Gave myself the afternoon off & headed to @alamodrafthouse so I could catch theatrical release of @donhertzfeldt 's ME It's Such a Beautiful Day. Really worth seeing, though it was a somewhat traumatizing 90 minutes. #donhertzfeldt#animation
At @SFOpera Medallion Society Luncheon, heard bass-baritone Simon Estes describe making his professional debut in the 1950s at the Deutsche Oper Berlin in a role he had just 4 days to learn. I can’t imagine something like that happening today.
Heard @OneFoundSound premiere Herbert Franklin Mells’s 1938 Symphony No. 1 in @HeronArts gallery. The acoustics of the small space were harsh, but the audience was spirited.
Saddened to hear of the passing of Stephen Salmons, one of the founders of @sfsilentfilm. I recall in an early year of the festival visiting their tiny office to buy a festival pass & getting into a conversation with him about silent westerns.
Saw lively production of Verdi’s Falstaff at @OperaSanJose . Darren Lekeith Drone was a great physical comedian in the title role. We got a Super Bowl update via the supertitles before act II.
Violinist Midori’s 2nd @sfperformances recital at Herbst featuring solo Bach was sunnier in mood but no less deeply affecting. All I can hear in my head right now is the sound of her Bach.
Heard violinist Midori play a phenomenal solo recital at Herbst Theater. Could feel her sound pressing my chest & am still awash in the intense emotions channeled through her solo Bach.
Attended matinee of Orpheus & Eurydice at @SFOpera . Dancers & singers were well-integrated. Countertenor @OrlinskiJozef provided extra spectacle by going vertical with ease.
Nice to witness Catherine Cook, Philip Skinner & Dale Travis, all former Adlers, receive the @SFOpera Medal on the stage following the performance of Dialogues of the Carmelites.
Eugene Onegin at @SFOpera has many strengths. Tenor Evan LeRoy Johnson is thrilling & heartbreaking in act 2. Enjoyed hearing mezzo Aigul Ahkmetshina’s wonderful low notes & expressive singing. Bass Ferruccio Furlanetto is a welcome bit of luxury casting as Prince Gremin.
With a group of friends at @SFOpera to see John Adams’s Antony & Cleopatra. On the plus side, fine singing, orchestra sounded great, & we all had the same reaction to the opera.
A pleasure to see @OperaSanJose ‘s bright, fun & colorful staging of Marriage of Figaro, set in colonial India. The appealing cast is full of fine voices.
Thanks to @operatattler for getting me out to hear @merolaopera Grand Finale. Solid performances all round, & I especially enjoyed how well-paired the voices were in all the duets.
Saw the last 2 programs of @sfsilentfilm . They made the right decision to restart Lubitsch’s Lady Windermere’s Fan after it ran for several minutes with the wrong picture masking. #sfsff2022