More classical treats on the horizon this fall

0 Comments | Oakland Tribune, Sep 3, 2004

Here's the best of the rest:

Berkeley Symphony Orchestra commences its season with George Benjamin's "Viola Viola" (Kurt Rohde and Ellen Ruth Rose, soloists), the U.S. premiere of Unsuk Chin's Violin Concerto (soloist Viviane Hagner) and the new Urtext edition of Beethoven's Fifth Symphony. Sept. 13, Zellerbach Hall, UC Berkeley. (510) 841-2800.

BSO also offers a chamber concert with David Wessel's "Singularities" (in association with the Center for New Music and Audio Technologies at UC), Beethoven's "Grosse Fuge" (for string orchestra) and Piano Concerto no. 2 (Mari Kodama, soloist), plus the U.S. premiere of Jorg Widmann's "Chor fur Orchester." Nov. 30 and Dec. 1, Hertz Hall, UC Berkeley. (510) 841-2800.

Cal Performances presents Shen Wei Dance Arts, modern dance from China (Sept. 25 and 26, Zellerbach Hall) and the National Ballet of Canada, in works by its director James Kudelka and George Balanchine (Sept. 30 and Oct. 1-3, Zellerbach Hall).

In UC recitals, Canadian tenor Michael Schade (with accompanist Malcolm Martineau) and Russian mezzo Ekaterina Semenchuk (accompanied by Larissa Gergieva, director of the prestigious Maryinsky Theatre's vocalists program) make their debuts at UC Berkeley's Hertz Hall. (Schade, Nov. 14 and Semenchuk, Dec. 5.) Finally, in the big names division, superstar cellist Yo-Yo Ma (with Emanuel Ax) and sizzling Chinese pianist Lang Lang perform recitals at Zellerbach Hall. (Lang Lang, Nov. 13 and Ma, Dec. 9.) For all Cal Performances call (510) 642-9988.

Four Seasons Concerts opens its Distinguished Artists Season with Tai Murray (violin) and Amadi Hummings (viola) playing Mozart's Duo in B-flat major and Martinu's duo "Three Madrigals." They are accompanied by pianist David Helmrich (Oct. 2). Next is a duo piano recital by Leon Bates and Jeanne Stark-Iochmans, who perform Beethoven, Debussy and Bartok's Sonata for Two Pianos. (Nov. 6). Both concerts at Calvin Simmons Theatre, Oakland. (510) 601-7919.

Mills College Music Department celebrates former Mills teacher and composer Darius Milhaud with an opera concert titled "Love and Death." The works are Milhaud's 1920s setting of the Orpheus myth ("Les Malheurs d'Orphee") and Gustav Holst's "Savitri," an exquisite episode from the "Mahabharata." Oct. 30 in the Concert Hall, Mills College, Oakland, 510-430-2331.

The Oakland East Bay Symphony, in its 15th season under music director Michael Morgan, offers the West Coast premiere of Nathaniel Stookey's "Big Bang," the Rachmaninoff Piano Concerto no. 3 (with dynamic Shanghai pianist, Tian Ying) and Brahms' magisterial First Symphony. Nov. 19, Paramount Theatre, Oakland. Tickets available Oct. 1 from (510) 625-8497.

Pacific Mozart Ensemble, in collaboration with The Aurora Theatre, reprises last season's hugely successful "The Play of Daniel," a 12th- century liturgical drama based on the story of Daniel in the lion's den. Dec. 6-11, St. Mark's Episcopal Church, Berkeley. (510) 843- 4822.

Philharmonia Baroque Orchestra, conducted by Nicholas McGegan, opens its season with "Cupid's Arrow," two settings of love and more love by Jean-Philippe Rameau, the early 18th century's musical expert on the subject. His romantic one-act ballet, "Zephyre," is heard in concert version, with sopranos Sophie Daneman and Meredith Hall supported by Bruce Lamott's Philharmonia Chorale, followed by the orchestral suite from "Les Paladins." Sept 11-12, First Congregational Church, Berkeley. (415)392-4400.

Famed harpsichordist and conductor Trevor Pinnock takes over the podium for "Fathers and Sons," a program of J.S. Bach's Brandenburg Concerto no. 5, C.P.E. Bach's Symphony Wq 183 and Telemann's "Ino" Cantata, with soprano Marlis Petersen. Dec. 4-5, First Congregational Church, Berkeley. (415) 392-4400.

Stanford Lively Arts presents a trio of big name chamber music events: the best-selling Emerson String Quartet with pianist Jeffrey Kahane (Oct. 20), the razzle-dazzle baroque superstar fiddler Andrew Manze, with the English Concert (Nov. 7) and Manny Axe with Yo-Yo Ma, repeating their Cal Performances program (Dec. 8). Stanford University. (650) 725-2787.

-- Stephanie von Buchau