The Opera Tattler

Reviews of Performances and their Audiences

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Category: Concert Review

  • ABS performs Purcell and Händel

    * Notes * The American Bach Soloists performed four odes for the “royal women of Britannia” yesterday evening in San Francisco. The first two works were from Purcell, and both for Queen Mary, namely Now Does the Glorious Day Appear and Come, ye Sons of Art. Both orchestra and chorus sounded neat and square under…

  • Bychkov conducts the Wiener Philharmoniker

    * Notes * The Vienna Philharmonic's latest tour with Semyon Bychkov started in Cologne, has 5 stops in California, and ends in Toronto. Last night's performance at Cal Performances in Berkeley was the first of three different concerts here. The evening began with Schubert's Symphony No. 2 in B-flat major. The sound was fastidious yet with…

  • MTT conducts Feldman & Mozart at SFS

    * Notes * This week San Francisco Symphony performs a contemplative program of Urbaitis, Feldman, and Mozart. Ragnar Bohlin conducted the San Francisco Symphony Chorus in Mindaugas Urbaitis' Lacrimosa, an inoffensive, pretty piece, which was sung with beauty. Before Michael Tilson Thomas conducted Morton Feldman's Rothko Chapel, he addressed the audience, and did an impression of…

  • Andris Nelsons at NY Philharmonic

    * Notes * Last week Andris Nelsons conducted the New York Philharmonic in a program of Beethoven's Piano Concerto No. 3 and Shostakovich's Symphony No. 5. Pianist Jonathan Biss sounded less mechanical than I remembered. He listened to the orchestra and kept with them. The Allegro con brio was agile and the Largo rather dreamy. The…

  • Ton Koopman & Mario Brunello at SFS

    * Notes * Ton Koopman is conducting San Francisco Symphony this week in a program of J.S. Bach, Haydn, C.P.E. Bach, and Schubert. Last night’s performance began with J.S. Bach’s Orchestral Suite No. 3. The playing was stately and vigorous. One of the trumpets might have had a single bad note, but otherwise the playing was…

  • David Daniels at PBO

    * Notes * Philharmonia Baroque Orchestra opened a run of performances featuring countertenor David Daniels last night in Berkeley. Nicholas McGegan first conducted Telemann's Concerto for Three Horns and Violin in D major. The orchestra bounced delightfully but despite their efforts, the horns had more than one painful moment. One imagines this instrument must be devilishly…

  • Yan Pascal Tortelier & Vadim Gluzman at SFS

    * Notes * Yan Pascal Tortelier is conducting San Francisco Symphony this week in a program of Mussorgsky, Khachaturian, and Prokofiev. Last night's performance began with Mussorgsky's Prelude to Khovanshchina, orchestrated by Nicolai Rimsky-Korsakov. The playing was clear and lively. The Khachaturian Violin Concerto that followed was likewise sprightly, the soloist, Vadim Gluzman, sounded bright and…

  • Kirill Karabits & Helene Grimaud at SFS

    * Notes * Kirill Karabits made a promising conducting debut at San Francisco Symphony this week in a program of Silvestrov's Elegie, Schumann's Piano Concerto, and Rachmaninoff's Symphonic Dances. Last night's performance began with the piece by Silvestrov, scored for string orchestra. The small ensemble played with grace and the work was rather pretty. Next came…

  • Messiah at PBO

    * Notes * Philharmonia Baroque Orchestra's latest offering of Händel's Messiah was very jolly. Nicholas McGegan conducted the third of four concerts last Sunday in Berkeley in his usual chipper way. The orchestra was together and in tune, as was the chorus. The soloists included soprano Mary Wilson, countertenor Daniel Taylor, tenor John McVeigh, and bass…

  • El Niño at SF Symphony

    * Notes * John Adams is conducting his nativity oratorio El Niño at San Francisco Symphony this week as part of Project San Francisco. The work was modestly staged, with direction from Kevin Newbury, set from Daniel Hubp, costumes from Paul Carey, and lighting from Kirk Bookman. The most charming bit might have been the…