Transition

In the good old days, before last Tuesday, playing the Star-Spangled Banner
at the opening of the symphony season posed no problem - it was part of
a festive occasion.  But now, the silence, the National Anthem and the
program follow one another night after night and the transition is awkward.

Kent Nagano did something about that tonight in Hertz Hall, at the opening
of the Berkeley Symphony's 31st season.  He told the audience that there
will be a minute of silence and the National Anthem before the opening
Beethoven overture, but the way it actually took place was beautifully,
effectively arranged.  From the silence emerged the quiet violin solo of
"America the Beautiful," played by concertmaster Robin Sharp, leading into
a drum roll and then the national anthem, in a seamless transition.

Advocate Knows Pitfalls of Modernity

At this, the first use of Hertz Hall by the Berkeley Symphony, there
were some logistical problems, none worse than the loud squeaks from the
orchestra's chairs.  Every time violinists leaned forward to turn the page,
there was this unison screech, very unfortunate.  Finally, Nagano decided
to acknowledge the problem and he apologized to the audience, adding that
he thought it's necessary to mention the source of the noise "because we
play so much modern music..."

Worst "Oh, My!" Moment of Reporting

When Michael Tilson Thomas led the first of four searing, raw, magnificent
performances of Mahler's Sixth Symphony in Davies Hall on Sept.  12, the SF
Chronicle review referred to "human folly" and "stunningly inappropriate"
behavior in reporting that somebody yelled "Play ball!" after the
emotionally-charged, grieving singing of the national anthem.

It was almost a week later that the writer, Joshua Kosman, received
a phone call from the grand-daughter of the man who shouted at the
concert.  She explained that he is a World War II veteran, suffering from
Alzheimer's, and didn't realize what the occasion was.  (If I were there -
I heard another performance - I would have reported the event with exactly
the same tone of disapproval...  and now I would feel the same way Kosman
must be feeling.)

The Rap on the Rep

Berkeley Rep is a fine theater company and its current world premiere
run of Naomi Iizuka's "36 Views" is getting good reviews.  And yet, in
two decades of covering the company, I have never seen such awkward,
high-school level acting (plus the outrageous mugging in the senior
division, from Peter Donat) across the board.

The play is a failed tribute to Tom Stoppard's multi-level complexity
and ambiguity, the mix of art and life.  It is making a hash of a story
of Asian art "experts" playing with the alleged discovery of an ancient
"pillow book." Very clever, very sophisticated, very flat and obvious.
Too bad.

Janos Gereben/SF
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