Simply the best. So much energy and fresh programming! Diverse voices, fresh commissions and…read morecollaborations, and such an intimate experience.

I didn't think it humanly possible to create such a stirring performance of Vivaldi's Four Seasons…read more It was amazing like nothing seen before. Go if you can! You'll never forget it!!!! With harpsichord and some long lute type of instrument. The improvisations were brilliant. The composition "Dawn" was an emotional blockbuster. Beautiful1. It breathed like you never wanted it to end. Extraordinary. We are so lucky to be able to be in the presence of such divine music making!!!! New Century Chamber Orchestra and Daniel Hope are the most exciting music ensemble around.

I should find more places missing photos and reviews when places like this has been here a while…read more The Taube Atrium Theater is a new high-tech, modular 299-seat theater located on the fourth floor of San Francisco Opera's new Diane B. Wilsey Center for Opera in the San Francisco War Memorial & Performing Arts Center that was inaugurated in February 2016 . Enter the Veterans Building from Van Ness Avenue and take the elevator to the 4th floor. In this level you will see a photo wall gallery of historical photos of past opera performances. I was lucky enough to visit this theater because the San Francisco Chamber Orchestra had a program I wanted to see innovative, classical with a touch of metal to keep the music lively and entertaining with a rare unique harpsichord instrument that you don't see too often playing solo or with an orchestra! I enjoyed my time here, modern, contemporary seats were comfortable, night leg room for people to pass in your row. I would love to attend another event here if there was one. The Herbst theater is in the ground floor.

Bohemienne Encore! A gloriously romantic Belle Epoque…read morecabaret at The Palace Theatre. The show was amazing. Great variety of performance. The band made it very special. All the associates and bartenders was very friendly and great service. The place was such a beautiful boutique theater. A must visit theater.

I came to the Palace Theater earlier this Spring to see cabaret show "Bohemienne." Located in a…read morenondescript building in Chinatown, the theater gives speakeasy vibes. Super intimate so there isn't a bad seat in the house. We sat at a booth in the back -- the farthest point from the stage -- & our viewpoint was incredible. "Bohemienne" is set on a rooftop somewhere in Montmartre where artists & actors congregate & commiserate over finding love. There's a strip tease, the famous Can-Can, circus acts, & a bit of silliness in between all the lovesick moments. A three-piece band played a beautiful setlist including "Les Champs-Élysées" which made me long to be in Paris. True to his sad clown stereotype, a Pierrot character goes around to the tables looking (unsuccessfully) to find his lady love. A fun & chaotic evening was had at the cabaret.

Garden of Memory is a one-of-a-kind annual walk-thru concert at Chapel of the Chimes, presented by…read moreNew Music Bay Area, which apparently sells out of tickets each year. We arrived early this past Saturday, so street parking was available right in front. The small entry line went quickly at opening time, and once we stepped inside, we were enchanted by the maze-like setting inside, the most beautiful maze I've ever encountered. Colorful gardens with vibrant flowers and greenery, sculptures and fountains, winding pathways and staircases and hidden nooks, where music and artists of all kinds could be found in the most unexpected places on three different levels. Mainly ethereal melodies could be heard throughout, soundscapes, shamanistic and experimental music, a little bit of pop but no recognizable genre. An opportunity for the audience to connect with the beauty of the instruments being played. There were indeed a wide range of instruments utilized during the event, both traditional and uncommon, including the marimba, synthesizer, cocktail drum kit, tuba, xylophone, native recorder, hurdy gurdy, ocarina (death whistle), violin, cello, tambourine, shakers, french horn, melodica, accordian, japanese mouth organ (made of bamboo pipes), harp, bass, saxophone (quartet), dueling digital pianos, kelp horns, pine cones played with a violin bow, and even a parrot perched in an enclosure with a microphone near its beak. A few more that stood out to me were Edward Schocker with resonant glass sounds from cylinder containers filled with water, the mesmerizing performance of Pamela Z. creating engaging tunes with the theramin, vocals, and looping, and the work of sound alchemist, Laura Inserra, in the Garden of Eternal Wisdom, which was personally enjoyable and inspiring. There were a few food trucks out front with outdoor seating and tables set up, so we grabbed some dinner while at the event, a steak quesadilla from La Casita Del Guero and a lamb gyro from Halal Bites. Bracelets allowed for in-and-out flexibility, so guests could eat dinner off site and return, too. Restrooms were available inside the building as well as porta potties outside. I have nothing but good things to say about this place and our experience. It was delightful and therapeutic, and I'm pretty sure my musician bf got more than he expected out of his time here, a dream for instrumentalists and music lovers alike.

Humanities West puts on great programs. Programs are Friday evenings 8-10 pm and Saturdays about…read more10 am to 4 pm -- three times a year. Upcoming: Alexander/Alexandria (Flowering of Hellenistic Culture) on February 5 and 6 2010 (Herbst Theater in the Civic Center) and Florence of the Medici (Power, Politics and Art in Renaissance Italy) April 30 and May 1, 2010 (Herbst Theater in the Civic Center) see www.humanitieswest.org

Humanities West at Herbst Theatre SF is always a pleasure. "Benjamin Franklin & The Invention Of…read moreAmerica" Oct 17 had a basic lecture about Ben Franklin and then an unforgettably unique musical performance w/ commentary on "Glassical Musick" . A beautiful & haunting invention of Franklin's, the glass armonica, was played and explained by one of only 4 virtuoso musicians in the world who still play what was once the rage of chamber music, w/ composers like Mozart and Beethoven writing music specifically for this instrument. I can always learn something new about something old, and a refresher on the invention of America this fall is a Good Thing! Next event is in Febrary, on Tradition vs. Modernity in India. I'm going!

Came here with the family and had a great time. The Opera was wonderful and the atmosphere was…read moremajestic. I am not a regular opera goer but once in awhile it's such a pleasure to be at the Opera house and submerge yourself in the art of the Opera singing and storytelling.

My husband and I attended The Nutcracker in December, and unfortunately the experience was so…read moreunpleasant that we have no interest in returning to the San Francisco Ballet. We were seated in the second row of the orchestra, directly behind a group in the first row who whispered, turned around, pointed, and moved almost constantly throughout the performance. Their level of fidgeting was honestly bizarre and impossible to ignore. They also had a very young child with them who repeatedly made noise and turned around during the show. It was so distracting that I barely remember the performance itself. What I remember is the group sitting in front of us. We wanted to say something during the show, but there was no usher visibly monitoring our section. We also did not feel comfortable confronting strangers directly in a dark theater and potentially escalating the situation. This is exactly why ushers should be present and attentive during a performance, rather than placing the burden on patrons to police one another. When we spoke with a manager afterward, we were told that we could have reported the issue during intermission and possibly been moved. That response was frustrating. By intermission, half the performance had already been ruined, and it did not seem fair that we would be the ones expected to leave the seats we selected and paid for while the disruptive patrons remained in place. We contacted the Ballet multiple times afterward. Initially, the response felt dismissive. We were then offered tickets for one specific date in February, which was not practical because we live in Santa Cruz and could not simply travel to San Francisco on a randomly selected day. Eventually, we were offered tickets to a spring program, but the most logical and appropriate resolution would have been replacement tickets for the following Nutcracker season, since that was the experience that had been ruined. What made this especially disappointing was not only the behavior of the patrons, but the way the Ballet handled the complaint afterward. A sincere apology and a straightforward effort to replace the experience would have gone a long way. Instead, the process felt unnecessarily difficult and left my husband unwilling to do business with the San Francisco Ballet again. For an organization charging premium prices for a formal live performance, I expected better audience monitoring and much better customer service.

What a fantastic community chorus. I heard them last season in several baroque works - *Magnificat*…read moreby J.S. Bach and *Dido and Æneus* by Henry Purcell. Their diction was superb -- I could understand every word. And their dynamic range was very effective -- not a continual wall of sound like some much larger choruses. If you like choral music and don't want to spend a lot of money, go hear this group the next chance you get.

The Jackson theater at Ohlone's Smith center is a well-loved community location and it has…read moresalvaged organ parts inside! I hope I can hear it some day. I just went to see Heathers the musical there and it was amazing. Go see it showing in the next couple weeks!

The Gary Soren Smith for Performing Arts is a great venue and houses the G. Craig Jackson Theatre,…read morealong with the NUMMI Theatre and a smaller theatres. Housing the Louie Meager Art Gallery, Theatre and Dance Studios, TV, KOHL Radio and Broadcast Studio. The outdoor amplitheatre is a wonderful theatre with a great view of the Bay and sunset. The Staff are pro's and always friendly, courteous and helpful. Having been a performer (classical and pit musician) and performing at the Smith Center for years, I can appreciate the dedication and efforts of the Staff first hand. As a patron of the arts, I highly recommend the venue for your upcoming events.