble in June of 2009 and it was one the craziest, most enjoyable shows I've ever attended- it was like walking onto the set of a party scene shot by Fellini in the Balkans. There's nothing else I've ever seen nor heard that is quite like this troupe- and I mean that in the most complimentary way. Watch out once the music starts, because the audience is going to be flying all over the place, singing at the top of their lungs and probably creating an atmosphere that can only described as joyful mayhem. I guarantee you'll enjoy this show.

Bassekou Kouyate and Ngoni Ba  October 30
One of the best aspects of SFJazz's programming is their exposure of a wide array of music from around the world. Bassekou Kouyate plays a four-stringed, lute-like instrument called the ngoni, and Ngoni Ba is his eight-piece band. Hailing from Mali, their recent album I Speak Fula is fascinating in its polyrhythmic beats, the dexterity and intricacy of the string playing, and features the captivating vocals of Kouyate and his wife Amy Sacko.

Ahmad Jamal  December 10
SFJazz's program doesn't list any musicians accompanying the 81-year old great, so I'm hoping this will be a chance to hear one of the most respected jazz pianists of any era perform a solo recital. And if it's not, that's okay too, because it's an opportunity to hear one of the best there is.

Tickets for all shows are on sale now. Members save on ticket fees and get exclusive opportunities. On a final note, SFJazz has one of the best performing arts websites around- it tells you what, when, where, if there's a pre-concert talk, and if the show is sold-out or nearly sold-out. The performer links contain samples as well as links to the artists' individual sites and biographies. I really like the way their event calendar is laid out, which lists all of their events in an easy to read format- take a look.

A dozen picks from Cal Performances next season

Evidently not willing to yield the limelight to the San Francisco Symphony for a year during their centennial season, the other major Bay Area performing arts organizations have extremely rich schedules getting underway this September. In looking through the more than 60 different programs to be presented by Cal Performances during 2011-12, I checked off half of them as worth making a trip across the bay. It's made all the more difficult by the sheer breadth of what Cal presents, which is almost some of everything that falls outside the traditional pop culture boundaries.

But here's a dozen (a rough, but easy to swallow fifth of the schedule) that I would choose first. Some of these choices will seem odd to readers who know what I typically like (more for what's omitted than for what appears), but the selections were based on how likely or not it would be to see the performer again sometime soon, the uniqueness of the program itself, or on sheer quirkiness- two examples: Mark Morris' Dido and Aeneas would have easily made the list if Morris wasn't conducting, as would the Mariinsky Orchestra in a year when the SFS didn't already have so much to offer closer to home (and perhaps if it wasn't an all-Tchaikovsky program). Still, there's going to be a ridiculous amount of great stuff to see on the Berkeley campus this year, so check out the schedule. I know I'll be attending more than just what's listed below. Single tickets go on sale August 7th- the descriptions were written by Cal Performances.

The Calder Quartet with Thomas Adès  October 2
The members of the "superb" (New York Times) Calder Quartet are the closest thing to rock stars in the world of classical quartets. They are joined in this performance by supremely inventive composer and virtuoso pianist Thomas Adès in a program featuring his recently-premiered The Four Quarters, alongside Arcadiana and his Piano Quintet. The Calder Quartet is the winner of the 2009 ASCAP Adventurous Programming Award, and in tribute to its eclectic musical personality, has appeared not only in major concert halls but also on the late night shows of Leno, Letterman, and Conan O'Brian and at the Coachella Music and Arts Festival. 

Kronos Quartet performs Steve Reich  October 9
A highly anticipated local premiere by one of the fathers of minimalism is the centerpiece of this concert by the incomparable Kronos Quartet. The group has long been a champion of the music of Steve Reich, and in this concert they return to celebrate the great composer's 75th birthday. This performance features three works written specifically for Kronos and includes the Bay Area premiere of Reich's WTC 9/11, a moving composition employing recorded voices from the events surrounding the 2001 attack on the World Trade Center in New York. "There's just a handful of living composers who can legitimately claim to have altered the direction of musical history, and Steve Reich is one of them" (The Guardian, London).

The Infernal Comedy: Confessions of a Serial Killer  October 21
In a work that is equal parts concert, theater, and opera, John Malkovich, a legend of stage and screen, comes to Zellerbach Hall for one night only! The Infernal Comedyrecounts the unforgettable story of Austrias Jack Unterweger, who was sentenced to life in prison in 1976 for murdering a young girl, but became a literary celebrity with the publication of his autobiography, Purgatory. Considered a model of rehabilitation, he was paroled in 1990—only to go on to murder 11 more women on two continents. With a voice that purrs with menace, Malkovich recreates this deadly Don Juan—a man both charming and utterly manipulative—while two sopranos represent the unfortunate women in Unterweger's life. Add to the mix the soaring music of Beethoven, Haydn, Mozart, and others, and the expert artistry of Baroque music ensemble Musica Angelica, and you have the makings of an unforgettable evening. 

The Keith Jarrett Trio  October 29
Keith Jarrett is easily among the most creative and uncompromising jazz pianists before the public today. His "uniquely riveting" (The Telegraph, London) concerts offer a thrilling showcase for his thoughtful compositions and brilliant pianism, and are anticipated with almost religious fervor by serious jazz lovers. For nearly 30 years, Jarrett's legendary jazz piano trio—an extraordinary and ongoing collaboration with Gary Peacock and Jack DeJohnette—has towered above them all. Peacock has served as an inspiration for several generations of jazz bassists, and brings melodic and rhythmic freedom into every musical setting. And DeJohnette is among the finest drummers in jazz, with the bold and fearless approach of a consummate musician.

Abraham, Inc.  November 13
This phenomenal and utterly unique 10-piece ensemble has audiences dancing in the aisles as well as leaping from their seats in thunderous applause. Extraordinary artists with a brand new sound—trust us, you've never heard anything like it!—Abraham, Inc. features an unprecedented collaboration between three cultural visionaries: David Krakauer, champion of klezmer music and world-class chamber clarinetist; legendary funk trombonist and arranger Fred Wesley, prized for his work with James Brown and George Clinton; and hip-hop renegade and beat architect Socalled. Add a three-piece horn section led by Wesley, as well as musicians and rappers who collaborate frequently with Krakauer and Socalled, and the result is "music that cooks from the opening note!" (Prague Post).

Compania Flamenca José Porcel: Gypsy Fire  November 19
A former star dancer with the National Ballet of Spain, José Porcel has assembled a troupe of his country's most acclaimed flamenco artists, renowned for performances that radiate emotion, vitality, and intensity. A hit at Cal Performances in 2008, the ensemble returns with Gypsy FirePorcel and his 20-member company, featuring colorful costumes and brilliant live music by an onstage ensemble. "A musical savant, a charismatic personality and a master improviser...Porcel commanded the stage, drawing much tension from oases of repose, suddenly exploding into episodes of staccato footwork" (Allan Ulrich, Voice of Dance).

Peking Acrobats  January 21, 22
Direct from China, the Peking Acrobats—the largest and most acclaimed group of its kind—have for more than 50 years held audiences spellbound with vibrant presentations of their ancient folk art. Carefully selected from the finest acrobat schools in China, these expert gymnasts, jugglers, cyclists, and tumblers transform 2,000-year-old athletic disciplines into a family-friendly kaleidoscope of eye-popping wonder. The performance features live musical accompaniment from an accomplished Chinese ensemble, and promises to range "from the seemingly impossible to the virtually unbelievable" (Los Angeles Times).

Bill T. Jones/Arnie Zane Dance Company: Story/Time  February 24, 25
Bill T. Jones—whose major honors include a MacArthur "Genius" Award, the Kennedy Center Honor, and a Tony Award for Best Choreography for the Broadway hit FELA!—returns to Zellerbach Hall to perform a thrilling new multidisciplinary work. Jones's inventive choreography will accompany a cascade of poignant short stories drawn from his life, as narrated by Jones himself from the stage. Original music and film will create the environment for Jones's charismatic performance presence and his unique company of dancers, now in its 29th year.


Ton Koopman & the Amsterdam Baroque Orchestra & Choir  March 10
Experience one of the supreme achievements of Western music performed by perhaps the best-known and most-recorded of all early music ensembles! Ton Koopman—the renowned elder statesman of the authentic performance movement—founded the Amsterdam Baroque Orchestra in 1979 and imbues every performance with both boundless energy and rigorous standards of excellence and scholarship. Koopman and his distinguished forces are the supreme exponents at negotiating Bach's monumental celebration of both the joy of music making and hymn to the glory of God, expertly challenging the Mass in B minor's balance between intimacy and grandeur. 

Richard Goode  March 25
Hailed for music making of tremendous emotional power and sensitivity, Richard Goode is acknowledged as a master interpreter of Bach, Beethoven, Chopin, Mozart, and Schubert. A particular favorite of his colleagues, Goode probes the inner reaches of works, infusing every measure with the utmost expressivity, making his musicianship an exciting combination of grandness and humility, boldness and depth—the boldness of the mind, the depth of the heart. Always a hit at Cal Performances, he returns by popular demand.


Seun Kuti and Fela's Egypt 80  April 19
The heir to a powerful musical legacy, Seun Kuti lights up the stage in a rousing celebration of Afrobeat music! Kuti's father Fela was the legendary Nigerian musician, composer, and political maverick, and the musical form he helped create is now more popular than ever, in part due to the success of the smash 2010 Broadway hit FELA!. A musical powerhouse in his own right, Kuti continues to spread this ferocious groove, and he comes to Cal Performances fronting Fela's legendary band, Egypt 80. "The real deal...a natural, with all the sexy charisma you might have hoped for...[the group] sounded terrific, at times better than they had with Fela towards the end, taking the soul of Afrobeat somewhere new" (The Guardian, London).


Sandrine Piau  April 29
"Making her eagerly awaited Cal Performances debut, this enchanting French soprano is an artist of fierce musical intelligence who is currently riding high on a string of impressive artistic accomplishments. She was crowned Opera Singer of the Year in 2009 by the French music industry, and in 2010, her album Between Heaven and Earth won the prestigious MIDEM Classical Album of the Year award. "Piau's performance is in every respect superior: brilliantly incisive of tone, more even throughout the vocal registers and dazzlingly fluent in coloratura passages" (Sunday Times, London). Her rich and varied Berkeley program features music by Mendelssohn, Fauré, Liszt, Chausson, Strauss, Ravel, Poulenc, and Britten."

The other performers I'd want to see if could (and will if I can): Mark Morris Dance Group, The Mariinsky Orchestra, Herbie Hancock, Yefim Bronfman, Eric Owens in recital, The Trey McIntyre Project, The Cashore Marionettes, The Desdemona Project, Susan Graham in recital, Alfredo Rodriguez, Kirill Gerstsein, The Assad Brothers, Ana Moura, Andras Schiff, Wolfgang Holzmair in recital, Murray Perahia, Alvin Ailey Dance Theater, Jonathan Biss, and The Gate Theater of Dublin: Samuel Beckett's Endgame & Watt.


The season brochure can be found online here.