Joining the centennial celebration of Stravinsky's Rite of Spring, the San Francisco Conservatory of Music Orchestra will perform it, conducted by Christopher Rountree, at on May 4 at 8 p.m. in the Conservatory Concert Hall. Rountree, 29, is founder and artistic director of "wild Up," an acclaimed Los Angeles new-music ensemble.
Also on the program: Five songs by Joseph Marx, performed by soprano Julie Adams; and Dukas' The Sorcerer’s Apprentice, led by student conductor Qinging Qian.
In addition to his work with "wild Up," Rountree has been Assistant Conductor of the Brooklyn Philharmonic and Beth Morrison Opera Projects, Artist/Conductor in Residence at the Hammer Museum, and American Composers Orchestra, Guest Conductor at Monday Evening Concerts, Artistic Advisor for New Music at American Youth Symphony and Director of Orchestras and Lecturer in Conducting at UC Santa Barbara. All, yes, at 29.
Photo by Beau Lambert
Just weeks before San Francisco Opera presents the world premiere of Mark Adamo's The Gospel of Mary Magdalene, the Conservatory offers a chance to hear the composer's first opera, Little Women. Hailed by Opera News for its "flights of aching, Bernsteinian lyricism," Little Women will be presented in a staged production with piano accompaniment, led by Conservatory Opera Program Music Director Curt Pajer and Assistant Director Heather Mathews.
The opera is performed, free of charge, at 7:30 p.m. on May 3, and at 2 p.m. on May 5. In the double-cast production, the four March sisters are: Amy — Chelsea Hollow (5/3), Katie Nix (5/5); Beth — Jill Morgan Brenner (5/3), Charlea Lyn Grieco (5/5); Meg — Anneka Quellhorst (5/3), Chelsea Melamed (5/5); Jo — Hannah Headland (5/3), Kate Mathews (5/5).
The opera takes place in Massachusetts, the story based on Louisa May Alcott's semi-autopbiographical novel about the lives, loves and tribulations of fours sisters growing up during the Civil War.