Jessica Hilo

Music added and power to a multimedia presentation of stories from the Kitchen Sisters’ Hidden World of Girls, sometimes at the expense of understanding.

A Latino-based ensemble strives to provoke audiences to see immigration issues with fresh and more-tolerant eyes.

“I’m a Performer,” the capstone to Berkeley Symphony’s community outreach efforts, is now more ambitious than ever: The Symphony wants everyone to perform together.

Audiences are discovering a wealth of Latin American music through a woodwind quintet’s missionary efforts.

The San Francisco Chamber Orchestra brings new life to the silver screen with the upcoming concert series, Now or Never.

The San Francisco Symphony is alive at this concert for the dead.

What distinguishes an Open Opera performance is both its professional pedigree and the relaxed viewing environment — audience members are invited to move around. The Bay Area nonprofit organization that performs opera, free, for the public and makes use of the region’s great local talent, students and professionals alike will mount four fully-staged performances of Mozart’s Don Giovanni starting this weekend.

A heavy air of reverence fills the theater space as audience members
quietly take their seats — the viewing ritual of a centuries-old art
form. The lights dim and people are afforded the luxury of whispered
anonymity: “It’s based on a true story, you know.” David Gockley, San
Francisco Opera’s sixth general director, greets the audience with an
introduction to Puccini’s Madama Butterfly. The orchestra
tunes. Silence descends before the curtain rises.