Janos Gereben

"When pleasurable music is heard, dopamine is released in the striatum — an ancient part of the brain found in other vertebrates as well — which is known to respond to naturally rewarding stimuli like food and sex and which is artificially targeted by drugs like cocaine and amphetamine," says The New York Times article

San Francisco Ballet principal ballerina Maria Kochetkova was invited to replace Alina Cojocaru, recently injured, as Odette/Odile in American Ballet Theatre's Swan Lake on June 21, opposite ABT principal dancer Herman Cornejo in his ABT debut as Prince Siegfried. This is Kochetkova’s first appearance with American Ballet Theatre.

Magen Solomon's San Francisco Choral Artists will join Veretski Pass to present Omens, Dreams, and Curses, featuring Yiddish and Ladino folk music, classical psalm settings, lullabies, and improvisations. For information about the June 15, 16, and 23 concerts, see the SFCA website.

The Queen Elisabeth International Grand Prize went to Boris Giltburg, followed by Rémi Geniet and

Year after year

Last week Athens' ancient Atticus Theater opened its doors to 1,500 unemployed Greek citizens for a one-off free performance of Wagner’s The Flying Dutchman: