Glorious symphonic sound swells around the Bay
Four days, four orchestras: This weekend brings four programs by leading Bay Area symphony orchestras. Beginning with the Berkeley Symphony’s concert tonight, the lineup includes great events from the San Francisco Symphony, Symphony Silicon Valley and California Symphony, with performances continuing through Sunday afternoon.
‘DANCES’ IN BERKELEY >>
There’s lots going on at the Berkeley Symphony these days. Last month, the orchestra named conductor Joseph Young as its new music director. Young, who stepped in on short notice in January to lead the orchestra’s performances of works by Britten, Bernstein and Hannah Kendall, will take up the new post this fall. In the meantime, the symphony closes its Symphonic Series this weekend with a special program featuring the Bay Area’s own ODC/Dance. Conducted by Christian Reif, the program features Anna Clyne’s “This Midnight Hour,” choreographed by ODC’s KT Nelson and featuring dancers from ODC/Dance. The program also includes Thomas Adès’ Dances from “Powder Her Face,” Bizet’s “Carmen Suite” No. 1, and Richard Strauss’ delectable Suite from “Der Rosenkavalier.” Details: 8 p.m. today, Zellerbach Hall, UC Berkeley; $15-$96; 510841-2800; www.berkeleysymphony.org.
WAGNER FROM AN EXPERT >>
Marek Janowski launches the San Francisco Symphony’s May programs this week with Wagner, Bruch and Mendelssohn. Janowski, the artistic director and chief conductor of the Dresden Philharmonic, is one of the world’s top interpreters of Wagner’s music, and his program features the composer at his most Romantic, with the Overture and Venusberg Music from “Tannhäuser,” followed by the Prelude and Liebestod from “Tristan and Isolde.” James Ehnes joins Janowski and the orchestra in Bruch’s Violin Concerto No. 1, and Mendelssohn’s “Ruy Blas” Overture completes the program. Details: 8 p.m. today-Saturday,
Davies Symphony Hall, San Francisco; $20$156; 415-864-6000; www. sfsymphony.org.
NEW FROM NAKAMATSU >>
Jon Nakamatsu’s performances of Rachmaninoff’s piano works have become legendary in the Bay Area, beginning with his 1997 gold medal win for a performance of the composer’s Piano Concerto No. 3 at the 10th Van Cliburn International Competition. But Nakamatsu, a South Bay native, has waited until now to play Rachmaninoff’s Second Piano Concerto for local audiences. His performance of this quintessentially Romantic concerto is the centerpiece of Symphony Silicon Valley’s concert this
weekend; under conductor Tatsuya Shimono, the program also includes Stravinsky’s “Petrushka” and “Circus Polka.” Details: 8 p.m. Saturday, 2:30 p.m. Sunday, California Theatre, San Jose; $50-$94; 408286-2600; www.symphonysiliconvalley.org.
A WORLD PREMIERE >>
The California Symphony wraps its 2018-19 season with a brand-new work, “Artifacts,” by the symphony’s Young American Composer in Residence, Katherine Balch. A violin concerto in five movements, it was written for violinist Robyn Bollinger, who gives its premiere performance with Donato Cabrera conducting. Balch, who was appointed
in 2017 for a three-year term, is the symphony’s first female resident composer; Cabrera and the orchestra premiered her ingenious “like a broken clock” last season. And we can’t wait to hear Cabrera’s take on Bruckner’s dramatic Symphony No. 7, a work the conductor describes as one of his all-time favorite scores. Details: 4 p.m. Sunday, Lesher Center for the Arts, Walnut Creek; $42-$72; 925-280-2490; www.californiasymphony.org.
A WHOLE BUNCH OF BACH >>
American Bach Soloists as an ensemble has been playing Bach’s Brandenburg Concertos this season — the group’s 30th — and the series concludes this weekend with the remaining four Brandenburg concertos. Under Jeffrey Thomas, the Baroque ensemble will play Nos. 2, 4, 5, and 6 — with soloists to include John Thiessen (trumpet), Stephen Bard (oboe), Sandra Miller (flute) and Corey Jamason (harpsichord). Details: 8 p.m. Saturday, First Congregational Church, Berkeley; 4 p.m. Sunday, St. Mark’s Lutheran Church, San Francisco; $35-$89; 415-621-7900; www.americanbach.org.
BAILIS EXITS >>
Rob Bailis, Cal Performances’ associate director since 2013, has announced that he is leaving the Berkeley-based presenting organization for a new post as artistic and executive director of Southern California’s Broad Stage in Santa Monica. Bailis’ work in Berkeley yielded many excellent events. During his tenure, he promoted collaborations with international artists and organizations and introduced world premieres such as “Dreamers,” the new oratorio by composer Jimmy López and librettist Nilo Cruz; with Esa-Pekka Salonen conducting the Philharmonia Orchestra, London, the work received its first performance in Zellerbach Hall in March of this year. Bailis also designed the Berkeley RADICAL initiative, programmed Cal Performances’ 2017-18 offcampus events in Oakland and led the curation of events for the recently announced 2019-20 season. Jeremy Geffen, who has been named Cal Performances’ new executive and artistic director, took up the post on April 1.