Arts & Events

In a San Francisco Symphony program chock full of post card evocations of Mediterranean land-and-sea-scapes, the best music, the Cello Concert No. 1 in A minor by Camille Saint-Saens, offered nothing in the way of local color but everything in what counts most – beautiful music. Cellist Gautier Capuçon was in top form here, spinning out the lovely melodies of Saint-Saens with his burnished low register, and reaching up into the utmost heights of the cello’s register for the occasional stratospheric notes. Both sides of Capuçon’s expressive capabilities were on display here – the robustly physical attack and the delicately refined nuances. All told, guest conductor Stéphane Denève had little to do in this work aside from allowing Gautier Capuçon to have his way, a strategy that ensured success. Likewise, Capucon’s encore, the Swan, from Saint-Saens’ Carnival of the Animals, was an exquisite gem that highlighted this cellist’s magical touch. -more-

To learn what's happening on Berkeley's arts scene, you can now reach the Berkeley Arts Festival Calendar directly from the Planet. You can then click on an individual date for a full description of every event on that day.

To reach the calendar, click here. -more-

Repeating her brilliant success as Kashcheyevna, daughter of the evil sorcerer Kashchey in Rimsky-Korsakov’s opera Kashchey, The Immortal, German-born mezzo-soprano Katja Heuzeroth sang excerpts from this opera on Sunday, May 13, at the Triton Art Museum in Santa Clara. Once again, the magic of Katja Heuzeroth’s voice had its way with this glorious music, which was performed here by Cal Arte Chamber Orchestra led by conductor Dr. Michael Shahani. Singing much of the Scene II music of this opera, Katja Heuzeroth opened with Kashcheyevna’s aria while picking herbs in her garden for her magic potion, then launched into the sword-sharpening aria, and, finally, was joined by baritone Kiril Havezov as Prince Ivan, whose entrance soon led to the magically inspired love duet between a besotted Ivan and the seductive Kashcheyevna. Once again, the magic of this scene was as much in Katja Heuzeroth’s rapturous voice as in any magic potion. Her voice has richly burnished low notes and bright, clear high notes. Moreover, Katja Heuzeroth is a highly expressive singer who endows her performance with passion and intensity. -more-

Worth Noting:

• Sunday – Bike tour of Cohousing and Coop communities, RSVP to participate
• Monday - Town Hall with Barbara Lee is sold out
• Tuesday – City Council – long agenda with 32 items on consent, important agenda items are highlighted with bold type
• Wednesday – Planning Commission holding public hearing on urban agriculture
• Thursday – Transportation Commission has Bike share contract (FORD bikes) amendment on the agenda, packet does not contain substance of amendment.