2011 cultural events

This page lists 47 cultural events I attended in 2011. Movies are listed on my films page, not here. The program index page displays thumbnails of all the printed program images. Cities are in California, except as noted.

Highlights of 2011 to date:

Lillian Gish's breathtaking performance as Mimi in King Vidor's silent film La Bohème, with John Gilbert wonderful as Rudolphe. Dennis James played his Puccini-derived score on the Castro's organ. Kudos to the San Francisco Silent Film Festival; this was an overwhelming emotional experience.
Mezzo Viveca Genaux's flawless coloratura performance of Farinelli arias with PBO; amazing vocal dexterity, spot-on pitch, dramatic: wow!
Gabriele Cassone playing Hummel's Concerto for keyed trumpet with Philharmonia Baroque, a vibrant and thrilling virtuoso performance.
Joshua Bell's beautifully nuanced Tchaikovsky Mèditation. His playing of the Glazunov concerto was fabulous too, but I liked the music a lot less.
Two great Mahler 6 performances: I'd never heard the Vienna Philharmonic before, and they sounded great, but in most respects I preferred the gripping version by MTT/SFS.

And a couple lowlights, both involving the generally magnificent SF Symphony:

A very fine performance of Vaughan Williams' London Symphony truncated a couple minutes before the end; I know it's the price one pays for going to an open rehearsal, and I'm a firm supporter of unions and union rules, but waving off the orchestra in mid-finale, really...
Tal Rosner's video for Thomas Adès' Polaris; banal, sophomoric, dumb, and a distraction from the music.

I started keeping event data in the format used by this page in 2010, so data from 2010 to date is accurate. I started keeping appointment calendar data in .txt format in August 2005. I later extracted 2005-2009 event data ex post facto, so data for 2005 to 2009 is less complete and a bit less accurate. I have older pocket calendars and hard copies of event programs going back to 1963, but I have not yet scanned programs for years before 2010 or entered event data for most years before 2005.

Click on a heading below to sort the list accordingly. Click on a Program link to see the printed program for an event. Enter a search string (e.g., "Mahler", "Berkeley", "piano") below to filter the output.

Date	Category	Description	Performers	Venue	City		Works
09/22/11 @ 19:00	Reception	Noe Valley Chamber Music	Ann Moss, soprano Hillary Nordwell, piano	Private	San Francisco	Program	Duke: Three Songs Schumann: Liederkreis, Op. 39 Heggie: At the Statue of Venus
07/10/11 @ 15:00	Concert	PCO Scholarship Benefit	Anne Saunders, soprano Sue Hart, keyboard Kim Manuel, bass Keith Evans, guitar	Cahill's	Arnold	Program
11/20/11 @ 19:30	Theater	A Soldier's Tale	Aurora Theater	Aurora	Berkeley	Program	Stravinsky: The Soldier's Tale
02/17/11 @ 17:30	Concert	San Francisco Chamber Orchestra	Ben Simon, conductor	Contemporary Jewish Museum	San Francisco	Program	Stravinsky: Octet for winds Cox: Cañon for wind octet Sosin: Now or Never film score
01/26/11 @ 10:00	Rehearsal	San Francicso Symphony	David Robertson, conductor Leonidas Kavakos, violin	Davies	San Francisco	Program	Dukas: Sorcerer's Apprentice Prokofiev: Violin Concerto No. 2 Dorman: Uriah: The Man The King Wanted Dead Prokofiev: Symphony No. 1 'Classical'
06/18/11 @ 20:00	Concert	Ojai North!	Dawn Upshaw, soprano Gilbert Kalish, piano red fish blue fish, percussion Peter Sellars, director Sakhi Ensemble Farida Mawash, vocal Homayoun Sakhi, rubab	Zellerbach Playhouse	Berkeley	Program	Crumb: The Winds of Destiny Music of Afghanistan
05/10/11 @ 19:15	Sports	SF Giants baseball	Diamondbacks vs. Giants	AT&T Park	San Francisco
04/12/11 @ 20:00	Recital	Elisso Virsaladze	Elisso Virsaladze, piano	Herbst	San Francisco	Program	Mozart: Fantasy in c Mozart: Sonata in c Prokofiev: Sonata No. 2 Chopin: Polonaise Fantasie Schumann: Fantasie in C
03/30/11 @ 10:00	Rehearsal	San Francisco Symphony	Herbert Blomstedt, conductor Yundi, piano	Davies	San Francisco	Program	Sibelius: Symphony No. 2 Tchaikovsky: Piano Concerto No. 1
04/10/11 @ 15:00	Recital	Laredo & Fleisher	Jaime Laredo, violin Leon Fleisher, piano	Herbst	San Francisco	Program	Schubert: Sonatina No. 1 in D Schubert: Sonatina No. 2 in a Schubert: Sonatina No. 2 in g Schubert: Grand Duo in A
11/05/11 @ 19:30	Concert	Turqoise Yantra Grotto	Joe Lasqo, pianos & percussion David Samas, vocals Sung Kim, electronic fiddle Dave Dupuis, mariners trumpet	Turquoise Yantra Grotto	San Francisco
08/23/11 @ 19:30	Theater	Days and Nights Festival	John Moran Saori Tsukada	Hidden Valley	Carmel Valley	Program	Moran: John Moran + Saori (... in Thailand)
10/09/11 @ 16:00	Chamber	Noe Valley Chamber Music	Karsten Windt, violin David Kim, viola Angela Lee, cello Jeffrey Sykes, piano	Holy Innocents	San Francisco	Program	Sarasate: Romanza Andaluza de Falla: Suite Populaire Espagnole Piazzolla: Tangos Ginastera: Pampeana No. 2 Turina: Quartet Op. 67
12/07/11 @ 20:00	Concert	Boston Symphony	Ludovic Morlot, conductor Richard Goode, piano Elizabeth Rowe, flute	Davies	San Francisco	Program	Berlioz: Roman Carnival Overture Mozart: Piano Concerto No. 25 Carter: Flute Concerto Bartók: Miraculous Mandarin Suite
07/22/11 @ 20:00	Theater	A Flea in Her Ear	Main St. Theater Works	Kennedy Mine	Jackson	Program	Feydeau: A Flea in Her Ear
02/02/11 @ 10:00	Rehearsal	San Francisco Symphony	Marek Janowski, conductor Chee-Yun, violin Alisa Weilerstein, cello Jeremy Denk, piano	Davies	San Francisco	Program	Beethoven: Symphony No. 1 Beethoven: Triple Concerto Beethoven: Symphony No. 2
02/07/11 @ 19:30	Chamber	Earplay	Mary Chun, conductor	Herbst	San Francisco	Program	Harvey: String Trio Crumb: Celestial Mechanics Jolas: Ah! Haydn Berger: Yaqira
06/01/11 @ 19:30	Chamber	Earplay	Mary Chun, conductor	Herbst	San Francisco	Program	Neuwirth: Spleen Harvey: Lotuses Parra: Time Fields III Roberts: Sinews Campion: Musica
03/28/11 @ 19:30	Chamber	Earplay	Mary Chun, conductor	Herbst	San Francisco	Program	Harvey: Tombeau de Messiaen Cage: Six Melodies Lou: Alluvium Lin: Friction Carter: Triple Duo
11/19/11 @ 09:55	Opera broadcast	Satyagraha	Metropolitan Opera Dante Anzolini, conductor	Century 20	Daly City	Program	Glass: Satyagraha
05/12/11 @ 20:00	Concert	San Francisco Symphony	Michael Tilson Thomas, conductor	Davies	San Francisco	Program	Mahler: Symphony No. 6
06/23/11 @ 20:00	Concert	San Francisco Symphony	Michael Tilson Thomas, conductor	Davies	San Francisco	Program	Beethoven: Missa Solemnis
03/03/11 @ 20:00	Concert	San Francisco Symphony	Michael Tilson Thomas, conductor Anne Sofie von Otter, mezzo-soprano	Davies	San Francisco	Program	Hindemith: Concert Music for String Orchestra and Brass Stenhammar: Song Nielsen: Song Grieg: Songs Sibelius: Songs Brahms: Serenade No. 1
09/29/11 @ 20:00	Concert	San Francisco Symphony	Michael Tilson Thomas, conductor Tal Rosner, video artist	Davies	San Francisco	Program	Mozart: Symphony No. 35 'Haffner' Adès: Polaris Stravinsky: Petrushka
09/15/11 @ 20:00	Concert	San Francisco Symphony	Michael Tilson Thomas, conductor Yo-Yo Ma, cello	Davies	San Francisco	Program	Beethoven: Leonore Overture No. 3 Hindemith: Cello Concerto Brahms: Symphony No. 1
08/12/11 @ 20:00	Theater	Scapin	Murphys Creek Theater Co.	Munari Vineyards	Murphys	Program	Molière: Scapin
12/02/11 @ 20:00	Concert	Philharmonia Baroque Orchestra	Nicholas McGegan, conductor	Herbst	San Francisco	Program	Bach: Mass in B Minor
01/21/11 @ 20:00	Concert	Philharmonia Baroque Orchestra	Nicholas McGegan, conductor David Daniels, countertenor	Herbst	San Francisco	Program	Telemann: Concerto for Three Horns and Violin Vivaldi: Stabat Mater Händel: Arias Telemann: Suite in F Major 'Alster Overture'
02/11/11 @ 20:00	Concert	Philharmonia Baroque Orchestra	Nicholas McGegan, conductor Gabriele Cassone, keyed trumpet	Herbst	San Francisco	Program	Spohr: Symphony No. 2 Hummel: Concerto for Keyed Trumpet Mendelssohn: Symphony No. 1
04/08/11 @ 20:00	Concert	Philharmonia Baroque Orchestra	Nicholas McGegan, conductor Philharmonia Chorale Dominique Labelle, soprano	Herbst	San Francisco	Program	Haydn: The Creation
09/23/11 @ 20:00	Concert	Philharmonia Baroque Orchestra	Nicholas McGegan, conductor R. J. Kelley, horn	Herbst	San Francisco	Program	Mozart: Symphony No. 38 'Prague' Mozart: Concerto Pasticcio for horn Beck: Overture from La mort d'Orpheé Haydn: Symphony No. 98
10/30/11 @ 19:30	Concert	Philharmonia Baroque Orchestra	Nicholas McGegan, conductor Vivica Genaux, mezzo-soprano	First Congregational	Berkeley	Program	Fasch: Concerto for two oboes, two flutes, and two bassoons Vivaldi: Arias Telemann: Concerto 'Sinfonia Spirituosa' Porpora: Arias Broschi: Aria Rameau: Orchestral suite from La Guirlande
03/04/11 @ 20:00	Concert	Philharmonia Baroque Orchestra	Nicholas McGegan, conductor Zheng Cao, mezzo-soprano	Herbst	San Francisco	Program	Rebel: Les Caractères de la danse Händel: Scherza infida from Ariodante Gluck: Selections from Orfeo ed Euridice Stookey: Into the Bright Lights Rameau: Les Indes galantes, orchestral suite
04/07/11 @ 10:00	Rehearsal	San Francisco Symphony	Osmo Vänskä, conductor Alexander Barantschik, violin	Davies	San Francisco	Program	Larcher: Red and Green Mendelssohn: Violin Concerto Vaughan Williams: A London Symphony
11/18/11 @ 20:00	Concert	Philharmonia Baroque Orchestra	Ottavio Dantone, conductor Marion Verbruggen, recorder	Herbst	San Francisco	Program	Corelli: Concerto Grosso, Op. 6 No. 2 Gregori: Concerto Grosso, Op. 2 No. 2 Geminiani: Concerto Grosso, Op. 3 No. 4 Vivaldi: Concerto for Alto Recorder 'La tempesta di mare' Sammartini: Concerto for Soprano Recorder Scarlatti, Alessandro: Concerto Grosso No. 4 Vivaldi: Concerto for strings Corelli: Concerto Grosso, Op. 6 No. 4
04/28/11 @ 20:00	Concert	San Francisco Symphony	Peter Oundjian, conductor Jonathan Biss, piano	Herbst	San Francisco	Program	Rouse: The Infernal Machine Beethoven: Piano Concerto No. 5 'Emperor' Brahms: Symphony No. 3
05/09/11 @ 18:00	Reception	Philip Glass	Philip Glass, piano	Private	San Francisco		Glass: Metamorphosis Glass: Etude No. 10
08/08/11 @ 19:15	Sports	SF Giants baseball	Pirates vs. Giants	AT&T Park	San Francisco
10/07/11 @ 20:00	Indian	Sitar recital	Ravi Shankar, sitar Tanmoy Bose, tabla Ravichandra Kulur, flute Samir Chatterjee, tabla	Davies	San Francisco	Program	Evening ragas
09/17/11 @ 17:30	Indian	Hindustani vocals	Ritesh Mishra, vocal Rajnish Mishra, vocal Subhen Chatterjee, tabla Sanatan Goswami, harmonium	Jain Temple	Milpitas		Khayals & bhajans
02/13/11 @ 15:00	Chamber	Borodin Quartet	Ruben Ahronian, violin Andrei Abramenkov, violin Igor Naidin, viola Vladimir Balshin, cello	Herbst	San Francisco	Program	Beethoven: String Quartet No. 8 'Razumovsky' Shostakovich: String Quartet No. 7 Shostakovich: String Quartet No. 8
02/27/11 @ 15:00	Concert	Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra	Semyon Bychkov, conductor	Zellerbach	Berkeley	Program	Mahler: Symphony No. 6
10/02/11 @ 16:30	Music & Conversation	SF Contemporary Music Players	Steven Schick, artistic director	ODC Studio B	San Francisco	Program	Adams, John Luther: Clouds of Forgetting, Clouds of Unknowing [excerpts]
10/03/11 @ 20:00	Chamber	SF Contemporary Music Players	Steven Schick, conductor	Herbst	San Francisco	Program	Levine: Transparency (Part I) Varèse: Octandre Adams, John Luther: Clouds of Forgetting, Clouds of Unknowing
07/23/11 @ 21:00	Rock	Tour Guides	Tour Guides	Tommy's Backyard	Camp Connell
06/22/11 @ 19:15	Sports	SF Giants baseball	Twins vs. Giants	AT&T Park	San Francisco
10/05/11 @ 10:00	Rehearsal	San Francisco Symphony	Vasily Petrenko, conductor Joshua Bell, violin	Davies	San Francisco	Program	Shostakovich: Festive Overture Tchaikovsky: Mèditation from Souvenir d'un lieu cher Glazunov: Violin Concerto Elgar: Symphony No. 1