Arts & Events

Russian-born pianist Daniil Trifonov exhibits what can only be called wizardry, for no matter what music he plays, Trifonov turns it to gold. I have heard Trifonov play Chopin, Rachmaninoff, Bach, Rameau, Mozart, Mendelssohn, and Beethoven, to name only a few composers he has performed here. And Daniil Trifonov’s wizardry has turned everything to gold. The sole exception was the banal, uninspired Piano Concerto by Mason Bates, which was written for Trifonov, who did his best in an attempt, ultimately a failed attempt, to persuade us of this work’s merits at its premiere with San Francisco Symphony in 2022. -more-

In the program notes for San Francisco Opera’s current production of Donizetti’s L’Elisir d’Amore (aka The Elixer of Love), Director Daniel Slater states that “Designer Robert Innes Hopkins and Iwanted to pull the story out of its nineteenth-century rustic roots and find the perfect period in which to replant it.” What they chose was the 1950s Italy of Felliniesque “Dolce Vita,” so they set their production of The Elixer of Love at a beachside hotel terrace on the Italian Riviera. In place of the original village of rustic farmers, Slater and Innes Hopkins populated the onstage chorus with a variety of characters — tourists, hotel staff, locals, and Vespa-riding military men. Adina is proprietress of the aptly-named Hotel Adina, and shy, vulnerable Nemorino is a waiter who is hopelessly in love with his glamorous and seemingly unobtainable boss. -more-

Happy holidays! Here are my choices for 2023’s best novels. (In alphabetical order.) Bear in mind that, as a mystery writer, I typically read mysteries and thrillers. -more-

Worth Noting:

There are only three (November 28, December 5, 12) more scheduled City Council meetings before Winter Recess - December 13, 2023 – January 15, 2024. At the bottom of the posting is the draft agenda for December 12 and the full agendas for November 28 and December 5. The Budget meeting on the AAO#1 (Annual Appropriations Ordinance aka mid-year budget adjustment) is tentatively scheduled for December 5 and is not posted.

• Monday:
  • At 11 am the Civic Arts Commission Grants Subcommittee meets online.
  • At 2:30 the Agenda Committee meets in the Hybrid format on the Dec 12 city council draft agenda which includes 27-North Berkeley BART Objective Standards, 30-Horse Racing, 32-Eminent domain for 2902, 3908 Adeline and 1946 Russell and the Chess Club.
• Tuesday:
  • At 6 pm the City Council meets in the hybrid format item 17 is the 5-year paving plan.
  • At 6 pm the Zero Waste Commission meets in person.
  • From 6 – 7 pm community meeting on grant application for outdoor program grant

• Wednesday: At 6 pm the Environment and Climate Commission meets in person.
• Thursday:
  • At 7 pm the Zoning Adjustment Board meets in the hybrid format – the zoom link shows as being expired check for an update,
  • The Landmarks Preservation Commission is posted as meeting, but no agenda is posted. Check after Monday.
• Saturday: From 10 am – 1 pm is the Tots Carnival for ages 0-5 at Live Oak Park.

The December 5 city council agenda is available for comment and includes $900,000 on street calming budget referral and report on reimaging public safety.

Check the City website for late announcements and meetings posted on short notice at: https://berkeleyca.gov/

Directions with links to ZOOM support for activating Closed Captioning and Save Transcript are at the bottom of this calendar.



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BERKELEY PUBLIC MEETINGS AND CIVIC EVENTS -more-