Reviews

The Boston Symphony Orchestra’s visit, marking the return of the great orchestra after a 15-year absence, offered the Bay Area its first look at Ludovic Morlot. And what a look it was.

A humble and fascinating composer conducts his ambitious new violin concerto, yet declines to take a solo bow.

A noted ensemble turns chamber music, old and new, into an adventure, with near-“purrrfect” results.

Sage artistry and inconsistently appropriate voice for repertoire characterized Karita Mattila’s recital of French, Finnish and German songs Tuesday night at Herbst Theatre.

An adventurous string quartet performs fresh takes on works unfinished by the great classical composers, in a new form of artistic “occupation.”

Although benefitting from the usual excellent performance by eighth blackbird, Rinde Eckert and Steve Mackey’s Slide is still uninvolving.

Bach’s Mass in B Minor receives a magnificent performance from forces of Philharmonia Baroque, with Chorale and soloists.

The title “The Future Is Now” may well prove prophetic for San Francisco Opera Center’s annual Adler Fellows Gala Concert. If the stars are aligned as they should be, no fewer than four of the artists who took to Herbst Theatre’s stage will soon shine brightly as leading artists at premier houses throughout the world.

Take heart: Fascinating moods of music-to-despair-by comes from Finnish composer Kaija Saariaho.

A multitalented string quartet continues to probe the depths of Haydn and now some of his contemporaries and students, as well.