by
Alec Adams on November 10, 2021
Opera, perhaps the most disciplined and harrowing style of musical performance ever invented, has always had a hard time gripping American audiences for a pretty simple reason—most of them aren’t in English. Henry Purcell’s Dido and Aeneas, however, has been representing the language in opera for centuries. The story of a queen’s…
Continue reading »
by
Metro Staff on February 12, 2020
A staple of the operatic repertoire, Giuseppe Verdi’s turbulent tale of love, revenge and the power of music, Il Trovatore, comes to the California Theatre. The opera tells the tale of a woman following her own heart despite various and violent patriarchal obstacles and features an emotional, heart-stopping score conducted by Joseph…
Continue reading »
by
Metro Staff on December 18, 2019
Russia has long been recognized as a leader in the world of dance, and the Moscow Ballet’s touring production of the Great Russian Nutcracker aims to uphold the country’s reputation—with a little help from the international community. Featuring a group of world-renowned Russian dancers, massive flying puppets from South Africa and hand-painted…
Continue reading »
by
Wallace Baine on December 11, 2019
For many people this time of year, coming together with neighbors and singing sacred music in a beautiful place is an impulse not to be ignored. For the 15th straight year, Elena Sharkova and the Symphony Silicon Valley Chorale will be answering the call. In the holiday glow of the lovely old…
Continue reading »
by
Metro Staff on November 13, 2019
Opera San Jose is kicking off the holiday season with a production of Engelbert Humperdinck’s family-friendly opera. Kids ages 6 and older who attend will not only enjoy a fully produced opera, they’ll also receive a small gift upon entrance, intermission treats, and opportunities to interact with costumed characters and be photographed…
Continue reading »
by
Metro Staff on October 16, 2019
Honoring the past while looking to the future, sjDANCEco opens its 17th season with Etched in Time, a program featuring “The Exiles,” a Paradise Lost masterwork by José Limón, and a world premiere piece based upon the experiences of a DACA-Dreamer immigrant living in the US. The world premiere is by Gabriel…
Continue reading »
by
Metro Staff on August 7, 2019
When it comes to musical biopics, few films loom larger than Amadeus. The 1984 Academy Award-winning film made a rock star of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart—one of the most talented composers of the Classical period (between the Baroque and Romantic periods). Painting Mozart as an eccentric and irreverent genius, the film weaves together…
Continue reading »
by
Nick Veronin on February 27, 2019
Cinequest returns with an opening night screening of Manto, a new biopic about controversial and acclaimed Indian writer Saadat Hasan Manto. Directed by Nandita Das, the film is set in an India just breaking free from British rule. While optimism fills the air, violence, unrest and fear are also rampant as the…
Continue reading »
by
Wallace Baine on December 13, 2018
There’s never a bad time to visit the historic California Theatre, one of downtown San Jose’s most beautiful buildings. But the best time might be during the holiday season. For the 14th straight year, the Symphony Silicon Valley Chorale—under the direction of Elena Sharkova and accompanied by a brass ensemble—will lead a…
Continue reading »
by
Metro Staff on November 14, 2018
When it comes to sad clowns, Weary Willie—Emmett Kelly’s iconic caricature of a down-and-out, Depression-era hobo—may be the first image that crops up in the contemporary imagination. But the O.G. of all sad clowns is undoubtedly Pagliacci. In Ruggero Leoncavallo’s beloved Pagliacci, a theater troupe stages a production that hits too close…
Continue reading »
