Editorials

The Berkeley Symphony Orchestra officials announced this week that the group’s 30th season would open Nov. 10 with Elliott Carter’s one-act opera “What Next?” 

Carter’s first opera will receive its West Coast premiere in a concert version. It is inspired by Jacques Tati’s “Traffic,” the 1970 car-crash film. The program features the world premiere of Ronald Bruce Smith’s “Constellation for orchestra and live electronics,” produced in collaboration between Berkeley Symphony and UC Berkeley’s Center for Music and Audio Technologies (CNMAT). The concert will conclude with Beethoven’s Symphony No. 8. 

The season resumes on Jan. 31, 2001 as Kent Nagano presents the season’s second world premiere, young French composer Jean-Pal Beintus’ “Berkeley Images.” The performance is a Berkeley Symphony commission inspired by Margaretta Mitchell’s photographs of Berkeley landmarks. 

The program includes two works by Bay Area’s John Adams: “Gnarly Buttons,” Adams’ first work for clarinet and “El Dorado.” This concert is a collaboration with San Francisco Performances. It will be repeated on Feb. 1 at 8 p.m. at Yerba Buena Center for the Arts as a part of San Francisco Performances’ season programming. 

The Berkeley season continues on April 3 with Britten’s “Lacrymae.” Bruckner’s last completed symphony, “Symphony No. 8,” will complete the program. 

The season will conclude on June 21, 2001 with the premiere of Kurt Rohde’s “Three Movements for Orchestra,” a new work by the San Francisco composer and violist. The program also includes Dmitri Shostakovich’s “Violin Concierto No. 2” and Brahm’s “Symphony No. 1.” 

All concerts are mainstage, except for “What Next?” which will take place at a venue yet to be announced. Mainstage performances take place at Zellerbach Hall, on the UC Berkeley campus. 

Subscriptions are $69, $98 and $128. Individual ticket prices are $19, $27 and $35; $10 for students. 

For tickets and information, call 841-2800.