tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-89579112024-03-18T15:35:29.424-07:00Iron Tongue of MidnightLisa Hirsch's Classical Music Blog.<br>
<i>The iron tongue of midnight hath told twelve. Lovers, to bed; 'tis almost fairy time.</i><br>
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<i>Berce mollement sur ton sein sublime<br>
Ô puissante mer, l’enfant de Dindyme!</i><br>
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<i>Opinions expressed on this blog are mine and not my employer's.</i>Lisa Hirschhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14014924958428072675noreply@blogger.comBlogger5255125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8957911.post-31351296285718083702024-03-18T00:01:00.000-07:002024-03-18T00:01:00.129-07:00Museum Mondays<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0fWbUmk9yysusQ-ctbJYMoxIjTVI3HYOQp1Sn1qFuVh6vNanTwFOA940ahp-ODM6GUGEJCvr84lpDSc-b49tQPm7J8wZtefuLVwIqrG0FMMITlumBeaMVesqEKtofWa1My_XQIVr9a2RqL_n4_PNeb9UMjj5Fy1DHIBC1oyS61h6VWKwImS6Evw/s2432/IMG_1235.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1824" data-original-width="2432" height="336" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0fWbUmk9yysusQ-ctbJYMoxIjTVI3HYOQp1Sn1qFuVh6vNanTwFOA940ahp-ODM6GUGEJCvr84lpDSc-b49tQPm7J8wZtefuLVwIqrG0FMMITlumBeaMVesqEKtofWa1My_XQIVr9a2RqL_n4_PNeb9UMjj5Fy1DHIBC1oyS61h6VWKwImS6Evw/w448-h336/IMG_1235.JPG" width="448" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Mosaic Tile Floor</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Victoria and Albert Museum, London</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">November, 2019</div><br /> <p></p>Lisa Hirschhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14014924958428072675noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8957911.post-23248960041889141662024-03-17T19:48:00.000-07:002024-03-17T19:48:33.175-07:00Bohème Out of the Box<p>San Francisco Opera's <i>Bohème Out of the Box</i> is back. This is a mobile, miniature version of Puccini's evergreen opera <i>La </i><i>Bohème</i> that travels around the Bay Area and gives 75 minute performances of the opera with piano accompaniment. </p><p>I'm hoping that one of these days it'll be performed in Oakland, but maybe they haven't got a suitable location lined up.</p><p>Here are the details:</p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small; margin: 0px;"><b><span style="font-family: "Rawline Medium"; font-size: 12pt;">SAN FRANCISCO OPERA PRESENTS <i>BOHÈME OUT OF THE BOX<u></u><u></u></i></span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: "Rawline Medium"; font-size: 12pt;"><u></u> <u></u></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small; margin: 0px;"><i><span style="font-family: "Rawline Medium"; font-size: 12pt;">Bohème Out of the Box</span></i><span style="font-family: "Rawline Medium"; font-size: 12pt;"> runs approximately 75 minutes with no intermission and features piano accompaniment. Performed by San Francisco Opera Adler Fellows and guest artists in Italian with English narration. Live English supertitles will be available on personal mobile devices.<u></u><u></u></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: "Rawline Medium"; font-size: 12pt;"><u></u> <u></u></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small; margin: 0px;"><b><i><span style="font-family: "Rawline Medium"; font-size: 12pt;">Bohème Out of the Box </span></i></b><b><span style="font-family: "Rawline Medium"; font-size: 12pt;">is a free event</span></b><span style="font-family: "Rawline Medium"; font-size: 12pt;">. Registration at <a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.sfopera.com/box&source=gmail&ust=1710789052708000&usg=AOvVaw0VjNGSIH9lhpO8e3duTVnV" href="https://www.sfopera.com/box" style="color: #1155cc;" target="_blank"><span style="color: #0563c1;">sfopera.com/box</span></a> is encouraged but not required.<u></u><u></u></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small; margin: 0px;"><span style="color: red; font-family: "Rawline Medium"; font-size: 12pt;"><u></u> <u></u></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small; margin: 0px;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Rawline Medium"; font-size: 12pt;">Admission/seating is on a first-come, first-served basis. Food and beverages will be available for purchase at many of the locations or nearby, and audiences are welcome to bring their own food and beverages to enjoy during the shows.<u></u><u></u></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small; margin: 0px;"><span style="color: red; font-family: "Rawline Medium"; font-size: 12pt;"><u></u> <u></u></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small; margin: 0px;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Rawline Medium"; font-size: 12pt;">Casting and schedule subject to change. Additional event information will be announced at a later date. For more information, including directions, parking, public transit and event updates, visit </span><span style="font-family: "Rawline Medium"; font-size: 12pt;"><a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.sfopera.com/box&source=gmail&ust=1710789052708000&usg=AOvVaw0VjNGSIH9lhpO8e3duTVnV" href="https://www.sfopera.com/box" style="color: #1155cc;" target="_blank"><span style="color: #0563c1;">sfopera.com/box</span></a><span style="color: black;">.<u></u><u></u></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small; margin: 0px;"><span style="color: red; font-family: "Rawline Medium"; font-size: 12pt;"><u></u> <u></u></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small; margin: 0px;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Rawline Medium"; font-size: 12pt;">PLEASE NOTE: In the event of rain and inclement weather, these outdoor performances may be cancelled or delayed. Register at </span><span style="font-family: "Rawline Medium"; font-size: 12pt;"><a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.sfopera.com/box&source=gmail&ust=1710789052708000&usg=AOvVaw0VjNGSIH9lhpO8e3duTVnV" href="https://www.sfopera.com/box" style="color: #1155cc;" target="_blank"><span style="color: #0563c1;">sfopera.com/box</span></a> <span style="color: black;">to receive updates via email or follow @sfopera on social media.<u></u><u></u></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small; margin: 0px;"><span style="color: red; font-family: "Rawline Medium"; font-size: 12pt;"><u></u> <u></u></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small; line-height: 14.95px; margin: 0px;"><b><span style="font-family: "Rawline Medium"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18.4px;">FREE <i>FIRST ACT WORKSHOPS: </i></span></b><span style="font-family: "Rawline Medium"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18.4px;">Families with young children are invited to participate in free <i>First Act</i> <i>Workshops </i>45 minutes before showtime at all <i>Bohème Out of the Box</i> performances. Explore Puccini’s <i>La Bohème </i>and get to know the passionate artists in the story. Bring along a favorite stuffed-animal friend and dance to “Musetta’s Waltz,” one of the most famous melodies in all of opera.<span style="background: yellow;"><u></u><u></u></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small; margin: 0px;"><b><span style="font-family: "Rawline Medium"; font-size: 12pt;"><u></u> <u></u></span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small; margin: 0px;"><b><span style="font-family: "Rawline Medium"; font-size: 12pt;"><u></u> <u></u></span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small; margin: 0px;"><b><span style="font-family: "Rawline Medium"; font-size: 12pt;">BURLINGAME<u></u><u></u></span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small; margin: 0px;"><b><span style="font-family: "Rawline Medium"; font-size: 12pt;">Saturday, April 13, 2024 at 2 p.m. – <i>Bohème Out of the Box</i><u></u><u></u></span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small; margin: 0px;"><b><span style="font-family: "Rawline Medium"; font-size: 12pt;">Sunday, April 14, 2024 at 2 p.m. – <i>Bohème Out of the Box</i><u></u><u></u></span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small; margin: 0px;"><b><span style="color: black; font-family: "Rawline Medium"; font-size: 12pt;">Washington Park, 850 Burlingame Avenue, Burlingame<u></u><u></u></span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small; margin: 0px;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Rawline Medium"; font-size: 12pt;"><u></u> <u></u></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small; margin: 0px;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Rawline Medium"; font-size: 12pt;">Washington Park is a vibrant center for Burlingame recreation, boasting a beautiful and recently renovated Community Center. Nestled in the center of the Bay Area’s Peninsula region, the outdoor <i>Bohème Out of the Box </i>performances will take place steps away from a Caltrain stop and Burlingame Avenue, with its many shops and eateries. Chairs will be provided at the parking lot performance location (available on a first-come, first-served basis), and audiences are welcome to bring their own seating. Food and beverages will be available for purchase onsite. This event is presented in partnership with the Burlingame Parks and Recreation Department.<u></u><u></u></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small; margin: 0px;"><b><span style="color: black; font-family: "Rawline Medium"; font-size: 12pt;"><u></u> <u></u></span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small; margin: 0px;"><b><span style="color: black; font-family: "Rawline Medium"; font-size: 12pt;"><u></u> <u></u></span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small; margin: 0px;"><b><span style="color: black; font-family: "Rawline Medium"; font-size: 12pt;">ALAMEDA<u></u><u></u></span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small; margin: 0px;"><b><span style="color: black; font-family: "Rawline Medium"; font-size: 12pt;">Saturday, April 20, 2024 at 2 p.m.</span></b><b><span style="font-family: "Rawline Medium"; font-size: 12pt;"> – <i>Bohème Out of the Box</i><span style="color: black;"><u></u><u></u></span></span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small; margin: 0px;"><b><span style="color: black; font-family: "Rawline Medium"; font-size: 12pt;">Sunday, April 21, 2024 at 2 p.m.</span></b><b><span style="font-family: "Rawline Medium"; font-size: 12pt;"> – <i>Bohème Out of the Box</i><span style="color: black;"><u></u><u></u></span></span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small; margin: 0px;"><b><span style="color: black; font-family: "Rawline Medium"; font-size: 12pt;">Radium Runway, </span></b><b><span style="font-family: "Rawline Medium"; font-size: 12pt;">2151 Ferry Point, Alameda<u><u></u><u></u></u></span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small; margin: 0px;"><b><span style="color: black; font-family: "Rawline Medium"; font-size: 12pt;"><u></u> <u></u></span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: "Rawline Medium"; font-size: 12pt;">In partnership with the City of Alameda and RADIUM Presents, an initiative to establish a performing arts center in Alameda catering to the needs of the local East Bay arts community, <i>Bohème Out of the Box</i> will be performed at Radium Runway, a short walk from the Seaplane Ferry Terminal. With the San Francisco skyline and Bay Bridge as the backdrop, seating will be on the concrete taxiway, covered with an artificial lawn. Audiences are encouraged to bring blankets or low camp chairs (a limited number of folding chairs will be available on a first-come, first-served basis). Food and beverages will be available for purchase onsite. <u></u><u></u></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small; margin: 0px;"><span style="color: red; font-family: "Rawline Medium"; font-size: 12pt;"><u></u> <u></u></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small; margin: 0px;"><span style="color: red; font-family: "Rawline Medium"; font-size: 12pt;"><u></u> <u></u></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small; margin: 0px;"><b><span style="color: black; font-family: "Rawline Medium"; font-size: 12pt;">ALBANY<u></u><u></u></span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small; margin: 0px;"><b><span style="color: black; font-family: "Rawline Medium"; font-size: 12pt;">Thursday, June 27, 2024 at 1 p.m.</span></b><b><span style="font-family: "Rawline Medium"; font-size: 12pt;"> – <i>Bohème Out of the Box</i><span style="color: black;"><u></u><u></u></span></span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small; margin: 0px;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Rawline Medium"; font-size: 12pt;">The performance will take place at the<b> intersection of Solano Avenue and</b> <b>Evelyn Avenue, Albany<u></u><u></u></b></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: "Rawline Medium"; font-size: 12pt;"><u></u> <u></u></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small; margin: 0px;"><i><span style="color: black; font-family: "Rawline Medium"; font-size: 12pt;">Bohème Out of the Box</span></i><span style="color: black; font-family: "Rawline Medium"; font-size: 12pt;"> makes a lunchtime visit to perform along Albany’s charming Solano Avenue, full of restaurants and local businesses. Audiences are encouraged to purchase lunch at one of the local restaurants and join us in the closed street intersection for a unique lunchtime experience (chairs will be provided on a first-come, first served basis). This event is presented in partnership with the City of Albany.<u></u><u></u></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small; margin: 0px;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Rawline Medium"; font-size: 12pt;"><u></u> <u></u></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small; margin: 0px;"><b><span style="color: black; font-family: "Rawline Medium"; font-size: 12pt;"><u></u> <u></u></span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small; margin: 0px;"><b><span style="color: black; font-family: "Rawline Medium"; font-size: 12pt;">UNION CITY<u></u><u></u></span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small; margin: 0px;"><b><span style="font-family: "Rawline Medium"; font-size: 12pt;">Saturday, June 29, 2024 at 1 p.m. – <i>Bohème Out of the Box<u></u><u></u></i></span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small; margin: 0px;"><b><span style="font-family: "Rawline Medium"; font-size: 12pt;">Saturday, June 29, 2024 at 3:30 p.m. – <i>SF Opera Out of the Box: Adler Fellows in Concert</i></span></b><b><span style="color: red; font-family: "Rawline Medium"; font-size: 10pt;"><u></u><u></u></span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small; margin: 0px;"><b><span style="color: black; font-family: "Rawline Medium"; font-size: 12pt;">Kennedy Park Amphitheater, 1333 Decoto Road, Union City<u></u><u></u></span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small; margin: 0px;"><b><span style="color: red; font-family: "Rawline Medium"; font-size: 12pt;"><u></u> <u></u></span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small; margin: 0px;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Rawline Medium"; font-size: 12pt;">The beautiful park amphitheater in Charles F. Kennedy Park is the setting for </span><span style="font-family: "Rawline Medium"; font-size: 12pt;">two performances: a 1 p.m. performance of <i>Bohème Out of the Box</i> and at 3:30 p.m., <i>SF Opera Out of the Box: Adler Fellows in Concert</i>, a free one-hour concert of popular opera arias and duets performed by Adler Fellows, San Francisco Opera’s resident artists. <span style="color: black;">Seating will be on the gently sloping hills of the outdoor amphitheater. Food and beverages will be available for purchase. The venue is walking distance from Union City BART. This event is presented in partnership with the City of Union City.</span></span></p>Lisa Hirschhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14014924958428072675noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8957911.post-43880422752906574242024-03-15T00:01:00.000-07:002024-03-15T00:01:00.136-07:00Friday Photo<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-sCVLod6bFVcCeS63d7cnBUipGJYNqRbpnfG4xHEFUYWndrvr-Aq56-K5fyV14-zT1XQKyIcvoe7alHx6RjyJz5b63bww5WNQFIORjVS-3lsTyK4r_Htm8V5Wlg_6P0WRMueIjZaHSSrJj2KtnAjPZVR0u5g1nVYvRMY3gk2-2EVZCI4LNYF3pA/s2592/IMG_2062.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1728" data-original-width="2592" height="298" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-sCVLod6bFVcCeS63d7cnBUipGJYNqRbpnfG4xHEFUYWndrvr-Aq56-K5fyV14-zT1XQKyIcvoe7alHx6RjyJz5b63bww5WNQFIORjVS-3lsTyK4r_Htm8V5Wlg_6P0WRMueIjZaHSSrJj2KtnAjPZVR0u5g1nVYvRMY3gk2-2EVZCI4LNYF3pA/w448-h298/IMG_2062.JPG" width="448" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Elsie Roemer Bird Sanctuary</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">December, 2022</div><br /> <p></p>Lisa Hirschhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14014924958428072675noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8957911.post-88267995029187149462024-03-13T12:42:00.000-07:002024-03-13T12:43:05.288-07:00They're Not the Same.<p>Your toothbrush subscription and a subscription to, say, the San Francisco Symphony.</p><p>Over at the S.F. Chronicle, Joshua Kosman interviewed Aubrey Bergauer, who has published a book about how arts organizations can succeed in the current climate.</p><p>Bergauer is smart and practical; she made an enormous impact on the California Symphony, where she was executive director from 2014 to 2019. But in this interview she says the following, which I disagree with:</p><div></div><blockquote><div>“So much of our lives as consumers is based on a membership economy, things like Netflix and Amazon. My toothbrush literally gets delivered to my door on subscription. As I was researching the book, I found that 20 percent of all global credit card transactions go toward a subscription or membership.</div><div><br />“And yet in the arts, we’re told that the subscription model doesn’t work! These two things just don’t compute.”</div></blockquote><p>I'd say that there is a significant difference between an object that arrives at your door (or in your smart TV) on a particular schedule and an experience where you have to be at a particular location at the correct time.</p><p>My Peet's subscription (don't look at me that way; you can no longer get Garuda Blend in the stores) arrives on my front porch roughly once a month, but the date and time of day vary. That's okay! I mostly care about whether, if we're about to run out, we need to change the delivery date or get a pound of beans elsewhere. I don't have to be there to sign for the delivery. If it came at 2 a.m., that would be fine.</p><p>In other words, once it's set up, it's a passive process. I can make changes to suit my convenience, but the coffee will get there every month regardless.</p><p>But my San Francisco Symphony subscription places a lot of responsibility on me. I have to be at Davies Symphony Hall, in my seat, on most Fridays at 7:30 p.m. I can exchange for another date, to be sure, but that'll cost me $15. (Yes, I find this <i>incredibly</i> annoying and I'm sure Bergauer has something to say about these damned fees.) The difference is that I <i>must</i> be active about this: get to the scheduled concert at the right time* and place, and if I can't make the date, swap the ticket or donate it back.</p><p>Look at this this way:</p><p></p><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>Toothbrush subscription: Your toothbrush magically appears on your doorstep! Once it's set up, you don't need to do much.</li><li>Orchestra subscription: You have to dress, leave your house, and get yourself to the concert venue, which can take from ten minutes, if you live around the block, to a lot more, if, say, you live in the East Bay.</li></ul><div>One issue Bergauer doesn't address: generational differences. There's a general belief, and it might be the truth, that younger people want more flexibility and spontaneity in their activities than older generations, who were willing to commit to subscriptions. This is in part because there is so much to choose from. It is absolutely the truth that the percentage of income to arts orgs from ticket sales has declined radically since the 1960s. Matthew Shilvock, general director of SF Opera, has recently quoted 60% down to 16%. I should have asked about the change in percentage of subscribers, but it's well known that there's been a big decline there as well.</div><div><br /></div><div>So: how do you get more people to subscribe? I'd love to know that.</div><div><br /></div><div><span style="font-size: x-small;">* I've been tripped up at least once by accidentally getting a ticket to a Thursday <i>matinee</i> performance.</span></div><p></p><div></div>Lisa Hirschhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14014924958428072675noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8957911.post-52077636589299667712024-03-11T00:01:00.000-07:002024-03-11T00:01:00.135-07:00Museum Mondays<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgh5V0KJQOeVHwTYetJJ_rHI7HY88T5JYjf82RfR2QeuIYtFq0Szg8zvhn9DGnzvLHnoiTICcbbr1wDK_pO1OTDPZ0GP1auUyICd4DHlSKDMd2whS0dQ3Ft9WrRKsKVng0NKEdK-A-wB6lZh7ywSXBpnbHhGvBpEpXrgwzVOD1IJJ2k3N4QlcOGDg/s2432/IMG_1344.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2432" data-original-width="1824" height="461" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgh5V0KJQOeVHwTYetJJ_rHI7HY88T5JYjf82RfR2QeuIYtFq0Szg8zvhn9DGnzvLHnoiTICcbbr1wDK_pO1OTDPZ0GP1auUyICd4DHlSKDMd2whS0dQ3Ft9WrRKsKVng0NKEdK-A-wB6lZh7ywSXBpnbHhGvBpEpXrgwzVOD1IJJ2k3N4QlcOGDg/w346-h461/IMG_1344.JPG" width="346" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Victoria & Albert Museum, London</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">November, 2019</div><br /> <p></p>Lisa Hirschhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14014924958428072675noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8957911.post-86165260701618850502024-03-10T14:28:00.000-07:002024-03-10T14:28:45.617-07:00Belated Friday Photo<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3EPofYuLfp7fLlgRGdEbVzkMok6V5qokdew2eoUk_FUtE7_J0c96mLFnlN3yQ1M8q-K1BHKoCVnK1eboO3LeTcki7hJyyCbtpaduL-a2TECTy_0TjwTYaCqOXCEsOjlvsZ2HyfA-tkqw-e8X100LLpT_DhYIvJu60m1cigW9p7fTc_OxL5-CqOA/s4080/PXL_20240305_021933204.MP.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4080" data-original-width="3072" height="597" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3EPofYuLfp7fLlgRGdEbVzkMok6V5qokdew2eoUk_FUtE7_J0c96mLFnlN3yQ1M8q-K1BHKoCVnK1eboO3LeTcki7hJyyCbtpaduL-a2TECTy_0TjwTYaCqOXCEsOjlvsZ2HyfA-tkqw-e8X100LLpT_DhYIvJu60m1cigW9p7fTc_OxL5-CqOA/w451-h597/PXL_20240305_021933204.MP.jpg" width="451" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #131313; text-align: start;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Aeonium arboreum closeup</span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #131313; text-align: start;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Oakland, CA</span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #131313; text-align: start;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">March, 2024</span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #131313; text-align: start;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span></div><br /> <p></p>Lisa Hirschhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14014924958428072675noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8957911.post-367839437606653232024-03-10T12:39:00.000-07:002024-03-10T12:43:51.135-07:00Femenine at Stanford and Berkeley<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWBqkXS9cg38w9PP0m0scL81T3rHHkfLnEvHR_X0Xnxmw0z6_lybVV5azBpUhik6k7wFEQV-u_861ub5c-sfXXQor-mkRccE6E6vLaMgf5z_0Ekb54_0xbsdCC2NAImw8G3fkcdVQUo8_IEwH60liPE7A7Ih1mR84H6Op_vI-oZ3xRM4xhaXgZgw/s870/wild_up_header1_0.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="514" data-original-width="870" height="277" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWBqkXS9cg38w9PP0m0scL81T3rHHkfLnEvHR_X0Xnxmw0z6_lybVV5azBpUhik6k7wFEQV-u_861ub5c-sfXXQor-mkRccE6E6vLaMgf5z_0Ekb54_0xbsdCC2NAImw8G3fkcdVQUo8_IEwH60liPE7A7Ih1mR84H6Op_vI-oZ3xRM4xhaXgZgw/w469-h277/wild_up_header1_0.jpg" width="469" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Christopher Rountree leading Wild Up in <i>Femenine</i> at Bing Concert Hall, Stanford.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Photo by Matthew TW Huang, care of Stanford Live</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Last month, I saw two performances at Bing Concert Hall, Stanford, of Julius Eastman's music, performed by Wild Up, the LA area new music group, and <a href="https://www.sfcv.org/articles/review/stanford-wild-gives-time-and-space-composer-julius-eastman" target="_blank">reviewed them for SFCV</a>. They were both terrific, fascinating music beautifully performed. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">One of those performances was devoted exclusively to <i>Femenine</i>, and I got to see it <i>again</i>, last night at Zellerbach Playhouse, UC Berkeley, in a performance that was very, very different in personnel and style from the Stanford performance. Eastman's sparse notation for <i>Femenine</i> allows for considerable flexibility in performance, and means that no two performances are alike, based on both choice of instrumentation and the particular performers, plus there's a big improvisatory component to the work.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">At the SFCV link, I've added nearly 500 words to my original review, detailing the differences. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>Joshua Kosman, SF Chron, <a href="https://datebook.sfchronicle.com/classical/review-eastman-femenine-wild-up-18708255" target="_blank">reviews the Berkeley performance</a>.</li></ul></div><br /><p><br /></p>Lisa Hirschhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14014924958428072675noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8957911.post-72136494163816086382024-03-04T00:01:00.000-08:002024-03-04T00:01:00.132-08:00Museum Mondays<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRSeEJ_CW7gpuzaM46NZ0I4UKqq9ayidAxB35-UNVXxzMOfIHPBEjUNH9cfhixlruBAWLNYGYo3FtaR4oJljaBMzv4gLzpXjFo4hxwzYKOxKoBQ9u8BH1Oy6oFdlitBuRW_LU164WdaT87ganEj1HW_RJHhbprKQW7VomzCjiUgdIq6kPnlKyGhA/s800/53566563886_4d99484252_c.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="800" height="326" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRSeEJ_CW7gpuzaM46NZ0I4UKqq9ayidAxB35-UNVXxzMOfIHPBEjUNH9cfhixlruBAWLNYGYo3FtaR4oJljaBMzv4gLzpXjFo4hxwzYKOxKoBQ9u8BH1Oy6oFdlitBuRW_LU164WdaT87ganEj1HW_RJHhbprKQW7VomzCjiUgdIq6kPnlKyGhA/w434-h326/53566563886_4d99484252_c.jpg" width="434" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Crockery in cabinet on U-505</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Museum of Science and Industry, Chicago</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">November, 2016</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /> <p></p>Lisa Hirschhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14014924958428072675noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8957911.post-8896487884924751012024-03-02T17:08:00.000-08:002024-03-04T16:27:34.945-08:00Smell-o-Rama and the Seven Doors<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6_krVZlcjb-zAvwq7GmykVaoB7oUFW-Y5Qy-3foegBsOng31axB_dRfX2tLs5ht4qcWLAl74-rkMs1cMVqKf926bevbAzxCzJGL4faTOF9BIFKkbQXt0jTI5zuW6EodNkNz9TLKUmIPdHmativDgug7IL2iiXCJKi4npBQat76zdgnY8vxIr9_g/s4080/PXL_20240302_030656986.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4080" data-original-width="3072" height="528" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6_krVZlcjb-zAvwq7GmykVaoB7oUFW-Y5Qy-3foegBsOng31axB_dRfX2tLs5ht4qcWLAl74-rkMs1cMVqKf926bevbAzxCzJGL4faTOF9BIFKkbQXt0jTI5zuW6EodNkNz9TLKUmIPdHmativDgug7IL2iiXCJKi4npBQat76zdgnY8vxIr9_g/w397-h528/PXL_20240302_030656986.jpg" width="397" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Davies Symphony Hall, San Francisco</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">7:15 pm, Friday, March 1, 2024</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Photo by Lisa Hirsch</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Click to enlarge.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Last night (and tonight and tomorrow afternoon) was a giant extravaganza at San Francisco Symphony: Scriabin's <i>Prometheus: The Poem of Fire</i> and Bartók's one-act opera <i>Bluebeard's Castle</i>. If you're familiar with the Bartók, you know that it's got a big orchestra, complete with organ, offstage brass, two harps, celeste, etc. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Lemme tell you, the Scriabin orchestra was even bigger: more brass, more winds, a piano, and chorus in addition to the organ, celeste, two harps, and so on. SFS went all in with the Scriabin, including the equivalent of the color organ that he requests <i>and</i> the scents he wanted, provided by perfumer Mathilde Laurent of Cartier.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I'd <a href="https://irontongue.blogspot.com/2023/12/public-service-announcement-sfssalonen.html" target="_blank">written previously about this concert</a>, a public service announcement for anyone who might worry about the scented half of the program. So did <a href="https://www.sfchronicle.com/entertainment/article/sf-symphony-cartier-prometheus-18682187.php?utm_source=marketing&utm_medium=copy-url-link&utm_campaign=article-share&hash=aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2ZjaHJvbmljbGUuY29tL2VudGVydGFpbm1lbnQvYXJ0aWNsZS9zZi1zeW1waG9ueS1jYXJ0aWVyLXByb21ldGhldXMtMTg2ODIxODcucGhw&time=MTcwOTQxMTM0OTQ0OQ%3D%3D&rid=ZTM2MGRiNTEtNGYzOC00NDUwLWIzOGItNjAxM2YwOGIxNzQ5&sharecount=MA%3D%3D" target="_blank">Tony Bravo</a>, in the SF Chronicle, and <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2024/02/23/arts/music/scriabin-prometheus-san-francisco-perfume-cartier.html?unlocked_article_code=1.Zk0.SsT7.jSYrfOslEdlt&smid=url-share" target="_blank">Joshua Barone</a>, in the NY Times (both gift links). This turned out to be a reasonable concern: my partner and a friend both decided against going because of allergies or sensitivity to odors. <i>Bluebeard</i> is the obvious concert closer and <i>Prometheus</i> is only about 20 minutes long, but from the patron comfort standpoint, it would have made sense to reverse the program order so audience members had the option of <i>fleeing</i> if the scents were irritating or worse. I suppose such potential audience members could have come late, but there was always the risk that the scents would linger.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">So....how did it all go?</div><p></p><p>Kind of mixed! The music side of <i>Prometheus</i> was in excellent hands, between Salonen and Jean-Yves Thibaudet, who is superb in general and certainly in some of the wilder reaches of the repertory. He was the pianist in Messiaen's<span style="font-family: inherit;"> <em style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); background-color: white; border: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; font-feature-settings: inherit; font-kerning: inherit; font-optical-sizing: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-alternates: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; font-variant-position: inherit; font-variation-settings: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Trois petites liturgies de la Présence Divine</em><span style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); background-color: white; border: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; font-feature-settings: inherit; font-kerning: inherit; font-optical-sizing: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-alternates: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; font-variant-position: inherit; font-variation-settings: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> at SFS about a year ago, for example; this was one of MTT's rare forays into Messiaen.</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); background-color: white; border: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; font-feature-settings: inherit; font-kerning: inherit; font-optical-sizing: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-alternates: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; font-variant-position: inherit; font-variation-settings: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">I enjoyed the light show, which used spotlights, a giant ring of tubular lighting fixtures over the stage, and more of those fixtures upright around the stage. I don't know how the tubular fixtures work; they could change color, including gradually from one end to the other. Computers were certainly involved, and, well, maybe I should read the extensive program notes to see what types of lighting fixtures were used. I <i>can</i> tell you that my spectacularly strong eyeglass prescription meant that my lenses were able to split the fixtures into two different colors that appeared physically next to each other. That was weird.</span></span></p><p>While I <i>enjoyed</i> the light show, I also found it a distraction from the main event, that is, the music. And there was the anticipation of wondering what the scents would be like, what their effects would be, and when we were supposed to smell them.</p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQ_kwJ5gloAG1h31oM5oCBeW6MOlRv0voaErD3QC3FjssO1SViyjif7BC5MINbaPfyWugCxpS1NxQmGUaM32NVumC68C8Vih-zNJ8WS56p8apnB5_A8ZPfLw5Hmn9gTuot72qixlAiwxz3Iv7rocg6-Si-rmKGovAbw6w2DC2Kz7EMtG_nYpJixA/s4080/PXL_20240302_031339057.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4080" data-original-width="3072" height="378" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQ_kwJ5gloAG1h31oM5oCBeW6MOlRv0voaErD3QC3FjssO1SViyjif7BC5MINbaPfyWugCxpS1NxQmGUaM32NVumC68C8Vih-zNJ8WS56p8apnB5_A8ZPfLw5Hmn9gTuot72qixlAiwxz3Iv7rocg6-Si-rmKGovAbw6w2DC2Kz7EMtG_nYpJixA/w284-h378/PXL_20240302_031339057.jpg" width="284" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Scent cannons, not to be confused with scene canons.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">These were in the side boxes five rows ahead of me.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgv4nr8nZM6-ZGLqKJ6DBAZyN5OsFRwRGuA-7Sy9iFH_uBEQ_ooRO1rEVFCuivaRaght64BHoxgPoP9-y9GsXx2ChDdFAc-Ma2ia6hz3rOkLh0HHzUR9BnhvGepUtpUbH2wTL8115msN01HQZZlNfo5LJC887NSkyVpVAcX3IBM-aiemkXD46OI8g/s4080/PXL_20240302_031517204.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3072" data-original-width="4080" height="331" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgv4nr8nZM6-ZGLqKJ6DBAZyN5OsFRwRGuA-7Sy9iFH_uBEQ_ooRO1rEVFCuivaRaght64BHoxgPoP9-y9GsXx2ChDdFAc-Ma2ia6hz3rOkLh0HHzUR9BnhvGepUtpUbH2wTL8115msN01HQZZlNfo5LJC887NSkyVpVAcX3IBM-aiemkXD46OI8g/w440-h331/PXL_20240302_031517204.jpg" width="440" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Scent cannons in the audience right terrace seating.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">There were four in audience left terrace, plus a total of four in the orchestra-level boxes, two on each side.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Again, I should have read the program notes, which told you <i>when</i> in <i>Prometheus</i> the scent cannons would do their thing. But I didn't, leaving me to use my nose.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Now, I do not have the world's best nose. This is not the result of COVID; I didn't have the best nose, or even as good a nose as in my youth, <i>before</i> the pandemic. And I have never had a positive COVID test; while I was sick as a dog in December, 2023, tests on days 1, 3, and 5 were negative.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">In any event, I don't have a particularly sensitive nose. At some point fairly early in <i>Prometheus</i>, I could sense a vaguely charcoaly, clay-like, earthy scent. From where I sat, and smelled, it was mild and inoffensive.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I think that the second scent was vaguely spicy; I don't have notes, but there was a point where I remember trying to tease out which spices I was smelling. Close to the end of <i>Prometheus</i>, the cannons truly went off, opening up and spewing smoke that had a vaguely lemony scent.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">That is, from where I sat, in Row T in the orchestra. I chatted for the first time with the fellow to my right, and he agreed that the scents were, well, underwhelming. A friend in the Loge asked me after the concert how much Lemon Pledge had gone into the last scent. Surely Mathilde Laurent would be horrified to hear this, that is, if she knows what Lemon Pledge is.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Yet another friend has told me that from where <i>she</i> sat, also in the Loge, the scents were in-your-face and unpleasant, the hall still reeked (her word) after the intermission, and the exposure to the particles made her eyes itch. Publicity for the program said that the scents were expected to disperse rapidly, but, well, it didn't work out that way. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div>So, from my perspective, Smell-o-Rama was a bust. It's not good when a significant part of a performance has bad physical effects on people. The light show was fun, but between the lights and the aromatic suspense, I felt too distracted from the music, which was, to me, the most interesting part of the performance. I think the performance was swell (it's an odd work!), and sure, Scriabin wanted lights and scents, but unlike him, I'm not synesthetic. (If you are, tell me what your experience of the concert was! It was made for Scriabin, and you.) <div><br /></div><div>I would have liked to hear the music again! This would have been practical without the add-ons - <i>Prometheus</i> is all of 20 minutes long - but it is not to be, at least not this week. I here note that the only previous performances of <i>Prometheus</i> at SFS were in 1971, more than 50 years ago, and it was led by Seiji Ozawa. I bet he was good, too.<div><br /></div><div>Okay, on to the seven <strike>dwarves</strike> doors.</div><div><br /></div><div>SFS has performed <i>Bluebeard's Castle </i>before, most recently in 2012. MTT conducted then, with Michelle DeYoung and Alan Held. DeYoung was back for this go-round, with bass-baritone Gerald Finley. It was semi-staged back then, with DeYoung and Held on a platform behind the orchestra. I remember it as being very good; I went twice and would have gone a third time if I hadn't been at a party in Palo Alto that day. I also remember that a native-Hungarian speaking friend told me that DeYoung's Hungarian was very good but Held's wasn't. And when the fifth door opened the production shone bright lights into the eyes of the audience, at least if you were in the orchestra.</div><div><br /></div><div>What to say about Friday's performance? I was surprised by Salonen's conducting. The work started rather slowly, dark but with less ominous mystery than I would like. Less than <i>Bartók</i> would like, because there it is in the first measure: <i>misterioso</i>. The wind entry a few measures in starts with accented...64th notes (!), and they were <i>too long</i>. They are basically on-the-beat grace notes but sounded more like 16ths here. </div><div><br /></div><div>The performance felt strangely inert and without tension through sometime during the third or fourth door. (I was not taking notes, since I am not reviewing, but hoo boy do I wish I had been.) Anyway, yes, I was surprised, because this work would seem to be right in his wheelhouse. Well, he has surprised me before, with a <i>Sacre du Printemps</i> that didn't work for me and a lot of Beethoven that's been great.</div><div><br /></div><div>It's possible that he was being considerate of the singers, making space for them to articulate the text, which both did extremely well. That said, I thought DeYoung was singing more carefully and with less freedom than I have heard from her in the past. Her voice is still big, still colorful, and still very well worth hearing. (For perspective, I first heard her in the 1998 Seattle <i>Tristan und Isolde</i> and most recently in 2019 as a fabulous Jezibaba in Paris, in Robert Carsen's amazing <i>Rusalka</i> production, a performance that also featured Karita Mattila as a jaw-dropping Foreign Princess, casually mopping the stage with Klaus Florian Vogt. Also jaw-dropping: DeYoung and the knife and her whole attitude.)</div><div><br /></div><div>Finley was excellent and what surprised me is that his voice is smaller than I would have expected. "But you've seen him before, in opera!" I hear you exclaim. Yes, but both times were in works by John Adams, who requires amplification of singers. Those performances were in <i>Doctor Atomic</i>, 19 years ago, and 2022's <i>Antony and Cleopatra</i>. Finley withdrew from two other planned SFO appearances, in <i>Sweeney Todd</i> and <i>Die Meistersinger</i>, where he would not have been amplified.</div><div><br /></div><div>There could have been more physical interaction between the singers, but they were placed on opposite sides of Salonen and both had scores in front of them. Despite not moving around a stage, DeYoung was physically expressive, with many gestures, turns of the head, looking at Finley, etc. He looked back at her but made much less of a physical impression.</div><div><br /></div><div>Okay, well, let briefly address the fact that DeYoung is towering and Finley is not. To give you an idea of how tall she is, the top of her head was around where Salonen's was, and he was on a podium. Was she wearing heels? Maybe! She is very tall, regardless. So maybe there was some thought that putting the singers next to each other would be dramatically ineffective? Who knows.</div><div><br /></div><div>Per previous, things did pick up around the third or fourth door. Yes, the fifth door was great, as you might have expected, though it might have been greater, or louder, with MTT; I think the organ was more prominent in 2012 than last night. The orchestra was gorgeously colorful throughout, with a lot of fantastic playing from the winds, harps, and percussion. I'm pretty sure that I saw Jacob Nissley and another percussionist playing the same xylophone at one point.</div><div><br /></div><div>And in <i>Bluebeard</i>, the lighting wasn't at all distracting, because of the colorful score, the references to different colors in the text, and the fact that the lighting changes were all extremely appropriate. </div><div><br /></div><div>So, overall, an <i>interesting</i> evening at the symphony. I'd like to hear <i>Prometheus</i> again, and I'd like to hear a more dramatic rendition of <i>Bluebeard</i>. I wish I could get there again this weekend, since <a href="https://www.sfsymphony.org/Buy-Tickets/2023-24/PROMETHEUS-BLUEBEARD" target="_blank">there are two more performances</a>, but tonight I'm at the Kronos Quartet and tomorrow I'm at Left Coast for their Saariaho, Prokofiev, and Chew concert.</div><div><br /></div><div><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><a href="https://datebook.sfchronicle.com/classical/review-sf-symphony-scriabin-prometheus-18640673" target="_blank">Joshua Kosman</a>, Chronicle</li><li><a href="https://www.sfgate.com/music/article/s-f-symphony-review-darkly-engrossing-bart-k-3656615.php" target="_blank">Joshua Kosman</a> in 2012. "Strangely wan" applies here as well.</li><li><a href="https://sfciviccenter.blogspot.com/2024/03/synesthesia-scents-and-singing-at-sf.html" target="_blank">Michael Strickland</a>, SF Civic Center</li><li><a href="https://www.sfcv.org/articles/review/sf-symphony-dramatic-duke-bluebeards-castle-and-prometheus-poem-fire" target="_blank">Rebecca Wishnia</a>, SFCV</li></ul></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /><div><p><br /></p></div></div></div>Lisa Hirschhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14014924958428072675noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8957911.post-36494537243804071742024-03-01T16:00:00.000-08:002024-03-01T16:00:27.932-08:00Friday Photo<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhI2p8i6fdlP4EGcjt4GpGjZlkuKrOBctV7ukhxOAdinBW2qE4daZ-wlBvy2WcwOIWU_rJQjDXZx2JNCyNq68gZqOcN4u_izX_YZdh_-MKoYXs4gqhFCJ2VbRvaUoa0ISKqt0MzQcL1TIO5DG0_YX5nQf4hI4twKQOXYupzwW21CT7CKi1KwLvLSw/s4080/PXL_20240225_214659294.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4080" data-original-width="3072" height="467" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhI2p8i6fdlP4EGcjt4GpGjZlkuKrOBctV7ukhxOAdinBW2qE4daZ-wlBvy2WcwOIWU_rJQjDXZx2JNCyNq68gZqOcN4u_izX_YZdh_-MKoYXs4gqhFCJ2VbRvaUoa0ISKqt0MzQcL1TIO5DG0_YX5nQf4hI4twKQOXYupzwW21CT7CKi1KwLvLSw/w352-h467/PXL_20240225_214659294.jpg" width="352" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Lunar New Year at Davies Symphony Hall, San Francisco</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">February, 2024</div><br /> <p></p>Lisa Hirschhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14014924958428072675noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8957911.post-33796856264209251272024-02-26T13:51:00.000-08:002024-02-26T13:51:38.664-08:00Beethoven in Vallejo<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlIL1uDOD8vsMlpHuS4cuhT4J0VJca3KWeXH-ZyUE8HQ5PeyxkRlyZcdxdDiS8pBjPg3Hy58u97lKpU-XAuSJg-cBZydsq6ALanoSfWqDqMW5pjOf6T6231V6wZiCfYi4cPtAMlhTFZcnWqCYUHlVBBW0G3hmcN-QNRwqNIibo554v6joZSnZSQw/s1627/Beethovem%20poster.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1627" data-original-width="1080" height="432" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlIL1uDOD8vsMlpHuS4cuhT4J0VJca3KWeXH-ZyUE8HQ5PeyxkRlyZcdxdDiS8pBjPg3Hy58u97lKpU-XAuSJg-cBZydsq6ALanoSfWqDqMW5pjOf6T6231V6wZiCfYi4cPtAMlhTFZcnWqCYUHlVBBW0G3hmcN-QNRwqNIibo554v6joZSnZSQw/w286-h432/Beethovem%20poster.jpg" width="286" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">The Vallejo Festival Orchestra, founded and conducted by Thomas Conlin, has a concert next Saturday, March 2, 2024, at 7:30 PM. They'll be performing the following all-Beethoven program:</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><i>Egmonont</i> Overture</li><li><i>Coriolanus</i> Overture</li><li><i>Prometheus</i> Overture (I presume this is the overture to <i>The Creatures of Prometheus</i>.)</li><li>Symphony No. 3 in E-flat major, <i>Eroica</i></li></ul><div>I can't get there, alas, but let me remind you that this orchestra and conductor gave a Sibelius program last year that was really terrific. I liked it a whole lot more than what the hallowed Vienna Philharmonic and Christian Thielemann did with Mendelssohn and Brahms that same week. So if you're anywhere near the Empress Theater in Vallejo next Saturday, be there or be square.</div></div>Lisa Hirschhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14014924958428072675noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8957911.post-68527668758250856122024-02-26T00:01:00.000-08:002024-02-26T00:01:00.135-08:00Museum Monday<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_sEMpcUjm4VPjhTKimSpZFxcu-sbp7eO2YRxjvHGdrcrl4yPFRmetdL046NwTYO2v2Kij2tNbs7hOXwqsPn-VZv1CgpwtjFiRLJM4zTTXU2S3cMVWNakMdC8mGlhU7tyaHeJEYvxrEI4Jsjp54zxG4gJ3W88_mY5XFkMcvlG5c0jj2wwlaw2ehQ/s2432/IMG_1355.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2432" data-original-width="1824" height="604" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_sEMpcUjm4VPjhTKimSpZFxcu-sbp7eO2YRxjvHGdrcrl4yPFRmetdL046NwTYO2v2Kij2tNbs7hOXwqsPn-VZv1CgpwtjFiRLJM4zTTXU2S3cMVWNakMdC8mGlhU7tyaHeJEYvxrEI4Jsjp54zxG4gJ3W88_mY5XFkMcvlG5c0jj2wwlaw2ehQ/w453-h604/IMG_1355.JPG" width="453" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Painted Panel</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Part of a Triptych Altarpiece</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Victoria & Albert Museum, London</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">November, 2019</div><br /> <p></p>Lisa Hirschhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14014924958428072675noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8957911.post-49900724724029740582024-02-24T14:22:00.000-08:002024-02-24T14:22:44.561-08:00There's a Bay Area Conductor Who Eats Very, Very Well.<div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Alfa Slab One; font-size: x-large;">???</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><p></p><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><a href="https://www.bonappetit.com/story/food-diary-san-francisco-950k-salary" target="_blank">Bon Appetite follows a conductor around for a while</a>, posts some personal financial info in the process.</li><li><a href="https://www.sfchronicle.com/entertainment/article/sf-conductor-bon-appetit-18685249.php" target="_blank">Joshua Kosman reports</a>, skeptically, owing to the conductor's purported annual income of $950,000/year. Hey, the conductor says he has 94 performances; if he gets $10,000/per, well?</li></ul><p></p>Lisa Hirschhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14014924958428072675noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8957911.post-24153697297453542802024-02-23T00:01:00.000-08:002024-02-23T00:01:00.141-08:00Friday Photo<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJjubkB-xvtSrobHVyaDOCcM-fo9M-L3Ml9Vu8XjMq_EonQyhvWqbYMnY1QzmqBXU8U7mqk3lYpHfDVOWQnJtm5o4TiSMtA7gVsbQQfhTMw-37778nRoGoNVTIRAtU47urDNlJ1rQmno7kkRWW2DSvvSkO1Pw9ZMaYqfAJs3BsjUFPdpvo7pJC0Q/s4080/PXL_20240217_213801038.MP.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4080" data-original-width="3072" height="550" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJjubkB-xvtSrobHVyaDOCcM-fo9M-L3Ml9Vu8XjMq_EonQyhvWqbYMnY1QzmqBXU8U7mqk3lYpHfDVOWQnJtm5o4TiSMtA7gVsbQQfhTMw-37778nRoGoNVTIRAtU47urDNlJ1rQmno7kkRWW2DSvvSkO1Pw9ZMaYqfAJs3BsjUFPdpvo7pJC0Q/w414-h550/PXL_20240217_213801038.MP.jpg" width="414" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Lion Dancers</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Farmer Joe's Market</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Oakland, CA</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">February, 2024</div><br /> <p></p>Lisa Hirschhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14014924958428072675noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8957911.post-54912240772112489702024-02-20T10:44:00.000-08:002024-02-20T10:44:14.693-08:00Jules Harlow<p>Rabbi Jules Harlow died at 92, on February 12, 2024. From his <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2024/02/19/nyregion/rabbi-jules-harlow-dead.html?unlocked_article_code=1.W00.JBBz.ZonafzBpbF_S&smid=url-share" target="_blank">NY Times obituary</a>:</p><div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><blockquote><span style="background-color: white; color: #363636; font-variant-ligatures: normal; orphans: 2; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2;">Many of Rabbi Harlow’s liturgical innovations were in “Siddur Sim Shalom,” a daily and Sabbath prayer book published in 1985.</span><span style="font-family: inherit;"> </span></blockquote><blockquote><span style="font-family: inherit;"> ...</span></blockquote><blockquote><span style="font-family: inherit;">The volume also included several original poems by Rabbi Harlow, among them “Changing Light,” which was offered as an alternative to parts of the evening service known as ma’ariv:</span></blockquote></span></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><em class="css-2fg4z9 e1gzwzxm0" style="border: 0px; font-feature-settings: inherit; font-kerning: inherit; font-optical-sizing: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-alternates: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-ligatures: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; font-variant-position: inherit; font-variation-settings: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"></em><blockquote><em class="css-2fg4z9 e1gzwzxm0" style="border: 0px; font-feature-settings: inherit; font-kerning: inherit; font-optical-sizing: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-alternates: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-ligatures: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; font-variant-position: inherit; font-variation-settings: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Resplendent skies, sunset, sunrise<br /></em><em class="css-2fg4z9 e1gzwzxm0" style="border: 0px; font-feature-settings: inherit; font-kerning: inherit; font-optical-sizing: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-alternates: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-ligatures: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; font-variant-position: inherit; font-variation-settings: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">The grandeur of creation lifts our lives<br /></em><em class="css-2fg4z9 e1gzwzxm0" style="border: 0px; font-feature-settings: inherit; font-kerning: inherit; font-optical-sizing: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-alternates: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-ligatures: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; font-variant-position: inherit; font-variation-settings: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Evening darkness, morning dawn<br /></em><em class="css-2fg4z9 e1gzwzxm0" style="border: 0px; font-feature-settings: inherit; font-kerning: inherit; font-optical-sizing: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-alternates: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-ligatures: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; font-variant-position: inherit; font-variation-settings: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Renew our lives as You renew all time.</em></blockquote></span></div><div><blockquote><span style="font-family: inherit;">The full poem was even set to music, by the Finnish composer <a class="css-yywogo" href="https://www.nytimes.com/2023/06/02/arts/music/kaija-saariaho-dead.html" style="border: 0px; color: #326891; font-feature-settings: inherit; font-kerning: inherit; font-optical-sizing: inherit; font-size-adjust: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant-alternates: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-ligatures: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; font-variant-position: inherit; font-variation-settings: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration-color: var(--color-signal-editorial,#326891); text-decoration-style: solid; text-decoration-thickness: 1px; vertical-align: baseline;" title="">Kaija Saariaho</a>. The piece had its world premiere <a class="css-yywogo" href="https://www.wisemusicclassical.com/performances/search/work/13745/" rel="noopener noreferrer" style="border: 0px; color: #326891; font-feature-settings: inherit; font-kerning: inherit; font-optical-sizing: inherit; font-size-adjust: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant-alternates: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-ligatures: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; font-variant-position: inherit; font-variation-settings: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration-color: var(--color-signal-editorial,#326891); text-decoration-style: solid; text-decoration-thickness: 1px; vertical-align: baseline;" target="_blank" title="">in Helsinki</a> in 2002, on the first anniversary of the 9/11 terror attacks, and its American premiere at Carnegie Hall in 2003.</span></blockquote></div><p><span style="background-color: white; color: #363636; font-family: nyt-imperial, georgia, "times new roman", times, serif; font-size: 20px; font-variant-ligatures: normal; orphans: 2; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2;"></span></p>Lisa Hirschhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14014924958428072675noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8957911.post-62480167316235987502024-02-19T00:01:00.000-08:002024-02-19T00:01:00.133-08:00Museum Mondays<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAyPXm-CwpftVgh7vZUeBm80y11JYZXzP3Bk62c1codb36qBt4RpfcQgMZT82MDrTkWZnF_94q9S5O6U11TFx3z8OBV6S-cWeAylYk8dauK0TFlQIkEt9SAPT9QAeIwDuWPQz8xZUPI3UIAgIluoD0ZHMOx0dQmWcT_iE6_v2vSEYv4atoLVeGxw/s2432/IMG_1314.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2432" data-original-width="1824" height="620" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAyPXm-CwpftVgh7vZUeBm80y11JYZXzP3Bk62c1codb36qBt4RpfcQgMZT82MDrTkWZnF_94q9S5O6U11TFx3z8OBV6S-cWeAylYk8dauK0TFlQIkEt9SAPT9QAeIwDuWPQz8xZUPI3UIAgIluoD0ZHMOx0dQmWcT_iE6_v2vSEYv4atoLVeGxw/w464-h620/IMG_1314.JPG" width="464" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Tomb sculpture</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Victoria & Albert Museum, London</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">November, 2019</div><br /> <p></p>Lisa Hirschhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14014924958428072675noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8957911.post-32309880448394065832024-02-18T11:09:00.000-08:002024-02-18T11:09:55.109-08:00Music Director Updates, Part XXX<p> Some new reports:</p><p></p><ul><li>Marin Alsop becomes principal guest conductor of the Philadelphia Orchestra, I believe succeeding Nathalie Stutzmann.</li><li>Simon Rattle becomes principal guest conductor of the Czech Philharonic.</li><li>John Storgards will becomes chief conductor of the Turku Philharmonic.</li></ul><p></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit;">Open positions:</span></p><ul><li style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #202020; font-family: inherit;">Phoenix Symphony</span></li><li style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #202020; font-family: inherit;">Cleveland Orchestra, as of June, 2027.</span></li><li style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #202020; font-family: inherit;">Paris Opera is currently without a music director.</span></li><li style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #202020; font-family: inherit;">Nashville Symphony, when Giancarlo Guerrero leaves.</span></li><li style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #202020; font-family: inherit;">Deutsche Oper Berlin, when Donald Runnicles leaves.</span></li><li style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #202020; font-family: inherit;">Hallé Orchestra, when Mark Elder leaves.</span></li><li style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #202020; font-family: inherit;">Rottedam Philharmonic, when Lahav Shani leaves.</span></li><li style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #202020; font-family: inherit;">Los Angeles Philharmonic, as of 2026-27, when Gustavo Dudamel leaves for NY.</span></li><li style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #202020; font-family: inherit;">Sarasota Orchestra, following the death of Bramwell Tovey.</span></li><li style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: #202020;">Seattle Symphony, following Thomas Dausgaard's abrupt departure in January, 2022.</span></span></li><li style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: #202020;">Chicago Symphony Orchestra, where Riccardo Muti left at the end of 2022-23.</span></span></li><li style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: #202020;">Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra: open in 2024 when Louis Langree steps down.</span></span></li><li style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: inherit;">Hong Kong Philharmonic, </span><span style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34); color: #222222; font-family: inherit;">when Jaap van Zweden leaves in 2024.</span></li><li style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: inherit;">Oakland Symphony, owing to the death of Michael Morgan in August, 2021.</span></li><li style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="color: #222222; font-family: inherit;">Teatro Regio Turin: Open now with departure of Gianandrea Noseda. The Teatro </span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: inherit;">Regio has not named a new music director.</span></li><li style="color: #222222; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Minnesota Opera: Michael Christie has left. MO has not named a new music director. </span></li><li style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Marin Symphony, at the end of 2022-23.</span></li><li style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Vienna Staatsoper, when Philippe Jordan leaves at the end of 2025.</span></li></ul><div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: #222222;">Conductors looking for jobs (that is, as of the near future, or now, they do not have a posting). The big mystery, to me, is why an orchestra hasn't <i>snapped up</i> Susanna Mälkki. Slightly lesser mystery: Henrik Nanasi, whose superb <i>Cosi fan tutte</i> is still lingering in my ears.</span></span><ul><li style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;">Tito Muñoz </span></li><li style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;">Andrey Boreyko</span></li><li style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;">Osmo Vänskä</span></li><li style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; background-color: white; font-family: inherit; font-kerning: none;">Susanna Mälkki, who left the Helsinki Philharmonic at the end of 2022-23.</span></span></li><li style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;">MGT (apparently does not </span><i style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;">want</i><span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;"> a full-time job, as of early 2022)</span></li><li style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;">Miguel Harth-Bedoya (seems settled in at Baylor)</span></li><li style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white;"></span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; background-color: white; font-kerning: none;">Lionel Bringuier</span></span></li><li style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;">Sian Edwards</span></li><li style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;">Ingo Metzmacher</span></li><li style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Jac van Steen</span></li><li style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white;"></span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; background-color: white; font-kerning: none;">Mark Wigglesworth</span></span></li><li style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white;"></span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; background-color: white; font-kerning: none;">Peter Oundjian</span></span></li><li style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: inherit;">Ilan Volkov</span></li><li style="color: #222222; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white;"></span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; background-color: white; font-kerning: none;">Aleksandr Markovic</span></span></li><li style="color: #222222; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white;"></span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; background-color: white; font-kerning: none;">Lothar Koenigs</span></span></li><li style="color: #222222; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white;"></span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; background-color: white; font-kerning: none;">Henrik Nanasi</span></span></li><li style="color: #222222; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; background-color: white; font-kerning: none;">Philippe Jordan, eventually</span></span></li><li style="color: #222222; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; background-color: white; font-kerning: none;">Franz Welser-Möst, eventually</span></span></li></ul><div><span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: inherit;">And closed:</span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; background-color: white; font-kerning: none;"><p></p><ul><li><b>Update and correction:<span style="font-family: inherit;"> </span><span style="color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">San Francisco Chamber Orchestra was unable to hire Cosette Justo Valdés. Instead, Jory Fankuchen, a violinist in the orchestra, has been named Principal Conductor and will lead this season's programs.</span></span></b></li><li><span>Indianapolis Symphony hires Jun Markel, effective September 1, 2024.</span></li><li><span>Andris Nelsons renewed his contract with the Boston Symphony. He's now on an evergreen rolling contract, which will continue as long as he and the orchestra are happy with each other. MTT had one of these at SFS.</span></li><li><span style="font-family: inherit;">Shanghai Symphony, with the appointment of Long Yu.</span></li><li><span style="font-family: inherit;">Virginia Symphony, with the appointment of Eric Jacobsen.</span></li><li><span style="font-family: inherit;">Warsaw Philharmonic, with the appointment of </span>Krzysztof Urbański.</li><li><span style="color: #222222; font-family: inherit;">Bern Symphony, with the appointment of </span><span>Krzysztof Urbański.</span></li><li><span style="color: #222222; font-family: inherit;">Berlin State Opera, with the appointment of Christian Thielemann.</span></li><li><span style="color: #222222; font-family: inherit;">Dresden Philharmonic, with the appointment of Donald Runnicles.</span></li><li><span style="color: #222222; font-family: inherit;">New York Philharmonic, with the appointment of Gustavo Dudamel. Note that Jaap van Zweden leaves in 2024 and there will be a two-season gap before Dudamel arrives.</span></li><li><span style="font-family: inherit;">Helsinki Philharmonic: Jukka-Pekka Saraste to succeed Susanna Mälkki.</span></li><li><span style="color: #202020; font-family: inherit;">Staatskapelle Dresden, with the appointment of Daniele Gatti.</span></li><li><span style="color: #202020; font-family: inherit;">Seoul Philharmonic appoints Jaap van Zweden.</span></li><li><span style="color: #202020;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Royal Opera appoints Jakub </span></span><span style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #3a3a3a; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Hrůša to succeed Antonio Pappano in September, 2025.</span></span></li></ul></span></span></span></div></div><p> </p>Lisa Hirschhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14014924958428072675noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8957911.post-67205455331453582552024-02-16T00:01:00.000-08:002024-02-16T00:01:00.183-08:00Friday Photo<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbF0PGPftFb4TxOm_5iwt-FsDCyg4bNto4dp_7iV9ouLY_4Suk4pMeDZmLfB_DWBg-t6iBc5uj3zeo8weDsvHsbP-qNAB8g-uwraW0LHfALJDADhFjflsZNQwysGIJSZngqzvX8RmYL5cHf_mXOamFWnhovWcIBnqTOHIuPnBePx6bnzMm-EgWEg/s2432/IMG_1274.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1824" data-original-width="2432" height="364" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbF0PGPftFb4TxOm_5iwt-FsDCyg4bNto4dp_7iV9ouLY_4Suk4pMeDZmLfB_DWBg-t6iBc5uj3zeo8weDsvHsbP-qNAB8g-uwraW0LHfALJDADhFjflsZNQwysGIJSZngqzvX8RmYL5cHf_mXOamFWnhovWcIBnqTOHIuPnBePx6bnzMm-EgWEg/w485-h364/IMG_1274.JPG" width="485" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Tosca & Daughters</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Storefront, Chelsea, London</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">November, 2019</div><br /> <p></p>Lisa Hirschhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14014924958428072675noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8957911.post-4700999587198495702024-02-13T15:03:00.000-08:002024-02-13T15:03:48.257-08:00Ozawa Update<p>After the question arose elsewhere, I asked San Francisco Symphony about Seiji Ozawa's appearances with SFS after he stepped down as music director. Here's the answer:</p><p class="MsoNormal" style="caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34); color: #222222; margin: 0px;"></p><blockquote><span style="font-family: inherit;">After the 1976-77 season, Ozawa conducted:<u></u><u></u></span></blockquote><p></p><blockquote><ul style="caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34); color: #222222; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-top: 0in; text-align: left;" type="disc"><li><span style="font-family: inherit;">January 11-14, 1978 – Tchaikovsky </span><i style="font-family: inherit;">Swan Lake</i></li><li class="m_-6605041823474528333MsoListParagraph" style="margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">January 18-21, 1978 – Brahms Symphony No. 3 & Roger Sessions <i>When Lilacs Last in the Dooryard Bloom'd</i><u></u><u></u></span></li><li class="m_-6605041823474528333MsoListParagraph" style="margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">November 9, 1986 – Pension Fund Concert – Ravel’s <i>La Valse</i>, Schumann’s Symphony No. 2, and Kei Anjo’s Who-ei for Erh-hu and Orchestra<u></u><u></u></span></li><li class="m_-6605041823474528333MsoListParagraph" style="margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">February 23, 1993 – Pension Fund Concert – Beethoven’s Symphony No. 7 and Bernstein’s <i>The Age of Anxiety<u></u><u></u></i></span></li><li class="m_-6605041823474528333MsoListParagraph" style="margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">October 29, 2001 – Pension Fund Concert – Beethoven’s Symphony No. 8 and Berlioz <i>Symphonie fantastique </i></span><span style="font-family: inherit;"> </span></li></ul></blockquote><p class="MsoNormal" style="caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34); color: #222222; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><u></u></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34); color: #222222; margin: 0px;"></p><blockquote><span style="font-family: inherit;">Ozawa also came to Davies Symphony Hall with the BSO twice (March 12, 1981 and February 13, 1996) and Saito Kinen Orchestra once (January 7, 2001).</span></blockquote><p></p>Lisa Hirschhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14014924958428072675noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8957911.post-90196146039675758272024-02-12T00:01:00.000-08:002024-02-12T00:01:00.141-08:00Museum Mondays<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirzHGkDZjmydS4XOFnimolOEXIfukcg5JqBPDw8on8hK9vexg-O-OjCKRiMsIXXfc28UZBUmSk1qYov6XrglcvaMxxsnudLE2LkikrQG0Cv00rCYEh3ii0zpxYsA9aUPMXyn6pGayl5uxC40HqpuGbOvCN4OVGTv5JF_rM4EaOxqgDf1E1YJkiFw/s2432/IMG_1320.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1824" data-original-width="2432" height="368" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirzHGkDZjmydS4XOFnimolOEXIfukcg5JqBPDw8on8hK9vexg-O-OjCKRiMsIXXfc28UZBUmSk1qYov6XrglcvaMxxsnudLE2LkikrQG0Cv00rCYEh3ii0zpxYsA9aUPMXyn6pGayl5uxC40HqpuGbOvCN4OVGTv5JF_rM4EaOxqgDf1E1YJkiFw/w491-h368/IMG_1320.JPG" width="491" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Effigy</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Victoria & Albert Museum, London</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">November, 2019</div><br /> <p></p>Lisa Hirschhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14014924958428072675noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8957911.post-23142961582297570122024-02-09T05:52:00.000-08:002024-02-11T22:39:05.978-08:00Seiji Ozawa<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWnFbZw6OeCAdzZVY2LpHqMCeJL6gDKglyRvVx766FgIUNIDQ07jsAcS__S6sQ3NFJ4C9aMTJEHQnkbnUXkX6ITHXgRClHfp9_ySg1r6hVemkV7fN-_Famb3XShPmO3K834pFYqEjRggeFbXuuSEO4TomZtXHor_m1-cBwS7BcE1MKAU48KVHZSg/s2800/Seiji%20Ozawa%20(Kinoshita).jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2206" data-original-width="2800" height="284" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWnFbZw6OeCAdzZVY2LpHqMCeJL6gDKglyRvVx766FgIUNIDQ07jsAcS__S6sQ3NFJ4C9aMTJEHQnkbnUXkX6ITHXgRClHfp9_ySg1r6hVemkV7fN-_Famb3XShPmO3K834pFYqEjRggeFbXuuSEO4TomZtXHor_m1-cBwS7BcE1MKAU48KVHZSg/w360-h284/Seiji%20Ozawa%20(Kinoshita).jpg" width="360" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Seiji Ozawa</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Photo courtesy of Boston Symphony Orchestra</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Seiji Ozawa, former music director of the Toronto Symphony, San Francisco Symphony, and Boston Symphony Orchestra, has died of heart failure at 88. He had been in poor health for about 14 years.</div><p>He led the BSO for 29 years. I lived in the Boston area for five of those years and saw him conduct only once or twice. (It was a major schlep to get from Waltham to Symphony Hall; I spent a lot of time in evening rehearsals, and there were many, many free concerts at Brandeis. In retrospect, if I'd had any sense, I would have coordinated my flute lessons, in Brookline, with the Friday matinees.)</p><p>As I understand it, the length of his tenure in Boston eventually became a problem; conflicts with the orchestra, etc. I wasn't there and wasn't paying a lot of attention, but I do remember the relief when he finally resigned and James Levine became the music director. That....ultimately didn't work out either, between Levine's health and divided attention.</p><p>Ozawa was the music director of SFS in the 1970s, and my sense is that locally, people regard him as having used the position as a springboard to a bigger and better appointment, which the BSO certainly was, at the time. Today, well, the Big Five are the Big Seven and numerous other U.S. orchestras (Seattle, Minnesota, Buffalo, and more) play on an extremely high level.</p><p>I've now read two different obituaries, at WBUR, Boston, and the NY Times, and gosh, there are outright errors in the obits and the same two omissions.</p><p></p><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>Typo in a Times photo caption, "Ozawar". (Could happen anywhere; now fixed.)</li><li>"Big Five" interpreted to mean "five greatest orchestras in the world", in the WBUR obit. (Still not fixed.)</li><li>Neither mentions survivors! It's pro-forma in an obit to say "Information on survivors was not immediately available" or "The Seiji Ozawa International Academy Switzerland, which announced the death, did not release any information about survivors." (Times obit now includes survivors.)</li><li>Neither - and this is amazing from James R. Oestreich at the Times, in what must have been an advance obit - mentions that Ozawa conducted the world premiere of Olivier Messiaen's sole opera, <i>St. Francois d'Assise</i>. </li><li>Was it a sprained or broken finger that made him turn to conducting?</li></ul><div>FWIW, I also feel like the Times could have had more to say about the issues with Ozawa in Boston.</div><div><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><a href="https://www.bso.org/press/in-memoriam-seiji-ozawa" target="_blank">BSO Press Release</a></li><li><a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2024/02/09/arts/music/seiji-ozawa-dead.html?unlocked_article_code=1.UE0.5JAh.ODLnbTwVOSPM&smid=url-share" target="_blank">James R. Oestreich</a>, NY Times (gift link)</li><li><a href="https://wapo.st/49ro85D" target="_blank">Tim Page</a>, Washington Post (gift link; <i>superb</i> obituary)</li><li><a href="https://www.bostonglobe.com/2024/02/09/metro/seiji-ozawa-famed-conductor-of-boston-symphony-orchestra-dead-at-88/" target="_blank">Richard Dyer</a>, Boston Globe</li><li><a href="https://www.wbur.org/news/2024/02/09/conductor-seiji-ozawa-obituary" target="_blank">Andrea Shea</a>, WBUR</li><li><a href="https://www.metopera.org/information/memorial/seiji-ozawa/">Metropolitan Opera remembers Ozawa</a> </li></ul></div><p></p>Lisa Hirschhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14014924958428072675noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8957911.post-10531228118851068022024-02-09T00:01:00.000-08:002024-02-09T00:01:00.135-08:00Friday Photo<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpPDj17Roh3wwq6czVrIWnpeACxzGIgSqmRMD_RyX1NVzs7yR7j1CQHADX0kmXbgMQWdYJnEMLRMCGuHTuSNvXOn-Fe6LRVQ8eOZGllqhPRQPupZcKYigN5XDXIimh64OW_aGs2r7_idrkXF25_I29F5xAYxbpVo-Yv3nOEXKsFsVgWpbc_oq4fg/s4080/PXL_20240130_150706642.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3072" data-original-width="4080" height="342" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpPDj17Roh3wwq6czVrIWnpeACxzGIgSqmRMD_RyX1NVzs7yR7j1CQHADX0kmXbgMQWdYJnEMLRMCGuHTuSNvXOn-Fe6LRVQ8eOZGllqhPRQPupZcKYigN5XDXIimh64OW_aGs2r7_idrkXF25_I29F5xAYxbpVo-Yv3nOEXKsFsVgWpbc_oq4fg/w454-h342/PXL_20240130_150706642.jpg" width="454" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Early morning</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Oakland Laurel District</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">January, 2024</div><br /> <p></p>Lisa Hirschhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14014924958428072675noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8957911.post-88541271098899725782024-02-07T22:33:00.000-08:002024-02-07T22:33:16.183-08:00Changes in the San Francisco Symphony Bassoon Section<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjg5YuA-B2ygQLt0zeXalAZVor0Gdi1atJ07LJBeSf42-CVis_KX8-ndD_gibbJAf_man7lS7lg6R6YTZrFDH6shn1rmnjzpD8cjc3zf2jT7PCSMgotO_TwkknKvpOXXSijE7TnxPmbnPS4NzDdfx4pNFWV0ugB8ghLWSpinzKD_C6oGauky5a1nA/s4080/PXL_20240127_030553588.MP.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3072" data-original-width="4080" height="328" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjg5YuA-B2ygQLt0zeXalAZVor0Gdi1atJ07LJBeSf42-CVis_KX8-ndD_gibbJAf_man7lS7lg6R6YTZrFDH6shn1rmnjzpD8cjc3zf2jT7PCSMgotO_TwkknKvpOXXSijE7TnxPmbnPS4NzDdfx4pNFWV0ugB8ghLWSpinzKD_C6oGauky5a1nA/w436-h328/PXL_20240127_030553588.MP.jpg" width="436" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Davies Symphony Hall</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">January, 2024</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Lit in blue the weekend of MTT's Mahler 5 concerts</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">About ten days ago, I noticed that SFS had an audition notice posted for principal bassoon, and I reached the obvious conclusion that this meant Stephen Paulson would be retiring.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Not so fast: I check it again, and now there is a note saying the following:</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); background-color: white; border: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; font-feature-settings: inherit; font-kerning: inherit; font-optical-sizing: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-alternates: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; font-variant-position: inherit; font-variation-settings: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><blockquote style="font-style: italic;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">After a distinguished 48-year career as the Symphony’s Principal Bassoon, Stephen Paulson will be stepping into the Associate Principal role beginning with the 2024-25 Season.</span></blockquote><p>So...I guess that means that Steven Dibner, currently the associate principal, is retiring, Paulson is stepping into that spot, and hence there's a need for a new principal.</p><p>With a tenure going back 48 years, I think that Paulson is the longest-serving member of the orchestra. A look around the musician page turned up a few players who joined between 1980 and 1984; as I've mentioned, the orchestra is very much in the midst of a generational change. </p></span></div><br /> <p></p>Lisa Hirschhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14014924958428072675noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8957911.post-56234536191736703552024-02-06T16:24:00.000-08:002024-02-06T21:00:15.561-08:00Raehann Bryce-Davis in Recital<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyXRkSidWJ9ci4Y_vhJVr7zM38xle1S0pfn5YJEQMdE6JsGB_hbIbPtfjIPq1SaVGcyU6d9pyCvpWOBGSF2WijRHYiFVnt89SAeYaf4Lsb-O3-HaFoRPLlwCR6DVzmnAGnl972S4Sx4Q39BEPZrZ6S7V0EwaFEg99_mBEKFxpS4_FHMF2pmvk70A/s870/bryce-davis_header1_0.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="493" data-original-width="870" height="279" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyXRkSidWJ9ci4Y_vhJVr7zM38xle1S0pfn5YJEQMdE6JsGB_hbIbPtfjIPq1SaVGcyU6d9pyCvpWOBGSF2WijRHYiFVnt89SAeYaf4Lsb-O3-HaFoRPLlwCR6DVzmnAGnl972S4Sx4Q39BEPZrZ6S7V0EwaFEg99_mBEKFxpS4_FHMF2pmvk70A/w492-h279/bryce-davis_header1_0.jpg" width="492" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; font-variant-ligatures: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2;">Raehann Bryce-Davis | </span><em style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-variant-ligatures: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2;">Credit: Isamar Chabot</em></span></div><br /> <div><span style="orphans: 2; widows: 2;">Mezzo-soprano Raehann Bryce-Davis gave a spectacular recital about ten days ago at Herbst. My review is on the formal side and missed out in one area: I'd actually wanted to mention what she and pianist </span><span style="background-color: white; orphans: 2; widows: 2;"><span style="color: #343a40; font-family: inherit;">Jeanne-Minette Cilliers were wearing after the intermission, because Bryce-Davis's fiancé Allen Virgo designed both outfits and they were spectacular. But, I also didn't manage to grab a curtain call photo. The only disappointing thing about the recital was the turnout; the audience was </span><i style="color: #343a40; font-family: inherit;">tiny</i><span style="color: #343a40; font-family: inherit;">. This might have been because of Michael Tilson Thomas's </span><span style="color: #343a40;"><span>valedictory</span></span><span style="color: #343a40; font-family: inherit;"> Mahler 5 down the block, but I <i>know</i> there are plenty of opera folks who didn't turn out for this wonderful recital.</span></span><div style="orphans: 2; widows: 2;"><span style="background-color: white; orphans: 2; widows: 2;"><span style="color: #343a40; font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="orphans: 2; widows: 2;"><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><span style="color: #343a40;"><span style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(52, 58, 64);"><a href="https://www.sfcv.org/articles/review/raehann-bryce-davis-sings-sense-grandeur" target="_blank">Lisa Hirsch</a>, SFCV</span></span></li><li><span style="color: #343a40;"><span style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(52, 58, 64);"><a href="https://reverberatehills.blogspot.com/2024/02/san-francisco-performances-raehann.html" target="_blank">Patrick Vaz</a>, The Reverberate Hills</span></span></li></ul></div></div>Lisa Hirschhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14014924958428072675noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8957911.post-23468358126438662652024-02-05T00:01:00.000-08:002024-02-05T00:01:00.135-08:00Museum Mondays<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYJCQOQU0dMk6wz87piiiTuWvYKUtmQUmDvaysNDp09GbgMHlpYlJ00tbfuCaFarCnQ6KAdkHG0MsEBxzjWbmBlffD9IckflAglQyLxf0WDVBh_WjMksp6dpugNyZ4CPZ8Efev9-CzzpH1RaLOFLbX0R01WV5Oee_RXbJnL-46C6MHYKm6uRBPSg/s2432/IMG_1191.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1824" data-original-width="2432" height="338" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYJCQOQU0dMk6wz87piiiTuWvYKUtmQUmDvaysNDp09GbgMHlpYlJ00tbfuCaFarCnQ6KAdkHG0MsEBxzjWbmBlffD9IckflAglQyLxf0WDVBh_WjMksp6dpugNyZ4CPZ8Efev9-CzzpH1RaLOFLbX0R01WV5Oee_RXbJnL-46C6MHYKm6uRBPSg/w451-h338/IMG_1191.JPG" width="451" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Mirrored Artwork</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Museum of Fine Arts, Boston</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">October, 2019</div><br /> <p></p>Lisa Hirschhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14014924958428072675noreply@blogger.com0