Reviews

Brilliant playing enlivens Music@Menlo’s final program, in a mix of surprising instrumental combinations, coupled with formidable playing by young performers.

Playing a deceptively difficult piece by Lou Harrison, plus works with electronica, vocals, and other “extended techniques” the Del Sol Quartet shows its versatility.

The Cabrillo Festival offers good and sufficient reasons to repeat phrases in compositions, or not.

A ripe-to-bursting Mozart opera, rarely performed, dallies in the garden of earthly delights, peopled by stalwarts of S.F. Opera’s Merola Program.

Magnificent playing, a fine new work commissioned from Lera Auerbach, and penetrating emotional currents mark violinist Vadim Gluzman’s new disc.

“Here’s a how-de-do!” — the Lamplighters lend their storied charm to another bright production of Gilbert and Sullivan’s witty, belovedMikado.

Music added and power to a multimedia presentation of stories from the Kitchen Sisters’ Hidden World of Girls, sometimes at the expense of understanding.

Expressionism and musical storytelling comes to Music@Menlo, via pungent works by Respighi, Herrmann, Caplet, and Stravinsky.

Sins of the flesh, and of the blackjack table, provide reasonably entertaining fodder in a new double-bill in El Cerrito.

A mezzo/baritone recital proves disappointing and far less romantic than might be expected from the performers and their repertory.