Adams begins season mining for opera gold
A new opera by John Adams is always a major event and San Francisco Opera gives the world premiere of the Bay Area composer’s latest evening-length work this fall. New works run throughout the season, along with visiting orchestras, unusual collaborations and revivals of beloved masterworks.
“GIRLS OF THE GOLDEN WEST” >> The tumultuous California Gold Rush era comes to life in a new historically informed opera by Adams and librettist Peter Sellars. Set in the 1850s amid the mining camps of the Sierra foothills and drawing from sources including Frederick Douglass, Mark Twain and the letters of pioneering wife Louise Clappe sent East writing as “Dame Shirley,” the opera makes its world premiere at San Francisco Opera with a stellar cast featuring acclaimed soprano Julia Bullock. Grant Gershon conducts.
DETAILS >> Nov. 21-Dec. 10; War Memorial Opera House, San Francisco; $26$398; 415-864-3330, www. sfopera.com.
MTT AND BERLIOZ >> San Francisco Symphony opens Sept. 14 with a gala concert featuring Yo-Yo Ma and follows up Sept. 22-24 with an all-Bernstein program. The most exciting music may come at the end of the month when director Michael Tilson Thomas leads the phantasmagoric “Symphonie fantastique” of Hector Berlioz, paired with Bartok’s Piano Concerto No. 2, featuring brilliant pianist Jeremy Denk. Expect to be dazzled.
DETAILS >> Sept. 28 and 30, Oct. 1; Davies Hall, San Francisco; $45-$159; 415864-6000, www.sfsymphony.org.
“THE PASSION ACCORDING TO JUDAS” >> Philharmonia Baroque Orchestra presents the West Coast premiere of a newly composed passion by Scottish composer Sally Beamish based on the life of Judas Iscariot. Music director Nicholas McGegan conducts four performances of this intriguing work exploring themes of betrayal and forgiveness.
DETAILS >> Oct. 4-8 at Bing Hall, Stanford University, Herbst Theatre, San Francisco and First Congregational Church, Berkeley; $30$95; www.philharmonia.org.
CHICAGO SYMPHONY IN BERKELEY >> Led by Riccardo Muti, the Chicago Symphony has become one of the world’s most vibrant orchestras. Cal Performances welcomes the conductor and his ensemble to Zellerbach Hall for three programs with repertoire spanning Mozart to Bruckner to American composer Elizabeth Ogonek.
DETAILS >> Oct. 13-15, Zellerbach Hall, UC Berkeley; $40-$175; 510-642-9988; www.calperformances.org.
HOPE AND NEW CENTURY >> The New Century Chamber Orchestra launches a new era with the superb British violinist Daniel Hope as its Artistic Partner. Hope leads the orchestra in works by Mendelssohn and Tchaikovsky and performs as soloist in the world premiere of a new violin concerto by Alan Fletcher.
DETAILS >> Sept. 21-24 at First Congregational Church, Berkeley, Herbst Theatre, San Francisco, and Osher Marin Jewish Community Center, San Rafael; $29-$61; www.ncco.org.