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Violinist James Ehnes is the guest artist in this week’s San Francisco Symphony performances, led by Marek Janowski, the first of three guest conductors appearing at Davis Symphony Hall this month. He’ll be followed later in May by Krzysztof Urbanski and Juraj Valcuha. Ehnes will play the Violin Concerto No 1 by Max Bruch in…

Those who know and love Paris will surely have been heartbroken at the sight of the beautiful and timelessly elegant Notre-Dame Cathedral succumbing to a devastating fire only a couple of weeks ago. Emmanuel Lebrun-Damiens, Consul General of France, describes Notre-Dame de Paris as “Beyond a monument and an architectural masterpiece …. a part of…

The San Francisco Symphony plays host to two exciting guests artists this week – American conductor James Gaffigan, and French pianist Hélène Grimaud. The program is an interesting one too, featuring an eclectic array of works – by Wagner, Beethoven, Mozart and Barber – the main work being Beethoven’s Piano Concerto No 4, championed by…

San Francisco Ballet produces a fascinating display of dance this week, as it opens the second and third programs of its 2019 season – presenting six ballets which highlight the versatility of the Company’s dancers, and illustrate the wealth of diversity in its repertoire. The first of these – entitled Kaleidoscope – opens with a…

Michael Tilson Thomas leads the San Francisco Symphony this week in a program which includes a performance by Gil Shaham of the Prokofiev Violin Concerto No 1, the World Premiere of a new work by Steve Mackey, , and Tchaikovsky’s magnificent Symphony No 4. Gil Shaham has been described by The New York Times as…

SFJAZZ is in celebratory mood this week – and that means a barnstorming party is on the way – because on January 31st, the Jazz Center throws open its doors for its annual Gala Concert! To mark this occasion, SJAZZ will be honoring the fabulous Cuban pianist, composer and arranger Chucho Valdés with the SFJAZZ…

Joyful, lively and colorful, with dazzling choreography and a wonderfully melodic score by Ludwig Minkus, Don Quixote deservedly holds a place as one of San Francisco Ballet’s most popular productions – and this year the ballet celebrates its 150th anniversary. One of three full-length narrative ballets to be presented by San Francisco Ballet this season,…

Finnish conductor and composer, Esa-Pekka Salonen take to the podium at Davies Symphony Hall this week in his first appearance with the San Francisco Symphony as the orchestra’s Music Director Designate. The program includes Anna Thorvaldsdottir’s Metacosmos, Richard Strauss’ Also sprach Zarathustra and Sibeliius’ Four Legends of the Kalevala Esa-Pekka Salonen succeeds the charismatic and…

In his first Live in HD transmission as the Metropolitan Opera’s Music Director, Canadian conductor Yannick Nézet-Séguin leads a new production of Verdi’s La Traviata for the Met, to be screened live in cinemas and performing arts centers worldwide. This presentation of La Traviata is hosted by Georgian soprano Anita Rachvelishvili, production is by Michael…

Two fabulous French artists descend on Davies Symphony Hall on Sunday.  Gautier Capuçon and Jean-Yves Thibaudet are in recital – as guests of the San Francisco Symphony – for one performance only. Capuçon – whom The Arts Desk rates “among the greatest cellists” – regularly appears with many of the world’s finest conductors and instrumentalists,…