The Opera Tattler
Reviews of Performances and their Audiences
Category: San Francisco Symphony
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* Notes * At the moment, Charles Dutoit (pictured left) is conducting San Francisco Symphony in performances of Poulenc, Stravinsky, and Fauré. Poulenc’s Gloria began the concert on Thursday. The orchestra sounded bright and the chorus was cohesive. The “Laudamus te” was particularly jaunty. The soloist, soprano Susanna Phillips, sounded gorgeous. The “Domine Deus” was clear…
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* Notes * This week Christoph Eschenbach (pictured left, photograph by Eric Brissaud) conducts San Francisco Symphony in performances of Wagner and Dvořák. The two Wagner pieces included “Die Frist is um” from Der Fliegenden Holländer and Wotans Abschied from Die Walküre, with baritone Matthias Goerne as soloist. Goerne sounded characteristically legato. He was drowned out…
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The musicians of San Francisco Symphony are returning to work as of March 31, 2013. They have reached a tentative agreement for a new 26-month contract. Official Site | Press Release
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San Francisco Symphony's principal oboist William Bennett (pictured left) has died of a brain hemorrhage. Mr. Bennett had been hospitalized since Saturday, February 23, 2013, after collapsing onstage during his performance of the Strauss Oboe Concerto with the San Francisco Symphony at Davies Symphony Hall. SF Symphony Press Release | Caring Bridge Site
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* Notes * This week Michael Tilson Thomas conducts San Francisco Symphony in a multimedia production (actor Ben Huber as Peer Gynt and dancer Janice Lancaster Larsen as Ingrid pictured left, photograph by Kristen Loken) of Peer Gynt. The score included music by Edvard Grieg, Alfred Schnittke, and Robin Holloway. Holloway’s Ocean Voyage was used in…
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* Notes * Last night Michael Tilson Thomas conducted San Francisco Symphony in a program of mostly Debussy with a smattering of Canteloube after the intermission. The evening began with Debussy's textured, fussy ballet, Jeux. This was followed by seven Debussy songs orchestrated by Robin Holloway. Soprano Renée Fleming (pictured left, photograph courtesy of Decca and…
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* Notes * Last night Michael Tilson Thomas conducted San Francisco Symphony (pictured left, photograph by Bill Swerbenski) in the first of three performances of Drift and Providence by Samuel Carl Adams and Symphony No. 5 by Mahler. The Adams piece marks a West Coast premiere. The 20 minute work is scored for many instruments,…
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* Notes * Semyon Bychkov (pictured left, photograph by Thomas Brill) conducts San Francisco Symphony in Schubert's Unfinished and Shostakovich's 11th this week. The Schubert that started last night's proceedings was elegant. The pianissimo of the strings with oboe and clarinet in the first movement was simply beautiful. The sound was verdant and fresh. In the…
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* Notes * This week Michael Tilson Thomas conducts San Francisco Symphony (pictured left) in a program of Liszt and Bartók. The opening performance began with Liszt's Piano Concerto No. 1. Jeremy Denk played fluidly, but with clear articulation. Both Denk and the orchestra could sound blustery or playful as the music required. The staged version…
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* Notes * David Robertson (pictured left, photograph by Michael Tammaro) conducts San Francisco Symphony in Rossini, Chopin, and Dvořák this week. The overture to L'italiana in Algeri that opened yesterday's performance sounded neat and precise. Chopin's Concerto No. 2 in F minor for Piano and Orchestra, Opus 21 also was together and clean. The soloist,…
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