Wednesday, April 25
Early Music Open Mic Night
Join us for Early Music Open Mic Night in the East Bay, 4th Wednesday of the month from September through May. This is your opportunity to perform early music in a friendly cabaret style setting. Instrumentalists, singers, soloists, groups, students, youngsters, professionals — all are welcome! Please email [email protected] with the date you’d like to perform. Time slots will be up to 15 minutes, and there will be six time slots on each night. A Roland state of the art harpsichord/organ will be available on site as well as a regular piano. Food and drinks will be provided.
7–9:30 PM
Hillside Community Church,
1422 Navellier Street, El Cerrito
Donations gratefully accepted
[email protected]
Mid-Peninsula Recorder Orchestra
Regular meeting, for players of recorder, early winds or early strings. Bring your instrument(s) and music stand.
7:30–9:30 PM
Trinity Church, Angus Hall
330 Ravenswood Ave. (at Laurel), Menlo Park
650-591-3648 or mpro-online.org
Philharmonia Baroque Orchestra & Chorale, Nicholas McGegan, Conductor
“Beethoven Unleashed” Philharmonia’s season ends in a blaze of Beethovenian glory featuring Ludwig van Beethoven’s Mass in C Major, Op. 86; and Fantasia in C minor, Op. 80 “Choral Fantasy;” and Luigi Cherubini’s Chant sur la mort de Joseph Haydn. Often overshadowed by the later Missa Solemnis, Beethoven’s more pensive Mass in C is a masterpiece that maintains an immediate emotional appeal throughout. Cherubini shares that sense of sincerity in his poignant tribute to Haydn, whom he ardently admired, upon receiving a premature report of the latter’s death. Beethoven’s “Choral Fantasy,” originally the grand finale of an epic concert that premiered his Symphonies 5 and 6 alongside excerpts of the Mass in C Major, caps a similarly splendid season for Philharmonia. With soloists Chantal Santon-Jeffery, soprano; Helene Zindarsian, soprano; Avery Amereau, contralto; Thomas Cooley, tenor; David Kurtenbach, tenor; Hadleigh Adams, baritone; Eric Zivian, fortepiano; and the Philharmonia Chorale, Bruce Lamott, Director.
7:30 PM
Bing Concert Hall
327 Lasuen Street, Stanford
$15–$95
Tickets, 650-724-BING (2464)
Friday, April 27
Philharmonia Baroque Orchestra & Chorale, Nicholas McGegan, Conductor
“Beethoven Unleashed” Philharmonia’s season ends in a blaze of Beethovenian glory featuring Ludwig van Beethoven’s Mass in C Major, Op. 86; and Fantasia in C minor, Op. 80 “Choral Fantasy;” and Luigi Cherubini’s Chant sur la mort de Joseph Haydn. Often overshadowed by the later Missa Solemnis, Beethoven’s more pensive Mass in C is a masterpiece that maintains an immediate emotional appeal throughout. Cherubini shares that sense of sincerity in his poignant tribute to Haydn, whom he ardently admired, upon receiving a premature report of the latter’s death. Beethoven’s “Choral Fantasy,” originally the grand finale of an epic concert that premiered his Symphonies 5 and 6 alongside excerpts of the Mass in C Major, caps a similarly splendid season for Philharmonia. With soloists Chantal Santon-Jeffery, soprano; Helene Zindarsian, soprano; Avery Amereau, contralto; Thomas Cooley, tenor; David Kurtenbach, tenor; Hadleigh Adams, baritone; Eric Zivian, fortepiano; and the Philharmonia Chorale, Bruce Lamott, Director.
8 PM
Herbst Theatre
401 Van Ness Ave., San Francisco
$28–$120
Tickets, 415-392-4400
Saturday, April 28
Calvary Presbyterian Church Chancel Choir and Orchestra, Michael Conley, Conductor
George Frideric Handel, Israel In Egypt. Handel’s monumental work tells the story of the Israelites’ journey from captivity in Egypt to deliverance in the promised land. Complete with dramatic tone-painting depicting the plagues, the exciting crossing of the Red Sea, and Miriam’s triumphant song of praise, Handel pulls out all the stops to deliver some of his most engaging and spirited choral and orchestral writing. This performance will include special lighting and projections, helping to create an immersive, colorful experience of both sight and sound. With soloists Phoebe Rosquist, soprano; Gabrielle Goozee-Nichols, soprano; Nancy Hall, mezzo-soprano; Paul Thompson, bass; and Richard Harrell, bass.
8 PM
Calvary Presbyterian Church
2515 Fillmore St., San Francisco
$20 suggested donation. All welcome. Any amount accepted.
Tickets online, 415-346-3832
Philharmonia Baroque Orchestra & Chorale, Nicholas McGegan, Conductor
“Beethoven Unleashed” Philharmonia’s season ends in a blaze of Beethovenian glory featuring Ludwig van Beethoven’s Mass in C Major, Op. 86; and Fantasia in C minor, Op. 80 “Choral Fantasy;” and Luigi Cherubini’s Chant sur la mort de Joseph Haydn. Often overshadowed by the later Missa Solemnis, Beethoven’s more pensive Mass in C is a masterpiece that maintains an immediate emotional appeal throughout. Cherubini shares that sense of sincerity in his poignant tribute to Haydn, whom he ardently admired, upon receiving a premature report of the latter’s death. Beethoven’s “Choral Fantasy,” originally the grand finale of an epic concert that premiered his Symphonies 5 and 6 alongside excerpts of the Mass in C Major, caps a similarly splendid season for Philharmonia. With soloists Chantal Santon-Jeffery, soprano; Helene Zindarsian, soprano; Avery Amereau, contralto; Thomas Cooley, tenor; David Kurtenbach, tenor; Hadleigh Adams, baritone; Eric Zivian, fortepiano; and the Philharmonia Chorale, Bruce Lamott, Director.
8 PM
First Congregational Church
2345 Channing Way, Berkeley
$28–$120
Tickets, 415-392-4400
San Francisco Performances presents Paul Odette, lute
San Francisco Performances (SFP) and OMNI Foundation for the Performing Arts present the great American lutenist Paul O’Dette in his SFP debut. The evening’s program includes works of John Dowland, Daniel Bachelar, John Johnson, the Mure Of Rowallan’s Lute Book, and anonymous Renaissance works.
7:30 PM
St. Mark’s Lutheran Church
1111 O’Farrell Street, San Francisco
$55/$45
Tickets online, 415-392-2545
Sunday, April 29
Philharmonia Baroque Orchestra & Chorale, Nicholas McGegan, Conductor
“Beethoven Unleashed” Philharmonia’s season ends in a blaze of Beethovenian glory featuring Ludwig van Beethoven’s Mass in C Major, Op. 86; and Fantasia in C minor, Op. 80 “Choral Fantasy;” and Luigi Cherubini’s Chant sur la mort de Joseph Haydn. Often overshadowed by the later Missa Solemnis, Beethoven’s more pensive Mass in C is a masterpiece that maintains an immediate emotional appeal throughout. Cherubini shares that sense of sincerity in his poignant tribute to Haydn, whom he ardently admired, upon receiving a premature report of the latter’s death. Beethoven’s “Choral Fantasy,” originally the grand finale of an epic concert that premiered his Symphonies 5 and 6 alongside excerpts of the Mass in C Major, caps a similarly splendid season for Philharmonia. With soloists Chantal Santon-Jeffery, soprano; Helene Zindarsian, soprano; Avery Amereau, contralto; Thomas Cooley, tenor; David Kurtenbach, tenor; Hadleigh Adams, baritone; Eric Zivian, fortepiano; and the Philharmonia Chorale, Bruce Lamott, Director.
4 PM
First Congregational Church
2345 Channing Way, Berkeley
$28–$120
Tickets, 415-392-4400
Pocket Opera
George Friederic Handel, Semele (concert version) San Francisco’s venerable Pocket Opera brings to life Handel’s dramatic story of the young woman Semele who is the object of affection of the god Jupiter. Jupiter hides Semele from his jealous wife, Juno, and it’s only a matter of time before Juno extracts her revenge. Is there an upside? Why yes; endless pleasure, endless love, and even though Semele has an unhappy ending she gives to us mere mortals Bacchus … god of wine and ecstasy. Semele is a ‘musical drama,’ originally presented “after the manner of an oratorio.” It was premiered on February 10, 1744, at the Covent Garden Theatre, London, as part of a concert series held yearly during Lent. The audience naturally expected Bible-based subject matter. But the amorous topic of Semele, which is a creation of the late Restoration Period, transparently drew on Greek myths, and so it displeased those attending for a different kind of uplift. Being in English, Semele likewise irritated the supporters of true Italian opera, particularly as Handel would also not write for the rival Middlesex Opera Company. As a result, Semele fell into prolonged neglect until its first stage performances, in Cambridge, England, in 1925 and in London in 1954. These fueled an enthusiasm for the work that has not since lapsed. The cast includes Maya Kherani as Semele, David Gustafson as Jupiter, Sonia Gariaeff as Juno Ben Brady as Somnus, Tania Mandzy as Ino, Ellen Leslie as Iris, Sam Faustine as Apollo, and Gene Wright as the Priest.
2 PM
Gunn Theater, Legion of Honor
100 34th Ave., San Francisco
$44 to $50
Tickets online, 415-972-8934, [email protected]
Santa Cruz Baroque Festival
“Trading Gifts–Iberia & the Arab World” Leslie Hirsch, 7-string viola d’amore; Linda Burman-Hall, harpsichord and fortepiano; Carlitos de Santa Cruz, cante flamenco; and El Duquete, guitar, perform a program of Spanish and Moorish music, from Martinetes to Sevillanas and Fandangos. Featuring classical preludes by the Tunisian master Jassar Haj Youssef (viola d’amore) and Algerian master Mustafa Skandrani (fortepiano) and a Rococo sonata by Domenico Scarlatti played on viola d’amore with harpsichord.
3 PM
UC Santa Cruz Recital Hall
Meyer Drive, UCSC Campus, Santa Cruz
$35/$25/$22/$10
Tickets online, 831-457-9693, or www.scbaroque.org
University of California at Berkeley Music Department
“Friends and Rivals” University Baroque Ensemble, Christine Brandes, director, perform George Frideric Handel, Concerto Grosso Op. 6, No. 7 in B-flat Major; Johann Sebastian Bach, Himmelskönig, sei will kommen, BWV 182 (choruses) and Harpsichord Concerto in D minor, BWV 1052; and Georg Philipp Telemann, Overture-Suite “La Bizarre,” TWV 55:G2.
8 PM
Hertz Concert Hall
101 Cross-Sproul Path, Berkeley
$16 General Admission, $12 non-UCB students, seniors, current/retired UCB faculty and staff, groups 10+, $5 UCB students
Tickets online
University of California at Davis Music Department
The Baroque Orchestras of UC Davis and Davis High School present a joint concert. The relationship between UC Davis’s Baroque Orchestra and Davis Senior High School provides a yearlong relationship of learning, exploration, and performance of Baroque and early classical orchestral music on instruments of those eras. Phebe Craig, Angelo Moreno (a UC Davis Music Alum), and Michael Sand are their directors.
3 PM
Ann E. Pitzer Center
144 Hutchison Dr., Davis
tickets online $10–$20
530-754-2787
Continue reading next week’s calendar . . .
