tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-177098352024-03-06T23:09:08.165-08:00Not For Fun OnlyFun & enlightenment in San FranciscoAxel Feldheimhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12517904558156089265noreply@blogger.comBlogger1694125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17709835.post-15720381283092902782018-06-28T12:46:00.001-07:002018-06-28T12:46:56.755-07:00The Incredibles 2<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7wV6nL391YIF3lcYgEVoBrecmE78WrGdiOuTVZS2K0q2V2cgSxjgWXlVPdFYoe9nm34Zrzxyhd7RoonRhqHkFFgF2wUhab-nwyh26sAcweY_SMi8DpB98Uoe4NjQAFYaDit8C/s1600/bao_pixar.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="545" data-original-width="970" height="179" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7wV6nL391YIF3lcYgEVoBrecmE78WrGdiOuTVZS2K0q2V2cgSxjgWXlVPdFYoe9nm34Zrzxyhd7RoonRhqHkFFgF2wUhab-nwyh26sAcweY_SMi8DpB98Uoe4NjQAFYaDit8C/s320/bao_pixar.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
On Tuesday night I saw <i><a href="https://www.pixar.com/feature-films/incredibles-2">The Incredibles 2</a></i> at my local movie theater, with an audience mostly of adults. The show included the animated short <i><a href="https://www.pixar.com/bao">Bao</a></i>, touted as the first Pixar short directed by a woman. In this wordless film, clearly set in a North American city, a Chinese mother makes a dumpling that magically comes to life as a baby, which she then raises into an adult. The story builds to a discomfiting climax, while being cute & affectionate all the way. The realistically depicted food is instantly recognizable to anyone who has eaten home-cooked Chinese meals, & the whole thing is perhaps a gentle commentary on the ties of dependency in traditional families.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjioP0qbmQnXrdTEhzrsMzkKB0cPP7s_qV4FyzvcwjsXgUQaUCfpbLPA3mjO-ITNiUjI0XGpn4ou9M3M4OtlpbmsDcvh4wbYv9fr-1yN41II8AxsANHboZgtUUeaOKXbqMJT_rp/s1600/Incredibles-2-Edna-Mode.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="263" data-original-width="628" height="134" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjioP0qbmQnXrdTEhzrsMzkKB0cPP7s_qV4FyzvcwjsXgUQaUCfpbLPA3mjO-ITNiUjI0XGpn4ou9M3M4OtlpbmsDcvh4wbYv9fr-1yN41II8AxsANHboZgtUUeaOKXbqMJT_rp/s320/Incredibles-2-Edna-Mode.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
I was happy that <i>The Incredibles 2</i> is pretty much the same as the first <i>Incredibles</i>, with its humorous take on family life with kids, mixed with cartoonish action scenes & catastrophes avoided by a hair's breadth. There are a couple of dialogue-heavy scenes making up the exposition that make a complex issue out of whether or not super heroes should be allowed to use their powers in a law-based society. I was frequently distracted by details of the visual design, which depicts a hyped-up version of the 1960s. We even get glimpses of <i>Johnny Quest </i>& <i>The Twilight Zone</i> appearing on TV sets.<br />
<br />
Satirical scenes featuring Edna Mode with baby Jack-Jack are a highlight. The theater sound system made it seem at one point that Jack-Jack had leapt out of the screen & into the auditorium. The movie's stylish, symphonic score also sounded great. I was impressed by the visualization of falling through the wormholes in space created by one of the movie's supporting cast superheroes.<br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">§ <a href="https://www.pixar.com/bao">Bao</a> (2018)</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">USA | 8min | Dir. Domee Shi</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: x-small;">§ <a href="https://www.pixar.com/feature-films/incredibles-2">Incredibles 2</a> (2018)</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">USA | 1h 58min | Dir. Brad Bird</span>Axel Feldheimhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12517904558156089265noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17709835.post-83122147796248445632018-06-22T16:49:00.000-07:002018-06-22T21:08:11.879-07:00SF Opera Ring Cycle 2<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgG3e6IsV93pwZkG5243OzfVB6Om-iwXuLLPlL5va2eG3bSfX4SGnDkYND1vIYvRdf9DLoDhMkhjV5i5MKiz6Em7kMTxLgAqoUnzjhfQmMSs1tdSzBEa6YoUX0fMMoNDkIwwors/s1600/standingroom.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="640" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgG3e6IsV93pwZkG5243OzfVB6Om-iwXuLLPlL5va2eG3bSfX4SGnDkYND1vIYvRdf9DLoDhMkhjV5i5MKiz6Em7kMTxLgAqoUnzjhfQmMSs1tdSzBEa6YoUX0fMMoNDkIwwors/s320/standingroom.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
After the rigamarole of claiming prime standing room spots for the 1st cycle of <a href="https://sfopera.com/ring/">San Francisco Opera's Ring Festival</a>, it was a relief to attend the 1st two performances of cycle 2 sitting on the floor at the back of the balcony, with just the libretto to look at. The upstairs railing was full up, & during <i>Rheingold</i> I was next to people reading the score & a woman who curled up on the floor & napped for 2 and half hours.<br />
<br />
I feel like the orchestra's playing improved steadily throughout the 1st cycle, & the sound was tremendous from up there. My ears were frequently drawn to the strings, clarinets & trumpets. Conductor <b><a href="https://www.donaldrunnicles.org/">Donald Runnicles</a></b> made the music swell without pushing the tempos.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFzq2PZvm8jw5pLYIUjqFcCvate6n9gCS0BL_foCmOiEWSNXXNJhTTKE-g5asrpgPbCBQedY409bgwbA6fRIHhqCpv8fjBOzjnJvyjY2uG2MwYd6LwArna-JkGm-L6lLIeXUFX/s1600/biergarten.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="480" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFzq2PZvm8jw5pLYIUjqFcCvate6n9gCS0BL_foCmOiEWSNXXNJhTTKE-g5asrpgPbCBQedY409bgwbA6fRIHhqCpv8fjBOzjnJvyjY2uG2MwYd6LwArna-JkGm-L6lLIeXUFX/s320/biergarten.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
The cast practically flaunts its vocal strength & stamina. Tenor <b><a href="http://stefanmargita.com/en/">Štefan Margita</a></b>, with the supple clarity of his voice, articulate expression & physical charisma, is an ideal Loge. Tenor <b><a href="http://brandonjovanovich.com/">Brandon Jovanovich</a></b> sang Siegmund with heft, lyricism & energy to spare. It felt like he could have held the fermata on "Wälse!" for twice as long without a problem. Soprano <b><a href="https://www.harrisonparrott.com/artists/karita-mattila">Karita Mattila</a></b> did not always sing Sieglinde with accuracy, but her broad, syrupy voice is so novel that I enjoyed hearing her nonetheless. The ardent expressiveness of mezzo <b><a href="http://www.jamiebartonmezzo.com/">Jamie Barton</a></b>'s singing as Fricka was impressive.<br />
<br />
The audience applauded soprano <b><a href="https://irenetheorin.com/">Iréne Theorin</a></b>'s Brünnhilde after her 1st short scene in the 2nd act of <i>Die Walküre</i>, & there was laughter during the Wotan/Fricka scene. There was also delighted applause for the parachuting Valkyries in act 3. In <i>Rheingold</i>, the Nibelungs' screaming is terrific. It was great running into many opera friends at these performances, & I had fun taking in the lively atmosphere of Brünnhilde's Biergarten, which indeed offered beers, pretzels & wursts.<br />
<br />
<br />
<div>
<span style="font-size: x-small;">§ <a href="https://sfopera.com/ring/story/dasrheingold/">Das Rheingold</a></span></div>
<div>
<a href="https://sfopera.com/ring/"><span style="font-size: x-small;">San Francisco Opera 2018 Ring Cycle 1</span></a></div>
<div>
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-size: x-small;">Conductor, <a href="https://www.donaldrunnicles.org/">Donald Runnicles</a></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-size: x-small;">Director, <a href="http://www.francescazambello.com/">Francesca Zambello</a></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<div>
<span style="font-size: x-small;">Wotan, <a href="http://greergrimsley.com/">Greer Grimsley</a></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-size: x-small;">Loge, <a href="http://stefanmargita.com/">Štefan Margita</a></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-size: x-small;">Alberich, <a href="http://www.lewin-management.com/artists/33_Falk+Struckmann/englishbio">Falk Struckmann</a></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-size: x-small;">Fricka, <a href="http://www.jamiebartonmezzo.com/">Jamie Barton</a></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-size: x-small;">Erda, <a href="http://www.rayfieldallied.com/artists/ronnita-miller">Ronnita Miller</a></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-size: x-small;">Mime, <a href="http://www.davidcangelosi.com/">David Cangelosi</a></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-size: x-small;">Fasolt, <a href="http://www.andreasilvestrelli.com/">Andrea Silvestrelli</a></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-size: x-small;">Fafner, <a href="http://www.raymondaceto.com/">Raymond Aceto</a></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-size: x-small;">Donner, <a href="https://www.brianmulligan.com/">Brian Mulligan</a></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-size: x-small;">Froh, <a href="http://brandonjovanovich.com/">Brandon Jovanovich</a></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-size: x-small;">Freia, <a href="https://www.julieadamssoprano.com/">Julie Adams</a></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-size: x-small;">Woglinde, <a href="http://www.staceytappan.com/">Stacey Tappan</a></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-size: x-small;">Wellgunde, <a href="https://laurenmcneese.com/">Lauren McNeese</a></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-size: x-small;">Flosshilde, <a href="http://www.uzanartists.com/portfolio/renee-tatum-2/">Renée Tatum</a></span></div>
</div>
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: x-small;">Tuesday, 06/19/18, 7:30PM</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">War Memorial Opera House</span><br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">§ <a href="https://sfopera.com/ring/story/diewalkure/">Die Walküre</a></span><br />
<a href="https://sfopera.com/ring/"><span style="font-size: x-small;">San Francisco Opera Ring Cycle 1</span></a><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span><span style="font-size: x-small;">Conductor, <a href="https://www.donaldrunnicles.org/">Donald Runnicles</a></span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">Director, <a href="http://www.francescazambello.com/">Francesca Zambello</a></span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span><span style="font-size: x-small;">Brünnhilde, <a href="https://irenetheorin.com/">Iréne Theorin</a></span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">Wotan, <a href="http://greergrimsley.com/">Greer Grimsley</a></span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">Sieglinde, <a href="https://www.harrisonparrott.com/artists/karita-mattila">Karita Mattila</a></span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">Siegmund, <a href="http://brandonjovanovich.com/">Brandon Jovanovich</a></span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">Fricka, <a href="http://www.jamiebartonmezzo.com/">Jamie Barton</a></span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">Hunding, <a href="http://www.raymondaceto.com/">Raymond Aceto</a></span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">Siegrune, <a href="http://laurakrumm.com/">Laura Krumm</a></span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">Grimgerde, <a href="http://www.reneerapiermezzo.com/">Renée Rapier</a></span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">Ortlinde, <a href="http://www.sarahcambidge.com/">Sarah Cambidge</a></span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">Gerhilde, <a href="https://www.julieadamssoprano.com/">Julie Adams</a></span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">Rossweisse, <a href="https://laurenmcneese.com/">Lauren McNeese</a></span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">Schwertleite, <a href="http://www.nicolebirkland.com/html/">Nicole Birkland</a></span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">Helmwige, <a href="http://piperanselmi.com/portfolio/melissa-citro/">Melissa Citro</a></span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">Waltraute, <a href="http://www.uzanartists.com/portfolio/renee-tatum-2/">Renée Tatum</a></span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: x-small;">Wednesday, 06/20/18, 7:00pm</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">War Memorial Opera House</span>Axel Feldheimhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12517904558156089265noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17709835.post-2618824333213217722018-06-19T11:34:00.000-07:002018-06-19T11:34:36.842-07:00SF Opera Götterdämmerung 1<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6DbycoN8Kp0C8tUJGrbN4LOSegfHKODxs2Im9bN6D5XBNezpotX3B-LWiK4Rur5mgfQ25bTJ-PsgcpxtB_zeree5PlSvo-pyiX6zE3CQ3YwF80-B3m0tXQCsyuQST9dl_5Fvr/s1600/gotter_scrim.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="631" data-original-width="640" height="313" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6DbycoN8Kp0C8tUJGrbN4LOSegfHKODxs2Im9bN6D5XBNezpotX3B-LWiK4Rur5mgfQ25bTJ-PsgcpxtB_zeree5PlSvo-pyiX6zE3CQ3YwF80-B3m0tXQCsyuQST9dl_5Fvr/s320/gotter_scrim.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
Each time conductor <b><a href="https://www.donaldrunnicles.org/">Donald Runnicles</a></b> appeared in the pit for the Sunday matinee of <a href="https://sfopera.com/ring/story/gotterdammerung/">San Francisco Opera's <i>Götterdämmerung</i></a>, the audience gave more cheers & applause for the maestro & the orchestra. I feel like the orchestra's playing has steadily improved over the course of this 1st cycle. There was striking playing from all sections & an over-all sheen to the orchestra's sound. I never thought I would pay so much attention to the bass trumpet or bass clarinet. The brass playing was clean yet brash. The horn solos, both from offstage & the pit, sounded courageous & glinting. The strings were vibrant. Maestro Runnicles led the music in an unbroken flow, continually swelling & exhaling, & the opera's big orchestral passages were enthralling.<br />
<br />
The opening Norns scene was gripping, all 3 singers sounding dusky & focused, accompanied by a murky & restless orchestra. It was nice to hear mezzo <b><a href="http://www.jamiebartonmezzo.com/">Jamie Barton</a></b> twice, as a Norn & as Waltraute. Her voice is hearty, with strong low notes, & there are lots of colors to her singing.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMrCNe_9s3k53dihXjqvnW8s5svNAxhTaMYP6-6_AGpVFZ1kcoYyKm9bD3oDrndy7Bt2CYU_vRsk0J5TxUZixqUaLpuypZHTc9Mgr9Wz6T0jlpqS-Q2bmX44GtHI46iVDDNjnd/s1600/gotter_vikings.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="594" data-original-width="640" height="297" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMrCNe_9s3k53dihXjqvnW8s5svNAxhTaMYP6-6_AGpVFZ1kcoYyKm9bD3oDrndy7Bt2CYU_vRsk0J5TxUZixqUaLpuypZHTc9Mgr9Wz6T0jlpqS-Q2bmX44GtHI46iVDDNjnd/s320/gotter_vikings.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
Director <b><a href="http://www.francescazambello.com/">Francesca Zambello</a></b> managed to find humor in the Gibichungs Hall scene. Soprano <b><a href="http://piperanselmi.com/portfolio/melissa-citro/">Melissa Citro</a></b> was a strong-voiced Gutrune, & she comically minced about the stage, conscientiously tidying the furniture, plumping couch pillows & posing herself in preparation for Siegfried's arrival. Baritone <b><a href="https://www.brianmulligan.com/">Brian Mulligan</a></b> has an even, taut & pleasing voice, & his Gunther is a decent man who realizes too late that he's a pawn in Hagen's game. <a href="http://www.andreasilvestrelli.com/"><b>Andrea Silvestrelli</b></a>'s hollow, resonant voice is distinctive, & he was a chilling Hagen. I enjoyed every moment of his performance. Bass-baritone <b><a href="http://www.lewin-management.com/artists/33_Falk+Struckmann/englishbio">Falk Struckmann</a></b> was a dark, insinuating Alberich. He often enunciated the text spitefully.<br />
<br />
Tenor <b><a href="http://danielbrenna.com/">Daniel Brenna</a></b> has a bounding, easy-going stage manner & was an endearing Siegfried. His voice is somewhat light, but unforced & with clear, bright high notes. His act 3 narrative was lively & engaging, & he sang his death scene affectingly in short, expressive phrases. Soprano <b><a href="https://irenetheorin.com/">Iréne Theorin</a></b> sings with sustained strength, & her Brünnhilde was consistently stalwart. She varied her performance with a controlled pianissimo during her immolation scene.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUdJyBvBk-aQGOX7AyoBFKbHhJ6_DHRwJQELQ9qWjuTxIUC1lXjY0kQKs3DOrQm4gFmRxZgevaSdnMF1-iEpQPF_4xpaGGLmbMlajetD_jm8STALCqmN31-AmZ-0NcYA00WwDG/s1600/gotter_curtain.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="349" data-original-width="640" height="174" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUdJyBvBk-aQGOX7AyoBFKbHhJ6_DHRwJQELQ9qWjuTxIUC1lXjY0kQKs3DOrQm4gFmRxZgevaSdnMF1-iEpQPF_4xpaGGLmbMlajetD_jm8STALCqmN31-AmZ-0NcYA00WwDG/s320/gotter_curtain.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
Visual impact comes primarily from large digital projections on the scrim & the back of the stage, & the production relies on constantly shifting images of industrial landscapes & natural phenomenon to make its points. I was impressed at how quiet the many scene changes behind the scrim were.<br />
<br />
Throughout the opera we see all the female personages physically attacked by men in some way, & the final scene pointedly puts only women on stage. Gutrune witnesses "Starke Scheite" while women dump rifles, tires, debris & Siegfried's body off the back of the stage. Projections depict an apocalyptic snow of portraits of the cast. In the closing moments a girl comes on stage to plant a sapling.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYIvuYi7qOmbNsJ2iO7h7ynTxEAMn__t657ySI7kmPt3kem91uLh3HcZC2PAPHJFMWTPWiAQC02r7xbBT8NDBMi4EDRnGagX-6Tf2qz-csHsZ1vmu7F19UPN42cSb1cbofDuYx/s1600/gotter_standees.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="480" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYIvuYi7qOmbNsJ2iO7h7ynTxEAMn__t657ySI7kmPt3kem91uLh3HcZC2PAPHJFMWTPWiAQC02r7xbBT8NDBMi4EDRnGagX-6Tf2qz-csHsZ1vmu7F19UPN42cSb1cbofDuYx/s320/gotter_standees.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
The audience was dedicated & attentively quiet throughout. The only time I noticed people exiting early was during the 1st act. There was a standing ovation from the orchestra level & extended applause & cheering, especially when the scrim went up to reveal the orchestra members on stage, holding up their instruments & waving to us. It was great to see the French horn player singled out. Ring attendees could collect "I Survived!" buttons as they left the theater. Even though this was a matinee performance, my head was so filled with music that I couldn't get to sleep until 2am.<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">§ <a href="https://sfopera.com/ring/story/gotterdammerung/">Götterdämmerung</a></span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">San Francisco Opera 2018 Ring Cycle 1</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: x-small;">Conductor, <a href="https://www.donaldrunnicles.org/">Donald Runnicles</a></span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">Director, <a href="http://www.francescazambello.com/">Francesca Zambello</a></span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: x-small;">Brünnhilde, <a href="https://irenetheorin.com/">Iréne Theorin</a></span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">Siegfried, <a href="http://danielbrenna.com/">Daniel Brenna</a></span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">Gunther, <a href="https://www.brianmulligan.com/">Brian Mulligan</a></span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">Hagen, <a href="http://www.andreasilvestrelli.com/">Andrea Silvestrelli</a></span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">Waltraute, <a href="http://www.jamiebartonmezzo.com/">Jamie Barton</a></span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">Gutrune, <a href="http://piperanselmi.com/portfolio/melissa-citro/">Melissa Citro</a></span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">Alberich, <a href="http://www.lewin-management.com/artists/33_Falk+Struckmann/englishbio">Falk Struckmann</a></span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">First Norn, <a href="http://www.rayfieldallied.com/artists/ronnita-miller">Ronnita Miller</a></span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">Second Norn, <a href="http://www.jamiebartonmezzo.com/">Jamie Barton</a></span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">Third Norn, <a href="http://www.sarahcambidge.com/">Sarah Cambidge</a></span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">Woglinde, <a href="http://www.staceytappan.com/">Stacey Tappan</a></span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">Wellgunde, <a href="https://laurenmcneese.com/">Lauren McNeese</a></span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">Flosshilde, <a href="http://www.uzanartists.com/portfolio/renee-tatum-2/">Renée Tatum</a></span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: x-small;">Sunday, 06/17/18, 1:00pm</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">War Memorial Opera House</span>Axel Feldheimhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12517904558156089265noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17709835.post-16088106331333957882018-06-17T23:56:00.000-07:002018-06-17T23:56:23.657-07:00SF Opera Siegfried 1<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2NGm3-UVMRof5Ss8Z8Kbe8PaXVbLr1UFibA5Uj46EPlJdS67NZCSAiioPMdP_aBIHZyN37kI-OTNZmthfShm0SufaIwPIKwhscAG6cvsSd9j4X6mMmYl7R2b5Wkpk9v5BykIm/s1600/siegfried_scrim.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="456" data-original-width="640" height="228" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2NGm3-UVMRof5Ss8Z8Kbe8PaXVbLr1UFibA5Uj46EPlJdS67NZCSAiioPMdP_aBIHZyN37kI-OTNZmthfShm0SufaIwPIKwhscAG6cvsSd9j4X6mMmYl7R2b5Wkpk9v5BykIm/s320/siegfried_scrim.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
The 1st act of <a href="https://sfopera.com/ring/story/siegfried/">San Francisco Opera's <i>Siegfried</i></a> on Friday seemed to go by much faster than its 80 minute running time. The orchestra under conductor <b><a href="https://www.donaldrunnicles.org/">Donald Runnicles</a></b> sounded bouncy, & the musicians' playing was agile & detailed. Tenor <b><a href="http://www.davidcangelosi.com/">David Cangelosi</a></b> was a lively Mime. His exuberant physical performance included dances & cartwheels, & his singing was expressive & fluent. Tenor <b><a href="http://danielbrenna.com/">Daniel Brenna</a></b> was a rambunctious Siegfried, & his relaxed, almost casual, stage presence put me at ease. His voice is on the lighter side, a bit gritty & somewhat bright. Mr. Brenna had fun with the role & was playful & jolly in the forging scene, which demonstrated the sword-making steps clearly. As The Wanderer, <b><a href="http://greergrimsley.com/">Greer Grimsley</a></b> sounded predominantly angry. His voice is big, centered & penetrating. Siegfried's bear was mischievous, & his antics included stealing a bag of potato chips from Mime's trailer.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEZN1BXKbUXzxHFOOb67WVeeLyPaXMB1lhkI8KzUgXRCGgkdMx8SAClrHhlpjrgICVXoa3kuXqs59XmNfF8aAq8vtMpLP5OiofouYuCzHZtnoTWUCuh710HCNMbqsNsKU4i7Kb/s1600/siegfried_curtain.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="370" data-original-width="640" height="185" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEZN1BXKbUXzxHFOOb67WVeeLyPaXMB1lhkI8KzUgXRCGgkdMx8SAClrHhlpjrgICVXoa3kuXqs59XmNfF8aAq8vtMpLP5OiofouYuCzHZtnoTWUCuh710HCNMbqsNsKU4i7Kb/s320/siegfried_curtain.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
I found the setting for act 2 to be confusing. We seem to be in an abandoned warehouse, with Fafner lying in wait just outside. Bass-baritone <b><a href="http://www.lewin-management.com/artists/33_Falk+Struckmann/englishbio">Falk Struckmann</a></b> gave a dark portrayal of Alberich, sometimes snarling & declaiming the text rather than singing it, & his voice was focussed & firm. It wasn't clear to me why he had a shopping cart filled with Molotov cocktails. Bass <b><a href="http://www.raymondaceto.com/">Raymond Aceto</a></b> sang Fafner with smooth phrasing, & his death scene was pitiable. In this staging the Forest Bird is a perky girl in a trench coat, & soprano <b><a href="http://www.staceytappan.com/">Stacey Tappan</a></b> sounded fit & bright, with chirpy high notes. The extended off-stage horn solo had good pacing & a modulated tone & was nearly flawless.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGMi9JWBRmwYW1MrH0nxwPPrQrMctzY7t1LPZAEYwoniNwk8roGkLJ-JmKq6J8SqWcMOo0U_hhXBnJS8Iu4MFcvfIvfDIy1ZHZ5F7XFaq60C08vdPROQkKncR_JqmDllv__xTi/s1600/siegfried_standees.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="587" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGMi9JWBRmwYW1MrH0nxwPPrQrMctzY7t1LPZAEYwoniNwk8roGkLJ-JmKq6J8SqWcMOo0U_hhXBnJS8Iu4MFcvfIvfDIy1ZHZ5F7XFaq60C08vdPROQkKncR_JqmDllv__xTi/s200/siegfried_standees.jpg" width="183" /></a></div>
The playing of the orchestral passages in act 3 was brilliant. The prelude was vigorous & weighty. The violins' high, meandering music in the transition to scene 3 sounded eerie & translucent, & the orchestra's depiction of the Brünnhilde's awakening was gleaming. The brasses had far fewer bloopers than previous nights. Mezzo <b><a href="http://www.rayfieldallied.com/artists/ronnita-miller">Ronnita Miller</a></b> sang a rooted, imperturbable Erda & displayed baritonal low notes. Soprano <b><a href="https://irenetheorin.com/">Iréne Theorin</a></b>'s voice is brawny, & her Brünnhilde sounded consistently strong, even when she sang quietly. Siegfried seemed bemused by her behavior, at times even laughing at her.<br />
<br />
There was a small baby at the back of the auditorium during the beginning of act 1 for some reason. So far I haven't seen as many Ring costumes worn by attendees as I was expecting, though I did spot a pair of gentlemen wearing lederhosen & horned helmets, & <b><a href="http://operatattler.typepad.com/opera/2018/06/sf-opera-siegfried-cycle-1.html">Opera Tattler</a></b> was evidently paying tribute to <a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/BkE7NzEhN6H/">Siegfried's bear</a>.<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">§ <a href="https://sfopera.com/ring/story/siegfried/">Siegfried</a></span><br />
<a href="https://sfopera.com/ring/"><span style="font-size: x-small;">San Francisco Opera Ring Cycle 1</span></a><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: x-small;">Conductor, <a href="https://www.donaldrunnicles.org/">Donald Runnicles</a></span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">Director, <a href="http://www.francescazambello.com/">Francesca Zambello</a></span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: x-small;">Siegfried, <a href="http://danielbrenna.com/">Daniel Brenna</a></span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">Brünnhilde, I<a href="https://irenetheorin.com/">réne Theorin</a></span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">Mime, <a href="http://www.davidcangelosi.com/">David Cangelosi</a></span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">The Wanderer, <a href="http://greergrimsley.com/">Greer Grimsley</a></span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">Alberich, <a href="http://www.lewin-management.com/artists/33_Falk+Struckmann/englishbio">Falk Struckmann</a></span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">Fafner, <a href="http://www.raymondaceto.com/">Raymond Aceto</a></span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">Erda, <a href="http://www.rayfieldallied.com/artists/ronnita-miller">Ronnita Miller</a></span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">Forest Bird, <a href="http://www.staceytappan.com/">Stacey Tappan</a></span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: x-small;">Friday, 06/15/18, 6:30pm</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">War Memorial Opera House </span>Axel Feldheimhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12517904558156089265noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17709835.post-79608623413070090462018-06-15T14:37:00.000-07:002018-06-15T14:37:23.491-07:00SF Opera Walküre 1<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijlP0hSJc3cjL2Bsj-OybgJgx3yGb6CzwFoIgBvdYoVzu8ANhLiP-uRq-O5jXAFFybfJDLpypj233mlOkcGnNwbzfD0xvbrYd5zjjfeHn0pzoSuSupBJ5g3-I_etxzGT8IIPIg/s1600/valkyrie_scrim.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="598" data-original-width="640" height="186" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijlP0hSJc3cjL2Bsj-OybgJgx3yGb6CzwFoIgBvdYoVzu8ANhLiP-uRq-O5jXAFFybfJDLpypj233mlOkcGnNwbzfD0xvbrYd5zjjfeHn0pzoSuSupBJ5g3-I_etxzGT8IIPIg/s200/valkyrie_scrim.JPG" width="200" /></a></div>
From the 1st moments of <a href="https://sfopera.com/ring/story/diewalkure/">San Francisco Opera's <i>Die Walküre</i></a> on Wednesday evening, the orchestra played with vigor & a purposeful forward momentum. The strings were unified & incisive, & there were beautifully sweet solos from the entire woodwind section, especially the clarinets & oboes. The brasses popped out boldly.<br />
<br />
Tenor <b><a href="http://brandonjovanovich.com/">Brandon Jovanovich</a></b> was a virile Siegmund, his singing connected, resonant & urgent. Soprano <b><a href="https://www.harrisonparrott.com/artists/karita-mattila">Karita Mattila</a></b> as Sieglinde did not sound as youthful, but I enjoyed her wide, viscous voice & compelling acting. In this staging, Sieglinde is clearly a captive, & in act 2 she portrayed that trauma movingly. As Hunding, bass <b><a href="http://www.raymondaceto.com/">Raymond Aceto</a></b> was appropriately predatory. He makes a nice sound, & his singing was firm. The 2 dogs that ran across the stage before the fight between Hunding & Siegmund in act 2 really seemed to be chasing something.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjICVXJjhD4xWULyC8gKgnuggbaYNng26p87-fRk2WNE6KLqfiTrZ8Nk5_wn7jDS2ncGfP8tHbIFc32ZgcJPcaHX_NVA2uZotxVm97hs7p-e_S_p3fuu8HT8Df32cN38W41fsPx/s1600/valkyrie_curtaincall.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="494" data-original-width="640" height="154" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjICVXJjhD4xWULyC8gKgnuggbaYNng26p87-fRk2WNE6KLqfiTrZ8Nk5_wn7jDS2ncGfP8tHbIFc32ZgcJPcaHX_NVA2uZotxVm97hs7p-e_S_p3fuu8HT8Df32cN38W41fsPx/s200/valkyrie_curtaincall.JPG" width="200" /></a></div>
Soprano <b><a href="https://irenetheorin.com/">Iréne Theorin</a></b> was a startlingly hyperactive Brünnhilde when she entered in act 2. Her voice was sturdy & aggressive, & her stamina was immediately apparent. She varied her performance by singing loudly or softly. Mezzo <b><a href="http://www.jamiebartonmezzo.com/">Jamie Barton</a></b> was a furious & confident Fricka, her singing shining & clear with lots of vocal color. The staging of her dispute with Wotan included humorous moments that got the audience laughing, & her fiery performance was like a punch in the face. Bass-baritone <b><a href="http://greergrimsley.com/">Greer Grimsley</a></b> has a big, powerful voice, & his delivery as Wotan was consistently stentorian. His sound carried even when he was far upstage during his final lines of the opera.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_vPuJkqKafRFzJ40ReEF_Sg0p31ZP2QVhyphenhyphen8J_Wz8Q5f5dVaHzbeun2k5DzyAqlEVjjEuliKGX_nmQNYxNSh189kd6cLZkhD4S71vxKlVicEfZO32R3ePNPwlSt1u8yN25BidR/s1600/standees.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="564" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_vPuJkqKafRFzJ40ReEF_Sg0p31ZP2QVhyphenhyphen8J_Wz8Q5f5dVaHzbeun2k5DzyAqlEVjjEuliKGX_nmQNYxNSh189kd6cLZkhD4S71vxKlVicEfZO32R3ePNPwlSt1u8yN25BidR/s200/standees.JPG" width="176" /></a></div>
During the opening of act 3, the audience applauded for the valkyries descending by parachute & for the portraits of fallen soldiers. The valkyries each sang out assertively, & it was sometimes possible to distinguish individual singers. The production requires a lot of acting from the cast, & it was nice that everyone moved well on stage. The real fire that courses round the set at the end of the opera is a fine spectacle.<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">§ <a href="https://sfopera.com/ring/story/diewalkure/">Die Walküre</a></span><br />
<a href="https://sfopera.com/ring/"><span style="font-size: x-small;">San Francisco Opera Ring Cycle 1</span></a><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: x-small;">Conductor, <a href="https://www.donaldrunnicles.org/">Donald Runnicles</a></span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">Director, <a href="http://www.francescazambello.com/">Francesca Zambello</a></span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: x-small;">Brünnhilde, <a href="https://irenetheorin.com/">Iréne Theorin</a></span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">Wotan, <a href="http://greergrimsley.com/">Greer Grimsley</a></span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">Sieglinde, <a href="https://www.harrisonparrott.com/artists/karita-mattila">Karita Mattila</a></span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">Siegmund, <a href="http://brandonjovanovich.com/">Brandon Jovanovich</a></span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">Fricka, <a href="http://www.jamiebartonmezzo.com/">Jamie Barton</a></span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">Hunding, <a href="http://www.raymondaceto.com/">Raymond Aceto</a></span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">Siegrune, <a href="http://laurakrumm.com/">Laura Krumm</a></span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">Grimgerde, <a href="http://www.reneerapiermezzo.com/">Renée Rapier</a></span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">Ortlinde, <a href="http://www.sarahcambidge.com/">Sarah Cambidge</a></span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">Gerhilde, <a href="https://www.julieadamssoprano.com/">Julie Adams</a></span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">Rossweisse, <a href="https://laurenmcneese.com/">Lauren McNeese</a></span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">Schwertleite, <a href="http://www.nicolebirkland.com/html/">Nicole Birkland</a></span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">Helmwige, <a href="http://piperanselmi.com/portfolio/melissa-citro/">Melissa Citro</a></span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">Waltraute, <a href="http://www.uzanartists.com/portfolio/renee-tatum-2/">Renée Tatum</a></span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: x-small;">Wednesday, 06/13/18, 7:00pm</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">War Memorial Opera House</span>Axel Feldheimhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12517904558156089265noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17709835.post-78967829531286967552018-06-13T16:12:00.000-07:002018-06-14T01:23:02.357-07:00SFO Rheingold 1<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhv4DDojyKFZ0Fmwgy-BIVu5yY9muGyNasmX8CkvqWEwuwD6wBRP2DzyC31HyX-2AGEm5C4txoy7MjzwEvkTHBPiwx4lMrokhS0NRvlxJHCOi_3LOFpIgDT0LLkfO-Ez1_kMqgd/s1600/IMG_2027.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="374" data-original-width="640" height="187" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhv4DDojyKFZ0Fmwgy-BIVu5yY9muGyNasmX8CkvqWEwuwD6wBRP2DzyC31HyX-2AGEm5C4txoy7MjzwEvkTHBPiwx4lMrokhS0NRvlxJHCOi_3LOFpIgDT0LLkfO-Ez1_kMqgd/s320/IMG_2027.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
At last night's opening of <a href="https://sfopera.com/ring/">San Francisco Opera's Ring Cycle</a>, there was confusion as to which door was for standing room ticket holders. It turned out that the system of lining up on numbered spaces on the pavement has been scrapped, & we had to organize ourselves at the door closest to Van Ness instead. There was a bit of agitation in line, but I was fortunate that friends slightly ahead of me were able to secure spots at the downstairs rail.<br />
<br />
The orchestra & singers all performed vigorously. Even the Rheinmaidens were somewhat manful. Bass-baritone <b><a href="http://www.lewin-management.com/artists/33_Falk+Struckmann/englishbio">Falk Struckmann</a></b> as Alberich had a secure & inviting tone, his singing articulated & clear. He was both villainous & giddy in the Nibelheim scene, especially when he picked up & threw a tiny Nibelungen. Tenor <b><a href="http://stefanmargita.com/">Štefan Margita</a></b>'s effortlessly supple & reedy voice is a marvel & a constant pleasure to listen to, & he portrayed Loge convincingly as an absolute snake.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVfMBOLREBOjvNob40BEAMpPHBAne6eCFdN0oFnFzukFafKJsxbVcDogxLAJdoIn2yUx96rt9jZzBTI9M1KXe-JdRLY5s7hPyhlFMMZpsJCoweQRuvecP-dfYB3kzfsK-5qrlN/s1600/rheingold.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="415" data-original-width="640" height="207" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVfMBOLREBOjvNob40BEAMpPHBAne6eCFdN0oFnFzukFafKJsxbVcDogxLAJdoIn2yUx96rt9jZzBTI9M1KXe-JdRLY5s7hPyhlFMMZpsJCoweQRuvecP-dfYB3kzfsK-5qrlN/s320/rheingold.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
As Wotan, bass-baritone <b><a href="http://greergrimsley.com/">Greer Grimsley</a></b> sounded confident & direct. His sturdy voice made me think of a tree trunk. Mezzo <b><a href="http://www.rayfieldallied.com/artists/ronnita-miller">Ronnita Miller</a></b>'s Erda was commanding, her voice firm, wide & majestic. It was great hearing the distinctively cavernous bass voice of <b><a href="http://www.andreasilvestrelli.com/">Andrea Silvestrelli</a></b> as a lovesick Fasolt. I also really enjoyed mezzo <b><a href="http://www.jamiebartonmezzo.com/">Jamie Barton</a></b>'s beautifully even & shimmering singing as Fricka. She communicated imperiousness as well as tenderness. Tenor <b><a href="http://brandonjovanovich.com/">Brandon Jovanovich</a></b> sang lyrically and was a funny actor as an effete Froh.<br />
<br />
The orchestra played out for conductor <b><a href="https://www.donaldrunnicles.org/">Donald Runnicles</a></b>, especially the brasses, who were bold even when there were bloopers. I'd forgotten how funny the staging by director <b><a href="http://www.francescazambello.com/">Francesca Zambello</a></b> is. When Erda descends back into the Earth, there's a slapstick moment when Wotan practically falls in head-first after her.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhf1E9ijmH196ViNboUszAZ6IkDOhNvfR_Q3HulILBEfZSoJxBx8FQrVjHAMaZbJ340kshJNX0RP-MwdLbSJRPZ5lqzJCorkjEn9PmHic8SBpY8AtS3r2i-WVBlIjzVla1IO4Hf/s1600/ring_med.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="436" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhf1E9ijmH196ViNboUszAZ6IkDOhNvfR_Q3HulILBEfZSoJxBx8FQrVjHAMaZbJ340kshJNX0RP-MwdLbSJRPZ5lqzJCorkjEn9PmHic8SBpY8AtS3r2i-WVBlIjzVla1IO4Hf/s320/ring_med.jpg" width="218" /></a></div>
The mythological characters are all completely human here, wearing costumes that evoke the California Gold Rush & The Gilded Age. The production relies heavily on large, constantly moving, video projections of fog, clouds, water, fire & rocky landscapes, that seem to have been upgraded from the 2011 version. I was glad that Donner's sparkler-shooting croquet mallet has been retained. The young Nibelungen supers were excellent screamers, truly shrill & terrifying.<br />
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<div>
<span style="font-size: x-small;">§ <a href="https://sfopera.com/ring/story/dasrheingold/">Das Rheingold</a></span></div>
<div>
<a href="https://sfopera.com/ring/"><span style="font-size: x-small;">San Francisco Opera 2018 Ring Cycle 1</span></a></div>
<div>
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-size: x-small;">Conductor, <a href="https://www.donaldrunnicles.org/">Donald Runnicles</a></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-size: x-small;">Director, <a href="http://www.francescazambello.com/">Francesca Zambello</a></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-size: x-small;">Wotan, <a href="http://greergrimsley.com/">Greer Grimsley</a></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-size: x-small;">Loge, <a href="http://stefanmargita.com/">Štefan Margita</a></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-size: x-small;">Alberich, <a href="http://www.lewin-management.com/artists/33_Falk+Struckmann/englishbio">Falk Struckmann</a></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-size: x-small;">Fricka, <a href="http://www.jamiebartonmezzo.com/">Jamie Barton</a></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-size: x-small;">Erda, <a href="http://www.rayfieldallied.com/artists/ronnita-miller">Ronnita Miller</a></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-size: x-small;">Mime, <a href="http://www.davidcangelosi.com/">David Cangelosi</a></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-size: x-small;">Fasolt, <a href="http://www.andreasilvestrelli.com/">Andrea Silvestrelli</a></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-size: x-small;">Fafner, <a href="http://www.raymondaceto.com/">Raymond Aceto</a></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-size: x-small;">Donner, <a href="https://www.brianmulligan.com/">Brian Mulligan</a></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-size: x-small;">Froh, <a href="http://brandonjovanovich.com/">Brandon Jovanovich</a></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-size: x-small;">Freia, <a href="https://www.julieadamssoprano.com/">Julie Adams</a></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-size: x-small;">Woglinde, <a href="http://www.staceytappan.com/">Stacey Tappan</a></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-size: x-small;">Wellgunde, <a href="https://laurenmcneese.com/">Lauren McNeese</a></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-size: x-small;">Flosshilde, <a href="http://www.uzanartists.com/portfolio/renee-tatum-2/">Renée Tatum</a></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-size: x-small;">Tuesday, 06/12/18, 7:30PM</span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-size: x-small;">War Memorial Opera Houes</span></div>
</div>
Axel Feldheimhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12517904558156089265noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17709835.post-46855394334854575532018-06-12T14:19:00.000-07:002018-06-12T14:19:50.000-07:00San Francisco Opera 2018 Ring<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhegAkNOT4kF6h1yc2shKaudEiLbQPvIccZdIU8rnHquL5oBSPoHQEoQO6amd3wIQLANMc1pBSZebdhoe3LcOmBWrR7jFUkU90ROJoajVnZBjKBjd481v8-CYktMdYcWGHsjA7f/s1600/standingroom.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="650" data-original-width="640" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhegAkNOT4kF6h1yc2shKaudEiLbQPvIccZdIU8rnHquL5oBSPoHQEoQO6amd3wIQLANMc1pBSZebdhoe3LcOmBWrR7jFUkU90ROJoajVnZBjKBjd481v8-CYktMdYcWGHsjA7f/s200/standingroom.JPG" width="196" /></a></div>
<a href="https://sfopera.com/ring/">San Francisco Opera's 2018 Ring Cycle,</a> a revival of their 2011 production, conducted by <a href="https://www.donaldrunnicles.org/">Donald Runnicles</a> & directed by <a href="http://www.francescazambello.com/">Francesca Zambello</a>, opens tonight. When I joined the line for standing room tickets this morning around 9:15am, there were a dozen or so people ahead of me. Those first in line had arrived before 7am. When the box office opened at 10am, the line had grown to about 40, & getting our tickets was a fast & orderly affair. This is a busy week for local opera buffs, & there were people in line attending both this & the <a href="http://www.sfsymphony.org/Buy-Tickets/2017-18/MTT-Conducts-Mussorgsky-Boris-Godunov.aspx">San Francisco Symphony's presentation of <i>Boris Godunov</i></a>.<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">§ <a href="https://sfopera.com/ring/">San Francisco Opera Ring Cycle 2018</a></span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">June 12 – July 1, 2018</span>Axel Feldheimhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12517904558156089265noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17709835.post-41382461201870705912018-06-10T01:34:00.000-07:002018-06-10T01:34:29.718-07:00Vox Luminis Performs Bach Motets<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDQQn4HJUOgosEwVKNwflwPDE73K063m1xhFXmpXf2Ea9GO5URzsu6C639LzesnRGcp5RXt9ommn9iHlE9I_zLIjoANrg3Dw0kMbLHHkW8svbT_HKlo5FW9YtYr2EkTVEttnHp/s1600/Vox-Luminis-2014_72v1-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="364" data-original-width="648" height="179" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDQQn4HJUOgosEwVKNwflwPDE73K063m1xhFXmpXf2Ea9GO5URzsu6C639LzesnRGcp5RXt9ommn9iHlE9I_zLIjoANrg3Dw0kMbLHHkW8svbT_HKlo5FW9YtYr2EkTVEttnHp/s320/Vox-Luminis-2014_72v1-1.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
Ten singers from the Belgian early music ensemble <b><a href="https://www.voxluminis.com/">Vox Luminis</a></b> are appearing in the <a href="http://www.berkeleyfestival.org/">Berkeley Festival & Exhibition</a>, & on Friday evening I heard their <a href="http://www.berkeleyfestival.org/vox-luminis-lionel-meunier-director-2/">program of Bach motets</a>. The group has a soft-edged, transparent sound, & the performance was flowing & numinous. The sopranos had lustrous high notes that seemed to sail through the air. Even though there was just one or two singers per part, the performers managed to make a distinction between chorus sections, with the voices blending, & solo passages, with individual voices standing out. I liked the easeful, sustainable tempos, which never pushed the music.<br />
<br />
Artistic director <b>Lionel Meunier</b> sang as well as led, swaying & gesturing with one hand. He is hard to miss, being a good head taller than any of his colleagues. <b>Haru Kitamika</b> accompanied on a small organ, usually playing a brief prelude for each motet.<br />
<br />
One of the sopranos clearly had recently broken her foot & had to be brought out in a wheelchair. She perched herself carefully on a stool during the performance, & though she must have been in discomfort the whole time, it was not apparent in her singing. The audience singled her out for applause whenever she came on & off stage.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfILa7yOl76bZ_PPZNQS6Iy7NRoRznJtHrn1kGS38CzYESmA7MFKSSN0ywftytqsYlqlIUkGS5XULGWvkOlHqEgggIWWGTJ3APYbXHRus0qUpsruEJg9Kwm7N6rz1MWt34DT_p/s1600/voxluminis+curtaincall.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="580" data-original-width="640" height="181" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfILa7yOl76bZ_PPZNQS6Iy7NRoRznJtHrn1kGS38CzYESmA7MFKSSN0ywftytqsYlqlIUkGS5XULGWvkOlHqEgggIWWGTJ3APYbXHRus0qUpsruEJg9Kwm7N6rz1MWt34DT_p/s200/voxluminis+curtaincall.JPG" width="200" /></a></div>
After the printed portion of the program, Mr. Meunier addressed the audience. He obviously already has a relationship with the festival audience, & his manner was charming & funny. He joked that when he first heard the phrase "break a leg" in America, he had no idea what it meant but that he knows now. He announced that the group's latest CD, of Buxtehude cantatas, was being released at the festival & humorously cajoled us to attend their Sunday performance, which closes the festival.<br />
<br />
As an encore, the group presented Johann Schelle's version of <i>Komm, Jesu, komm</i>, which Mr. Meunier explained was the precursor to Bach's setting of the same text. The music was sweet & serene.<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">§ <a href="http://www.berkeleyfestival.org/">Berkeley Festival & Exhibition</a></span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span>
<a href="http://www.berkeleyfestival.org/vox-luminis-lionel-meunier-director-2/"><span style="font-size: x-small;">J.S. Bach Motets</span></a><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><a href="https://www.voxluminis.com/">Vox Luminis</a>, Lionel Meunier, Artistic Director</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">Zsuzsi Tóth, Maria Valdmaa, Caroline Weynants, sopranos</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">Victoria Cassano, mezzo-soprano</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">Alexander Chance, Jan Kullmann, counter-tenors</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">Robert Buckland, Philippe Froeliger, tenors</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">Sebastian Myrus, Lionel Meunier, basses</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">Haru Kitamika, organ</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>Singet dem Herrn ein neues Lied</i>, BWV 225</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>Der Geist hilft unser Schwachheit auf</i>, BWV 226</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>Komm, Jesu, komm</i>, BWV 229</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>Ich lasse dich nicht</i>, BWV Anh. 159</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>Jesu, meine Freude</i>, BWV 227</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: x-small;">Encore: <i>Komm, Jesu, komm</i>, Johann Schelle</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: x-small;">June 8, 2018 – 7:30pm</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">First Congregational Church, Berkeley</span>Axel Feldheimhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12517904558156089265noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17709835.post-43750564801527556642018-06-08T15:49:00.001-07:002018-06-08T15:49:59.827-07:00Voices of Music with the San Francisco Girls Chorus<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiZaOH9KM3rjXi7Z-XSDakw1wL4wnYEEgdnQmG3C6a6d72o3c8SuOwW595fZGnP3RtxBvP3-eva2KI37vRVep7F4UIDijDGwAq-TQU16s4zaoGtaF_dAeP3l2p5c92szC-0ZYZ/s1600/sfgirlschorus.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="366" data-original-width="640" height="183" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiZaOH9KM3rjXi7Z-XSDakw1wL4wnYEEgdnQmG3C6a6d72o3c8SuOwW595fZGnP3RtxBvP3-eva2KI37vRVep7F4UIDijDGwAq-TQU16s4zaoGtaF_dAeP3l2p5c92szC-0ZYZ/s320/sfgirlschorus.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<a href="http://www.berkeleyfestival.org/voices-of-music-david-tayler-hanneke-van-proosdij-directors-with-the-san-francisco-girls-chorus-2/">Thursday night</a> I attended a concert of the <a href="http://www.berkeleyfestival.org/">Berkeley Festival & Exhibition</a> featuring the <a href="https://www.sfgirlschorus.org/"><b>San Francisco Girls Chorus</b></a> & Purcell's <i>Dido & Aeneas</i>. The program opened with 2 Vivaldi concertos, performed by the <b><a href="https://www.voicesofmusic.org/">Voices of Music</a></b>, an early music ensemble using Baroque instruments. The 13 musicians, plus conductor <b><a href="http://hannekevanproosdij.com/">Hanneke van Proosdij</a></b> at the harpsichord, had good rapport & listened to each other well. Their playing was cute & spirited. Violinist <b>Alana Youssefian</b> was soloist for the Concerto in D Major. I assumed that she improvised her cadenzas, which were appropriately fast, pointed & showy. The audience was so impressed that they applauded immediately after the 1st movement.<br />
<br />
<b><a href="https://www.sfgirlschorus.org/valerie-sainte-agathe/">Valérie Sainte-Agathe</a></b> led about 35 members of the The San Francisco Girls Chorus in 2 short contrasting works by Porpora & Vivaldi. The chorus sang from memory & sounded well-rehearsed & grounded. After intermission the chorus was featured in an arrangement of <i>Dido & Aeneas</i> for all female voices, apart from the role of Aeneas. The performance flowed smoothly. Solo roles were taken by members of the chorus, who sang & acted capably & projected the text clearly. It was nice to hear how distinct each of the young voices sounded, especially in contrast to the 2 adult soloists. The chorus ambled around the orchestra while singing one number, then during the final chorus they promenaded into the auditorium & handed out long-stemmed roses to the audience, eventually singing to us from the back of the hall.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuMKTBd0XOqziILtX2qdIph7qWGLSMdJDZYiRSdKnpU1KTo3zs_Gm9YIagC4eRu0SLYfXPxo7MlTqiTgUYG9RZF2bneBmSqA9MqyGfaJZzCLLfPLL9ivRmBny7XcPXmBOiaEW8/s1600/dido.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="693" data-original-width="640" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuMKTBd0XOqziILtX2qdIph7qWGLSMdJDZYiRSdKnpU1KTo3zs_Gm9YIagC4eRu0SLYfXPxo7MlTqiTgUYG9RZF2bneBmSqA9MqyGfaJZzCLLfPLL9ivRmBny7XcPXmBOiaEW8/s320/dido.JPG" width="295" /></a></div>
Mezzo <b><a href="https://www.mindyellachu.com/">Mindy Ella Chu</a></b> has a strong, sturdy voice & was a stern Dido. Baritone <b><a href="http://jesseblumberg.com/">Jesse Blumberg</a></b> has a lovely warm voice, slightly dark but burnished. His singing was tasteful & expressive, & he conveyed a variety of emotions throughout his brief appearances.<br />
<br />
The audience was eager & appreciative, & it seemed like there were many parents in attendance. The performers received an enthusiastic standing ovation, & there was a very pleasant mood all around at the end of the show. Though the audience was quiet & attentive, someone's metal water bottle fell over with a clang at the end of one of the instrumental numbers in <i>Dido</i>, as if on cue. As were leaving, my concert companion pointed out that the <a href="http://www.berkeleyfestival.org/sequentia-benjamin-bagby-director-2/">next concert</a> was about to start at 10pm, so these Berkeley Festival audiences must be dedicated lot.<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">§ <a href="http://www.berkeleyfestival.org/">Berkeley Festival & Exhibition</a></span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span>
<a href="http://www.berkeleyfestival.org/voices-of-music-david-tayler-hanneke-van-proosdij-directors-with-the-san-francisco-girls-chorus-2/"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Voices of Music with the San Francisco Girls Chorus</span></a><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><a href="http://hannekevanproosdij.com/">Hanneke van Proosdij</a> & <a href="http://www.davidtayler.com/">David Tayler</a>, directors</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: x-small;">Concerto for strings in G Major "alla Rustica" RV 151</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">Antonio Vivaldi (1678-1741)</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: x-small;">Concerto in D Major RV 212 "fatto per la Solennità della S. Lingua di S. Antonio in Padova"</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">Antonio Vivaldi (1678-1741)</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">Alana Youssefian, baroque violin solo</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: x-small;">Nunc dimittis</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">Nicola Porpora (1686-1768)</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><a href="https://www.sfgirlschorus.org/valerie-sainte-agathe/">Valérie Sainte-Agathe</a>, conductor</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: x-small;">Laetatus sum RV 607</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">Antonio Vivaldi (1678-1741)</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">Valérie Sainte-Agathe, conductor</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: x-small;">Dido & Aeneas</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">Henry Purcell (1659-1695)</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">Soloists: <a href="http://jesseblumberg.com/">Jesse Blumberg</a> and <a href="https://www.mindyellachu.com/">Mindy Ella Chu</a></span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: x-small;">Thursday, June 7, 2018, 7:30p</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">First Congregational Church, Berkeley</span>Axel Feldheimhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12517904558156089265noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17709835.post-53424990664776106852018-06-05T02:07:00.000-07:002018-06-05T02:07:02.072-07:00SF Silent Film Festival Opening Night<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVLCRH1EMjnuERW6TI97R4_NzP7r43m9WfbzVI360bSPoLo-jyVFwAYrybdpOUJl6RRvCId756IJoOhlTmwYxPUgAaCLcFOSiZ1LNLU_m6JUOONn1bTjmvZmcSRYz4yrsfRKMS/s1600/kevin+brownlow.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="676" data-original-width="480" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVLCRH1EMjnuERW6TI97R4_NzP7r43m9WfbzVI360bSPoLo-jyVFwAYrybdpOUJl6RRvCId756IJoOhlTmwYxPUgAaCLcFOSiZ1LNLU_m6JUOONn1bTjmvZmcSRYz4yrsfRKMS/s320/kevin+brownlow.jpg" width="227" /></a></div>
When I entered the bustling lobby of the Castro Theatre for opening night of the <a href="http://silentfilm.org/festivalevents/festival-2018-coming-may-30june-3-2018">SF Silent Film Festival</a>, I was almost face to face with <b>Kevin Brownlow</b>, the great champion of silent film from way before it was cool. Sporting a festival baseball cap, he amiably chatted with audience members as if he were just another attendee. There were many women in period costume, & the crowd filled both the auditorium & the balcony.<br />
<br />
A gleeful <b>Rob Byrne</b>, president of the festival’s board of directors, introduced the event & remembered <b>Frank Buxton</b>, a long-time festival sponsor & board member, who passed away earlier this year. Mr. Byrne read out a spirited proclamation honoring Mr. Buxton & presented it to Mr. Buxton’s widow & daughter. <b>Mike Daruty,</b> a senior executive at NBCUniversal, announced his company’s plans to restore 10 silent films, in addition to 15 that were announced at a previous festival.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaWIo4W_hul0pxrE6VMSyWyk_DvQ12OMh7wC0XFI9YxlCAM4a8_9WLNPGPQ-CuIeouo37TTIRqlNDC4zWhPQX85VRzGvf16YEbcJn21diz7At0SlrpHJB5gLDWXfioNtTHK1mT/s1600/man+who+laughs.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="360" data-original-width="478" height="241" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaWIo4W_hul0pxrE6VMSyWyk_DvQ12OMh7wC0XFI9YxlCAM4a8_9WLNPGPQ-CuIeouo37TTIRqlNDC4zWhPQX85VRzGvf16YEbcJn21diz7At0SlrpHJB5gLDWXfioNtTHK1mT/s320/man+who+laughs.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
The opening night film was NBCUniversal’s very clean 4K restoration of the 1928 <i>The Man Who Laughs</i>. The movie is a big-budget entertainment & a mature product of the silent era. We get a hero to pity, a villain to boo, a sentimental love story, ghoulish horror, comedy & a climactic chase, complete with rioting mob, sword fighting & rooftop stunts. Conrad Veidt plays the title character with elegance & taste, even in distinctly weird scenes involving his reactions to other characters' reactions to his grotesque disfigurement.<br />
<br />
The <b><a href="https://www.berklee.edu/silent-film-orchestra">Berklee Silent Film Orchestra</a></b>, a tight ensemble of twelve musicians, performed a score by seven students of the <a href="https://www.berklee.edu/">Berklee College of Music</a>. The music was in the style of traditional symphonic film music & set a strong emotional tone for each scene. It used a lot of repeated melodic motifs, & at various times I was reminded of Wagner, Philip Glass, Leonard Bernstein & Danny Elfman. The composers took turns conducting, quickly & invisibly replacing one another at the podium. The orchestra played with precision, & live sound effects were perfectly timed to the movie.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIn-u922_IAf_oaWmAXBNBi6Yc3s83f_n_HuK1yGmsefOmu1jzVBdHrtZDEyigMGfsw1v6R3sMKjrv1zO4tvOQ5wi-ppoa0cdt4yQtK1zPwm06E02V0r9NZHEfLalmnr2zJg_B/s1600/flapper.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="480" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIn-u922_IAf_oaWmAXBNBi6Yc3s83f_n_HuK1yGmsefOmu1jzVBdHrtZDEyigMGfsw1v6R3sMKjrv1zO4tvOQ5wi-ppoa0cdt4yQtK1zPwm06E02V0r9NZHEfLalmnr2zJg_B/s320/flapper.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
The specialist audience is one of the best things about this festival, & it was a thrill when the theater spontaneously erupted into joyful cheers & applause for Homo the Wolf at the movie's racing climax. The excitement extended into a thunderous standing ovation for the student composers & orchestra.<br />
<br />
<br />
§ <a href="https://prod3.agileticketing.net/websales/pages/info.aspx?evtinfo=364757~d9133282-4896-49aa-be18-b053ee8cefc3&epguid=7ecd8d33-d7d0-46b0-a62a-af16bcbe6fc6&"><i>The Man Who Laughs</i></a><br />
111 minutes | USA | 1928 | d. Paul Leni<br />
Live musical accompaniment by the <a href="https://www.berklee.edu/silent-film-orchestra">Berklee Silent Film Orchestra</a><br />
<br />
§ <a href="http://silentfilm.org/festivalevents/festival-2018-coming-may-30june-3-2018">San Francisco Silent Film Festival 2018</a><br />
May 30, 2018, 7:00 pm<br />
Castro Theatre<br />
<style type="text/css">
p, li { white-space: pre-wrap; }
</style>Axel Feldheimhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12517904558156089265noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17709835.post-92041051048370052232018-05-30T11:05:00.000-07:002018-06-02T22:10:33.583-07:00 SF Silent Film Festival 2018 Program§ <a href="https://prod3.agileticketing.net/websales/pages/list.aspx?epguid=7ecd8d33-d7d0-46b0-a62a-af16bcbe6fc6&">San Francisco Silent Film Festival 2018 Program</a><br />
<a href="http://www.castrotheatre.com/">Castro Theatre</a><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;">Wednesday, May 30, 2018</span><br />
<br />
7:00 pm<br />
<b><i><a href="https://prod3.agileticketing.net/websales/pages/info.aspx?evtinfo=364757~d9133282-4896-49aa-be18-b053ee8cefc3&epguid=7ecd8d33-d7d0-46b0-a62a-af16bcbe6fc6&">THE MAN WHO LAUGHS</a></i></b><br />
111 minutes | USA | 1928 | d. Paul Leni<br />
Berklee Silent Film Orchestra<br />
<br />
9:00 pm<br />
<b><a href="https://prod3.agileticketing.net/websales/pages/info.aspx?evtinfo=364758~d9133282-4896-49aa-be18-b053ee8cefc3&epguid=7ecd8d33-d7d0-46b0-a62a-af16bcbe6fc6&">Opening Night Party</a></b><br />
McRoskey Mattress Company<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;">Thursday, May 31, 2018</span><br />
<br />
10:00 am<br />
<b><a href="https://prod3.agileticketing.net/websales/pages/info.aspx?evtinfo=364759~d9133282-4896-49aa-be18-b053ee8cefc3&epguid=7ecd8d33-d7d0-46b0-a62a-af16bcbe6fc6&">Amazing Tales from the Archives</a></b><br />
100 minutes | Free<br />
Live musical accompaniment by Donald Sosin<br />
<br />
1:00 pm<br />
<b><i><a href="https://prod3.agileticketing.net/websales/pages/info.aspx?evtinfo=364760~d9133282-4896-49aa-be18-b053ee8cefc3&epguid=7ecd8d33-d7d0-46b0-a62a-af16bcbe6fc6&">SOFT SHOES</a></i></b><br />
With short: <i>Detained</i> (1924, d. Scott Pembroke, starring Stan Laurel, 17 m.)<br />
45 minutes / with short: 62 minutes | USA | 1925 | d. Lloyd Ingraham<br />
Donald Sosin<br />
<br />
2:45 pm<br />
<b><i><a href="https://prod3.agileticketing.net/websales/pages/info.aspx?evtinfo=364761~d9133282-4896-49aa-be18-b053ee8cefc3&epguid=7ecd8d33-d7d0-46b0-a62a-af16bcbe6fc6&">MASTER OF THE HOUSE (DU SKAL ÆRE DIN HUSTRU)</a></i></b><br />
107 minutes | Denmark | 1925 | d. Carl Th. Dreyer<br />
Stephen Horne<br />
<br />
5:15 pm<br />
<b><i><a href="https://prod3.agileticketing.net/websales/pages/info.aspx?evtinfo=364762~d9133282-4896-49aa-be18-b053ee8cefc3&epguid=7ecd8d33-d7d0-46b0-a62a-af16bcbe6fc6&">AN INN IN TOKYO (TÔKYÔ NO YADO)</a></i></b><br />
80 minutes | Japan | 1935 | d. Yasujirô Ozu<br />
Guenter Buchwald and Frank Bockius<br />
<br />
7:15 pm<br />
<b><i><a href="https://prod3.agileticketing.net/websales/pages/info.aspx?evtinfo=364763~d9133282-4896-49aa-be18-b053ee8cefc3&epguid=7ecd8d33-d7d0-46b0-a62a-af16bcbe6fc6&">PEOPLE ON SUNDAY (MENSCHEN AM SONNTAG)</a></i></b><br />
73 minutes | Germany | 1930 | d. Robert Siodmak, Edgar G. Ulmer, Billy Wilder, Fred Zinnemann<br />
Mont Alto Motion Picture Orchestra<br />
<br />
9:15 pm<br />
<b><i><a href="https://prod3.agileticketing.net/websales/pages/info.aspx?evtinfo=364764~d9133282-4896-49aa-be18-b053ee8cefc3&epguid=7ecd8d33-d7d0-46b0-a62a-af16bcbe6fc6&">THE LIGHTHOUSE KEEPERS (GARDIENS DE PHARE)</a></i></b><br />
83 minutes | France | 1929 | d. Jean Grémillon<br />
Guenter Buchwald and Frank Bockius<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;">Friday, June 1, 2018</span><br />
<br />
10:00 am<br />
<b><i><a href="https://prod3.agileticketing.net/websales/pages/info.aspx?evtinfo=364765~d9133282-4896-49aa-be18-b053ee8cefc3&epguid=7ecd8d33-d7d0-46b0-a62a-af16bcbe6fc6&">GOOD REFERENCES</a></i></b><br />
60 minutes | USA | 1920 | d. Roy William Neill<br />
Donald Sosin<br />
<br />
12:00 noon<br />
<b><i><a href="https://prod3.agileticketing.net/websales/pages/info.aspx?evtinfo=364766~d9133282-4896-49aa-be18-b053ee8cefc3&epguid=7ecd8d33-d7d0-46b0-a62a-af16bcbe6fc6&">THE OTHER WOMAN’S STORY</a></i></b><br />
65 minutes | USA | 1925 | d. B.F. Stanley<br />
Stephen Horne<br />
<br />
2:00 pm<br />
<b><a href="https://prod3.agileticketing.net/websales/pages/info.aspx?evtinfo=364767~d9133282-4896-49aa-be18-b053ee8cefc3&epguid=7ecd8d33-d7d0-46b0-a62a-af16bcbe6fc6&">SILENT AVANT-GARDE</a></b><br />
From the collection of Unseen Cinema: Early American Avant-Garde Films<br />
70 minutes<br />
Matti Bye Ensemble<br />
<br />
4:15 pm<br />
<b><i><a href="https://prod3.agileticketing.net/websales/pages/info.aspx?evtinfo=364768~d9133282-4896-49aa-be18-b053ee8cefc3&epguid=7ecd8d33-d7d0-46b0-a62a-af16bcbe6fc6&">ROSITA</a></i></b><br />
90 minutes | USA | 1923 | d. Ernst Lubitsch<br />
Mont Alto Motion Picture Orchestra<br />
<br />
6:30 pm<br />
<b><i><a href="https://prod3.agileticketing.net/websales/pages/info.aspx?evtinfo=364769~d9133282-4896-49aa-be18-b053ee8cefc3&epguid=7ecd8d33-d7d0-46b0-a62a-af16bcbe6fc6&">MOTHER KRAUSE’S JOURNEY TO HAPPINESS (MUTTER KRAUSENS FAHRT INS GLÜCK)</a></i></b><br />
133 minutes | Germany | 1929 | d. Piel Jutzi<br />
Sascha Jacobsen and the Musical Art Quintet<br />
<br />
9:30 pm<br />
<b><i><a href="https://prod3.agileticketing.net/websales/pages/info.aspx?evtinfo=364770~d9133282-4896-49aa-be18-b053ee8cefc3&epguid=7ecd8d33-d7d0-46b0-a62a-af16bcbe6fc6&">POLICEMAN (KEISATSUKAN)</a></i></b><br />
121 minutes | Japan | 1933 | d. Tomu Uchida<br />
Stephen Horne<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;">Saturday, June 2, 2018</span><br />
<br />
10:00 am<br />
<b><i><a href="https://prod3.agileticketing.net/websales/pages/info.aspx?evtinfo=364771~d9133282-4896-49aa-be18-b053ee8cefc3&epguid=7ecd8d33-d7d0-46b0-a62a-af16bcbe6fc6&">NO MAN’S GOLD</a></i></b><br />
65 minutes | USA | 1926 | d. Lewis Seiler<br />
Donald Sosin and Frank Bockius<br />
<br />
12:00 noon<br />
<b><i><a href="https://prod3.agileticketing.net/websales/pages/info.aspx?evtinfo=364772~d9133282-4896-49aa-be18-b053ee8cefc3&epguid=7ecd8d33-d7d0-46b0-a62a-af16bcbe6fc6&">MARE NOSTRUM</a></i></b><br />
111 minutes | USA | 1926 | d. Rex Ingram<br />
<a href="http://silentfilm.org/homepage/gallery/kevin-brownlow-celebration">Kevin Brownlow Celebration</a><br />
Stephen Horne and Frank Bockius<br />
<br />
2:45 pm<br />
<b><i><a href="https://prod3.agileticketing.net/websales/pages/info.aspx?evtinfo=364773~d9133282-4896-49aa-be18-b053ee8cefc3&epguid=7ecd8d33-d7d0-46b0-a62a-af16bcbe6fc6&">TRAPPOLA</a></i></b><br />
With short: <i>San Francisco, 1906</i><br />
52 minutes, with short: 62 minutes | Italy | 1922 | d. Eugenio Perego<br />
Mont Alto Motion Picture Orchestra<br />
<br />
4:30 pm<br />
<b><i><a href="https://prod3.agileticketing.net/websales/pages/info.aspx?evtinfo=364774~d9133282-4896-49aa-be18-b053ee8cefc3&epguid=7ecd8d33-d7d0-46b0-a62a-af16bcbe6fc6&">THE HOUND OF THE BASKERVILLES (DER HUND VON BASKERVILLE)</a></i></b><br />
65 minutes | Germany | 1929 | d. Richard Oswald<br />
Guenter Buchwald Ensemble<br />
<br />
7:00 pm<br />
<b><i><a href="https://prod3.agileticketing.net/websales/pages/info.aspx?evtinfo=364775~d9133282-4896-49aa-be18-b053ee8cefc3&epguid=7ecd8d33-d7d0-46b0-a62a-af16bcbe6fc6&">THE SAGA OF GÖSTA BERLING (GÖSTA BERLINGS SAGA)</a></i></b><br />
200 minutes | Sweden | 1924 | d. Mauritz Stiller<br />
There will be a 30-minute intermission at approximately 8:45 pm<br />
Matti Bye Ensemble<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;">Sunday, June 3, 2018</span><br />
<br />
10:00 am<br />
<b><a href="https://prod3.agileticketing.net/websales/pages/info.aspx?evtinfo=364776~d9133282-4896-49aa-be18-b053ee8cefc3&epguid=7ecd8d33-d7d0-46b0-a62a-af16bcbe6fc6&">SERGE BROMBERG PRESENTS</a></b><br />
65 minutes | A selection of short silents from Lobster Films<br />
Donald Sosin<br />
<br />
12:00 noon<br />
<b><i><a href="https://prod3.agileticketing.net/websales/pages/info.aspx?evtinfo=364777~d9133282-4896-49aa-be18-b053ee8cefc3&epguid=7ecd8d33-d7d0-46b0-a62a-af16bcbe6fc6&">A THROW OF DICE (PRAPANCHA PASH)</a></i></b><br />
74 minutes | India | 1929 | d. Franz Osten<br />
Guenter Buchwald and Frank Bockius<br />
<br />
2:15 pm<br />
<b><i><a href="https://prod3.agileticketing.net/websales/pages/info.aspx?evtinfo=364778~d9133282-4896-49aa-be18-b053ee8cefc3&epguid=7ecd8d33-d7d0-46b0-a62a-af16bcbe6fc6&">THE ANCIENT LAW (DAS ALTE GESETZ)</a></i></b><br />
129 minutes | Germany | 1923 | d. E.A. Dupont<br />
Donald Sosin Ensemble with Alicia Svigals<br />
<br />
5:30 pm<br />
<b><i><a href="https://prod3.agileticketing.net/websales/pages/info.aspx?evtinfo=364779~d9133282-4896-49aa-be18-b053ee8cefc3&epguid=7ecd8d33-d7d0-46b0-a62a-af16bcbe6fc6&">FRAGMENT OF AN EMPIRE (OBLOMOK IMPERII)</a></i></b><br />
109 minutes | USSR | 1929 | d. Fridrikh Ermler<br />
Stephen Horne and Frank Bockius<br />
<br />
8:00 pm<br />
<b><i><a href="https://prod3.agileticketing.net/websales/pages/info.aspx?evtinfo=364780~d9133282-4896-49aa-be18-b053ee8cefc3&epguid=7ecd8d33-d7d0-46b0-a62a-af16bcbe6fc6&">BATTLING BUTLER</a></i></b><br />
74 minutes | USA | 1926 | d. Buster Keaton<br />
Mont Alto Motion Picture OrchestraAxel Feldheimhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12517904558156089265noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17709835.post-63904806980426456652018-05-29T15:44:00.000-07:002018-06-05T02:02:23.884-07:00Up-Coming: San Francisco Silent Film Festival 2018<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEJC91ShfiMtMALQw4yZ_B-6uqGEWcrh6D3yHxq9NyBRMbwkAISDtmkZKTQ5-ru2giMR4RoXircXJiDCJANPju61VSpdZAKW6dWhWFuEAsTWq4KuuC1fHsR8UVdnyvs2B3BDhA/s1600/Amazing+Tales.AGILE.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="560" height="228" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEJC91ShfiMtMALQw4yZ_B-6uqGEWcrh6D3yHxq9NyBRMbwkAISDtmkZKTQ5-ru2giMR4RoXircXJiDCJANPju61VSpdZAKW6dWhWFuEAsTWq4KuuC1fHsR8UVdnyvs2B3BDhA/s320/Amazing+Tales.AGILE.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
I'm looking forward to the <a href="http://www.silentfilm.org/"><b>San Francisco Silent Film Festival</b></a>, which this year expands to 23 screenings over 5 days, from classics to rarities to recent discoveries, all with live musical accompaniment. It opens this Wednesday night at the <a href="http://www.castrotheatre.com/">Castro Theatre</a>, with the grandiosely melodramatic <i><a href="https://prod3.agileticketing.net/websales/pages/info.aspx?evtinfo=364757~d9133282-4896-49aa-be18-b053ee8cefc3&epguid=7ecd8d33-d7d0-46b0-a62a-af16bcbe6fc6&">The Man Who Laughs</a></i>, starring Conrad Veidt as the grotesque title character. The <a href="https://www.berklee.edu/silent-film-orchestra">Berklee Silent Film Orchestra</a> will perform their original score, recreating the experience of top-class film-going in the 1920s.<br />
<br />
The festival's offerings are so uncommon that it's frustrating not to be able to take in everything. I'm always fascinated by the informative <a href="https://prod3.agileticketing.net/websales/pages/info.aspx?evtinfo=364759~d9133282-4896-49aa-be18-b053ee8cefc3&epguid=7ecd8d33-d7d0-46b0-a62a-af16bcbe6fc6&">Amazing Tales from the Archives</a>, showcasing the work of film preservationists & historians, which is offered free on Thursday, May 31st, at 10am. The <a href="https://prod3.agileticketing.net/websales/pages/info.aspx?evtinfo=364767~d9133282-4896-49aa-be18-b053ee8cefc3&epguid=7ecd8d33-d7d0-46b0-a62a-af16bcbe6fc6&">avant-garde program</a> on Friday, June 1st at 2pm looks intriguing. It includes films by Marcel Duchamp & Sergei Eisenstein & is accompanied by the stark, eerie music of the <a href="http://www.mattibye.com/matti-bye-ensemble/"><b>Matti Bye Ensemble</b></a>.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjF8HYxZzZD_BhrwXFIscIiaByW2nCUIt-ER1QJgqTxCFHY8dIB1_yzKotzNvWAlZmmPOQYvt29Arjj2Ly0IFAzZ5XMmkhQs1vB394D2hbXe9TqHwX9GY4YIXSlRPp8nLAOOwBI/s1600/Brownlow+at+Castro+Theatre+thing_resize.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="720" height="220" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjF8HYxZzZD_BhrwXFIscIiaByW2nCUIt-ER1QJgqTxCFHY8dIB1_yzKotzNvWAlZmmPOQYvt29Arjj2Ly0IFAzZ5XMmkhQs1vB394D2hbXe9TqHwX9GY4YIXSlRPp8nLAOOwBI/s320/Brownlow+at+Castro+Theatre+thing_resize.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo of Kevin Brownlow taken by Pamela Gentile</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Venerated film historian <b>Kevin Brownlow</b>, whose book <i>The Parade's Gone By</i> gave me my mental image of the competitive, pioneering silent era, will attend the festival & celebrate his <a href="http://silentfilm.org/homepage/gallery/kevin-brownlow-celebration">80th birthday</a> at the screening of <i><a href="https://prod3.agileticketing.net/websales/pages/info.aspx?evtinfo=364772~d9133282-4896-49aa-be18-b053ee8cefc3&epguid=7ecd8d33-d7d0-46b0-a62a-af16bcbe6fc6&">Mare Nostrum</a></i> on Saturday, June 2nd, at noon. <a href="http://sfsilentfilmfestival.blogspot.com/2018/05/after-earthquake.html?m=1">Newly</a> <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2018/04/14/us/san-francisco-earthquake-film.html">discovered</a> footage of the aftermath of the 1906 San Francisco earthquake, probably shot in the last week of April 1906, will be shown at the Saturday, June 2nd, 2:45pm screening of the Italian comedy <i><a href="https://prod3.agileticketing.net/websales/pages/info.aspx?evtinfo=364773~d9133282-4896-49aa-be18-b053ee8cefc3&epguid=7ecd8d33-d7d0-46b0-a62a-af16bcbe6fc6&">Trappola</a></i>.<br />
<br />
Greta Garbo fans should note that the version of <i><a href="https://prod3.agileticketing.net/websales/pages/info.aspx?evtinfo=364775~d9133282-4896-49aa-be18-b053ee8cefc3&epguid=7ecd8d33-d7d0-46b0-a62a-af16bcbe6fc6&">The Saga of Gösta Berling</a></i> playing on Saturday, June 2nd at 7p, is advertised as 200 minutes long. The <a href="https://bampfa.org/">Pacific Film Archive</a> offers a supplementary program of <a href="https://bampfa.org/event/greta-garbo-rarities">Greta Garbo Rarities</a> on Wednesday, May 30th at 3p. The delightful <b>Serge Bromberg</b> will present a <a href="https://prod3.agileticketing.net/websales/pages/info.aspx?evtinfo=364776~d9133282-4896-49aa-be18-b053ee8cefc3&epguid=7ecd8d33-d7d0-46b0-a62a-af16bcbe6fc6&">program of early shorts</a> from his <a href="https://www.lobsterfilms.com/en/">Lobster Films</a> archive on Sunday, June 3rd, at 10am. I'm excited to see that his list includes some of the startling "accidental 3D" films by Georges Méliès.<br />
<br />
Klezmer violinist <b><a href="https://www.aliciasvigals.com/index.html">Alicia Svigals</a></b> joins the <a href="http://silent-film-music.com/"><b>Donald Sosin Ensemble</b></a> to accompany <i><a href="https://prod3.agileticketing.net/websales/pages/info.aspx?evtinfo=364778~d9133282-4896-49aa-be18-b053ee8cefc3&epguid=7ecd8d33-d7d0-46b0-a62a-af16bcbe6fc6&">The Ancient Law</a></i> on Sunday, June 3rd at 2:25pm. This 1923 German film is apparently a source for <i>The Jazz Singer</i>. The salon-style <b><a href="http://www.mont-alto.com/">Mont Alto Motion Picture Orchestra</a></b> accompanies <a href="https://prod3.agileticketing.net/websales/pages/info.aspx?evtinfo=364780~d9133282-4896-49aa-be18-b053ee8cefc3&epguid=7ecd8d33-d7d0-46b0-a62a-af16bcbe6fc6&"><i>Battling Butler</i></a>, starring Buster Keaton, to close out the festival on Sunday, June 3rd at 8p.<br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmNGcq5bsHXtrsid7Rhefpd6sGcgfnB0xOlONQ51zZGS9PXKVCCGJ0FZSuwA_GcHULZ7ph0K-zZ6J7CcHyHDIVfD0Mo-W8xSjhR1YD6cFBDyjZ1xKUmo3ssqHlv-rleAwQ4a-e/s1600/Gosta+Berlings+Saga.AGILE.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="399" data-original-width="560" height="142" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmNGcq5bsHXtrsid7Rhefpd6sGcgfnB0xOlONQ51zZGS9PXKVCCGJ0FZSuwA_GcHULZ7ph0K-zZ6J7CcHyHDIVfD0Mo-W8xSjhR1YD6cFBDyjZ1xKUmo3ssqHlv-rleAwQ4a-e/s200/Gosta+Berlings+Saga.AGILE.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
§ <a href="http://www.silentfilm.org/">The San Francisco Silent Film Festival</a><br />
May 30 - June 3, 2017<br />
<a href="http://www.castrotheatre.com/">Castro Theatre</a><br />
<br />
§ <a href="http://silentfilm.org/festivalevents/festival-2018-coming-may-30june-3-2018">Festival Site</a> | <a href="https://prod3.agileticketing.net/websales/pages/list.aspx?epguid=7ecd8d33-d7d0-46b0-a62a-af16bcbe6fc6&mdy=5%2F30%2F2018&">Schedule & Tickets</a> | <a href="https://prod3.agileticketing.net/websales/pages/CatalogProductInfo.aspx?catinfo=2557~d9133282-4896-49aa-be18-b053ee8cefc3&epguid=f869065f-b256-4630-927f-227cce4eebc6&">Festival Pass</a>Axel Feldheimhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12517904558156089265noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17709835.post-50790176773803558722017-06-15T01:03:00.000-07:002017-06-15T01:03:57.443-07:00Frameline 41 Festival Preview<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjp8ai0DKi23klCmk_TZqiilJkhBX6sBnlwdSi7A5j4CEp0Bk2w9cKXnU8gRKfTIWtNiAlw-h_yVn9JrHj8sdvcQeXdrVX4YnfnWWjMsFs8JMmRaRiNZvHZQwNL5QRXMylDW8iZ/s1600/blog15a.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="480" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjp8ai0DKi23klCmk_TZqiilJkhBX6sBnlwdSi7A5j4CEp0Bk2w9cKXnU8gRKfTIWtNiAlw-h_yVn9JrHj8sdvcQeXdrVX4YnfnWWjMsFs8JMmRaRiNZvHZQwNL5QRXMylDW8iZ/s200/blog15a.jpg" width="150" /></a></div>
The <a href="https://www.frameline.org/festival">41st Frameline Film Festival</a> starts his week, running June 15-25 at the <a href="http://www.castrotheatre.com/">Castro</a>, <a href="http://www.roxie.com/ai1ec_event/frameline41/?instance_id=20446">Roxie</a> & <a href="http://www.victoriatheatre.org/">Victoria</a> Theatres, as well the <a href="http://www.rialtocinemas.com/index.php?location=elmwood&film=2017_frameline">Elmwood in Berkeley</a> & the <a href="https://www.landmarktheatres.com/san-francisco-east-bay/piedmont-theatre">Piedmond in Oakland</a>. Last month, I attended the festival's convivial launch party, as a friend's plus-one. <b>Frances Wallace</b>, Executive Director, announced that this year's festival has 147 films, 40% of them by women directors. Ms. Wallace & programmers <b>Peter Stein</b>, <b>Des Buford</b>, <b>Harry Vaughn</b> & <b>Kevin Schaub</b> were joyful as they presented a quick run-through of some festival highlights.<br />
<br />
Opening night is the new documentary <i><a href="https://www.frameline.org/festival/film-guide/the-untold-tales-of-armistead-maupin"><b>The Untold Tales of Armistead Maupin</b></a></i>, with <a href="http://www.armisteadmaupin.com/"><b>Mr. Maupin</b></a> in attendance. Closing night is the drama <i><a href="https://www.frameline.org/festival/film-guide/after-louie"><b>After Louie</b></a></i>, starring <a href="http://www.alancumming.com/"><b>Alan Cumming</b></a>, who will be present to receive the festival's Frameline Award. The centerpiece film in world cinema is<i> <a href="https://www.frameline.org/festival/film-guide/i-dream-in-another-language"><b>I Dream in Another Language (Sueño en Otrea Idioma)</b></a></i>, an art film about a linguist who tracks down the last 2 speakers of a dying language, only to find that they won't talk to each other. I was intrigued by mention of <i><a href="https://www.frameline.org/festival/film-guide/apricot-groves"><b>Apricot Groves</b></a></i>, a film in Armenian & Farsi, about a young Armenian-Iranian man, raised in the US, who travels to Armenia to make a marriage proposal.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXP4hvs3uphBFF7gleBxO5Xc3_xj8Yp0FCCdix0cCv-vNzqe4grYcPP_qtONFrdb2nD0T87pPohGr8LTfQr35372NyxoYjzT3POzr9KQhWY0x_MYYo7OTzw_X0YITAiTNUwFA3/s1600/blog15b.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="628" data-original-width="640" height="196" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXP4hvs3uphBFF7gleBxO5Xc3_xj8Yp0FCCdix0cCv-vNzqe4grYcPP_qtONFrdb2nD0T87pPohGr8LTfQr35372NyxoYjzT3POzr9KQhWY0x_MYYo7OTzw_X0YITAiTNUwFA3/s200/blog15b.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
One of the programmers was genuinely enthusiastic about <i><a href="https://www.frameline.org/festival/film-guide/my-friend-dahmer"><b>My Friend Dahmer</b></a>,</i> a movie portrait of the teenage Jeffrey Dahmer. <a href="https://r5rocks.com/band"><b>Ross Lynch</b></a>, who portrays Dahmer, is expected to attend the screening. The programmers also touted the festival's <a href="https://www.frameline.org/festival/film-guide?&section=462"><b>Episodic</b></a> category, comprising multi-part series originally intended for on-line or TV viewing.<br />
<br />
The event attendees were a friendly crowd, & I enjoyed learning about Gay Days at Disneyland & chatting briefly with one of the programmers, who discussed the trickiness of making selections for a San Francisco audience.<br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: x-small;">§ Frameline 41 Festival Launch Party </span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">Tuesday, May 23, 5:30PM</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">The Oasis</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: x-small;">§ <a href="https://www.frameline.org/festival">Frameline 41</a></span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">San Francisco International</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">LGBTQ Film Festival</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">June 15-25, 2017</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><a href="http://www.castrotheatre.com/">Castro Theatre</a>, <a href="http://www.roxie.com/ai1ec_event/frameline41/?instance_id=20446">Roxie Theater</a>, <a href="http://www.victoriatheatre.org/">Victoria Theatre</a></span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><a href="http://www.rialtocinemas.com/index.php?location=elmwood&film=2017_frameline">Rialto Cinemas Elmwood</a>, <a href="https://www.landmarktheatres.com/san-francisco-east-bay/piedmont-theatre">Landmark Theatres Piedmond</a></span>Axel Feldheimhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12517904558156089265noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17709835.post-53722053498956735702017-06-13T16:01:00.000-07:002017-06-13T16:01:16.766-07:00SF Silent Film Festival - Day 3 - Continued<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgERd8flgSvqfkZTq0DoP61h6FcKFSoMftq2yVr08dc8ceMk1r0-Vj1kDlOwwUbnqJZjwwN3LGbWIc93XwkldhZ9hvhP-Q8c1aTlCIHahxxYxqwIpbqHHIZZYoBmf3v7rnS_YKv/s1600/Outside+the+Law_med.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="484" data-original-width="640" height="151" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgERd8flgSvqfkZTq0DoP61h6FcKFSoMftq2yVr08dc8ceMk1r0-Vj1kDlOwwUbnqJZjwwN3LGbWIc93XwkldhZ9hvhP-Q8c1aTlCIHahxxYxqwIpbqHHIZZYoBmf3v7rnS_YKv/s200/Outside+the+Law_med.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
The afternoon of the 3rd day of the <a href="http://silentfilm.org/homepage/whats-new/sfsff-2017-june-14">San Francisco Silent Film Festival</a>, I stuck around for Tod Browning's 1920 <i><a href="http://prod3.agileticketing.net/websales/pages/info.aspx?evtinfo=276008~d9133282-4896-49aa-be18-b053ee8cefc3&epguid=1822aae7-3fda-46c4-8940-081224f26742&">Outside the Law</a></i>, a film noir with a touch of domestic comedy. The demotic <b><a href="http://www.eddiemuller.com/">Eddie Muller</a></b>, a last-minute replacement for Leonard Maltin, introduced the program. He expressed his admiration for the film's female lead, Priscilla Dean. Called "The Queen of Crookdom", she was supposedly as tough in real life as on-screen. The story is set in San Francisco's Chinatown, & Mr. Muller speculated that Dashiell Hammett must have seen it.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimo92cVuJXTrqYpFzaqyOFjq8BDG998XkZCdmPF9NE8m1aQJCseqKf_pTjyTeK_QYyTcVZxYFTtFjgPjyCwE0Yisg6FlF5Aev5fO3LEhHk86c1WgGecD-cocecmzlTBw70C4hO/s1600/bloga.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="593" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimo92cVuJXTrqYpFzaqyOFjq8BDG998XkZCdmPF9NE8m1aQJCseqKf_pTjyTeK_QYyTcVZxYFTtFjgPjyCwE0Yisg6FlF5Aev5fO3LEhHk86c1WgGecD-cocecmzlTBw70C4hO/s200/bloga.jpg" width="185" /></a></div>
The suspenseful plot involves double-crossing mobsters & changes of heart, & I was easily caught up in the story. Ms. Dean's gutsy character comes across vividly, as does a scene-stealing child who remains irresistibly cute whether bawling his eyes out or toting an ax. Even though the Chinese are the good guys, I did not appreciate seeing white actors in yellowface, especially Lon Chaney grotesquely made up as a slit-eyed Chinaman. It was fun to spot Old St. Mary's in an exterior shot. It's a pity that the film image is badly deteriorated in the climactic fight sequence.<br />
<br />
Pianist <b><a href="http://stephenhorne.co.uk/">Stephen Horne</a></b> & percussionist <b><a href="http://www.frankbockius.de/">Frank Bockius</a></b> accompanied with music that evoked the period & underscored the action. I enjoyed the sultry jazz theme they played for Ms. Dean's character. The duo resorted to oriental motifs & a gong for the Chinatown scenes. Somehow Mr. Horne also played the zither, flute or accordion at the same time as the piano. The audience laughed at an intertitle referring to San Francisco's "Knob Hill."<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGMcLIsPgnxIfVmHrf2-PKydus6YbrSjjVlgfb6aW_74ewwuMB-_Udiqy2avZ8OqAcEeE6l3WA5B-dtXZGVKE9kc6U4R59beGVL1A94Sx3k9t7zze0Sa_Pe2eTbWEc0DG9OL2Z/s1600/Page+of+Madness_med.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="494" data-original-width="640" height="154" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGMcLIsPgnxIfVmHrf2-PKydus6YbrSjjVlgfb6aW_74ewwuMB-_Udiqy2avZ8OqAcEeE6l3WA5B-dtXZGVKE9kc6U4R59beGVL1A94Sx3k9t7zze0Sa_Pe2eTbWEc0DG9OL2Z/s200/Page+of+Madness_med.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
I came back at night for <i><a href="http://prod3.agileticketing.net/websales/pages/info.aspx?evtinfo=276010~d9133282-4896-49aa-be18-b053ee8cefc3&epguid=1822aae7-3fda-46c4-8940-081224f26742&">A Page of Madness</a></i>, a 1926 avant-garde film from Japan that I'd been wanting to see for years. It is famously set in a madhouse & infamously lacks intertitles & a definitive scenario. The film has also not survived complete. <b>Serge Bromberg</b> got us in the mood for bafflement by beginning his introduction to the film in French. He admitted that he's seen it many times but never understands anything.<br />
<br />
The director Teinosuke Kinugasa makes dazzling use of multiple exposure, rapid-fire montage & tracking shots, & every shot forms a striking composition. The actors are intense without being overly hysterical. I was impressed by the staging of the mob scenes. The movie triggered a lot of primal emotions, & I was especially freaked out by a scene in which the inmates put on masks.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxAXunbGYFqbAtmWp0l9jiifab9FZNY_9VtIwOZ1QLd8_wDkFhDXVWS6lM-z9FsAlKeVHrJeRxRvbxrbEzLdxwjTn9wW9eIuYJkFOhVaXFbQFLT6LEpSEYMIMT0RTTGvoooXqU/s1600/blog3aa.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="550" data-original-width="640" height="171" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxAXunbGYFqbAtmWp0l9jiifab9FZNY_9VtIwOZ1QLd8_wDkFhDXVWS6lM-z9FsAlKeVHrJeRxRvbxrbEzLdxwjTn9wW9eIuYJkFOhVaXFbQFLT6LEpSEYMIMT0RTTGvoooXqU/s200/blog3aa.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
The show was accompanied by the three-man <b><a href="http://www.alloyorchestra.com/">Alloy Orchestra</a></b>, playing electronic instruments and a large array of percussion. They made creepy use of harp, clarinet & theremin. The score was often loud & punishing & matched the movie's atmosphere of frenzy & menace.<br />
<br />
During the breaks it was fun to catch up with <a href="http://reverberatehills.blogspot.com/">Patrick</a>, who I believe saw all 6 programs that day, & to see <a href="https://sfciviccenter.blogspot.com/2017/06/sf-silent-film-festival.html">The Civic Center</a>, who was a man on the go.<br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: x-small;">§ <i><a href="http://prod3.agileticketing.net/websales/pages/info.aspx?evtinfo=276008~d9133282-4896-49aa-be18-b053ee8cefc3&epguid=1822aae7-3fda-46c4-8940-081224f26742&">Outside the Law</a></i></span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">Directed by Tod Browning | 1920 | USA | 76 min</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">Live musical accompaniment by <a href="http://stephenhorne.co.uk/">Stephen Horne</a> & <a href="http://www.frankbockius.de/">Frank Bockius</a></span><br />
<a href="http://silentfilm.org/homepage/whats-new/sfsff-2017-june-14"><span style="font-size: x-small;">San Francisco Silent Film Festival 2017</span></a><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">Saturday, June 3, 5:00pm</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">Castro Theatre</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: x-small;">§ <i><a href="http://prod3.agileticketing.net/websales/pages/info.aspx?evtinfo=276010~d9133282-4896-49aa-be18-b053ee8cefc3&epguid=1822aae7-3fda-46c4-8940-081224f26742&">A Page of Madness</a> (Kurutta Ichipeiji)</i></span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">Directed by Teinosuke Kinugasa | 1926 | Japan | 70 min</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">Live musical accompaniment by <a href="http://www.alloyorchestra.com/">Alloy Orchestra</a></span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">San Francisco Silent Film Festival 2017</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">Saturday, June 3, 9:30pm</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">Castro Theatre</span>Axel Feldheimhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12517904558156089265noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17709835.post-48089272282034733832017-06-07T21:31:00.000-07:002017-06-07T21:31:27.997-07:00SF Silent Film Festival - Day 3<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdKZpxqn5qhOvgelsAS_d1petxGFEC6qpU_1t8glPpKjlXaRtnB_1uPhlTTgO4wj-cMYIoAfG5Y3eQNuZtX5oNC8NU9svRdokQrcwvpCtPWgRyNu7fiYLRv1r_CU_pHRoX12N5/s1600/blogc.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="472" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdKZpxqn5qhOvgelsAS_d1petxGFEC6qpU_1t8glPpKjlXaRtnB_1uPhlTTgO4wj-cMYIoAfG5Y3eQNuZtX5oNC8NU9svRdokQrcwvpCtPWgRyNu7fiYLRv1r_CU_pHRoX12N5/s200/blogc.jpg" width="147" /></a></div>
I started my 3rd day at the <a href="http://silentfilm.org/festivalevents/sfsff-2017-june-14">San Francisco Silent Film Festival</a> at a <a href="http://prod3.agileticketing.net/websales/pages/info.aspx?evtinfo=276005~d9133282-4896-49aa-be18-b053ee8cefc3&epguid=1822aae7-3fda-46c4-8940-081224f26742&">program of shorts</a>, dedicated to the memory of film preservationist <b>David Shepard</b>, who died this year. Festival board member <b>Russell Merritt</b> offered us personal remembrances of Mr. Shepard, & we saw a sweet home movie from 1942, in color, showing Mr. Shepard as a curious toddler.<br />
<br />
<b><a href="http://www.lobsterfilms.com/">Serge Bromberg</a></b>, a friend & business associate of Mr. Shepard, selected the program of 10 shorts & introduced each with anecdotes & bits of movie history. The films were mostly from the 1st decade of the 20th century, & an ebullient Mr. Bromberg evoked the novelty & playfulness of early cinema. There was a lot of laughter. I especially enjoyed seeing Pathé's 1907 <i>First Prize for Cello Playing</i>, which parodies concert audiences in a neat 2 minutes, & Émile Cohl's discombobulating 1908 <i>Fantasmagorie</i>, considered to be the 1st animated cartoon. A few of the films had stenciled or hand-painted color & were lovely to watch.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvSGimgfAjwPlsu0QdZvEphEGYRjcSnoxEi7F5iGwn8fTd1YB09vgWqFdAQcRGS6xYX4Sph557unB7CSw5ZD3NrBh_M5YZQxQcjAUYPDGfyiloVqWKu-kxEZgZZfkHfkRdHEz7/s1600/blogb.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="529" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvSGimgfAjwPlsu0QdZvEphEGYRjcSnoxEi7F5iGwn8fTd1YB09vgWqFdAQcRGS6xYX4Sph557unB7CSw5ZD3NrBh_M5YZQxQcjAUYPDGfyiloVqWKu-kxEZgZZfkHfkRdHEz7/s200/blogb.jpg" width="165" /></a></div>
<i>The Dancing Pig</i> records a disconcerting vaudeville act featuring a performer in an enormous pig costume & was a hit with <a href="https://twitter.com/missbethg/status/871214453454286851">tweeting</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/silentlondon/status/871103896160280577">festival</a>-<a href="https://twitter.com/HellOnFriscoBay/status/871081996243525632">goers</a>. Mr. Bromberg provided a live narration to Méliès's 1906 <i>The Witch</i>, as would have been done back in the day, though the original narrators were presumably a lot less cheeky than Mr. Bromberg. Pianist <b><a href="http://silent-film-music.com/">Donald Sosin</a></b> & percussionist <b><a href="http://www.frankbockius.de/">Frank Bockius</a></b> played bounding, jazzy accompaniments to the films.<br />
<br />
After lunch, I attended the showing of <b><i><a href="http://prod3.agileticketing.net/websales/pages/info.aspx?evtinfo=276007~d9133282-4896-49aa-be18-b053ee8cefc3&epguid=1822aae7-3fda-46c4-8940-081224f26742&">Filibus</a></i></b>, an unashamedly silly Italian crime caper from 1915. At the screening, board president <b>Robert Byrne</b> presented the Festival Award to archivists <b>Elif Rongen-Kaynakçi</b> & <b>Frank Roumen</b> of the <a href="https://www.eyefilm.nl/">EYE Filmmuseum</a> in Amsterdam. Mr. Roumen complimented the festival's keen audiences, & Ms. Rongen-Kaynakçi introduced the film. The title character of <i>Filibus</i> travels around in a sort of stealth airship, & Ms. Rongen-Kaynakçi posited a connection between early cinema & aviation. As a prelude, she presented a brief documentary film about the launching of a balloon. She admitted that she knew almost nothing about it, other than that it likely records a Germany military operation. She has yet to discover the meaning of the initials DAZD, which can be barely glimpsed on the balloon.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWEOms77J36fHYAihOVPEg1dqRtiaJ9UEA2nJ2W9YRd-cHqGOXc8EoQ_NkVVKKbu7Iq1C040COzNMGYa_mGJLdJNErZ7aJ3EufJ4dFg1eTKha0p9wlzeSXWiNMvqY90DrFUuti/s1600/blogd.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="439" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWEOms77J36fHYAihOVPEg1dqRtiaJ9UEA2nJ2W9YRd-cHqGOXc8EoQ_NkVVKKbu7Iq1C040COzNMGYa_mGJLdJNErZ7aJ3EufJ4dFg1eTKha0p9wlzeSXWiNMvqY90DrFUuti/s200/blogd.jpg" width="136" /></a></div>
The festival audience got into the spirit of the cat-and-mouse high jinks of <i>Filibus</i> & clearly approved when the cross-dressing villainess's male persona seems to court another female character. They also applauded a rescue scene in which she is hoisted out of a window & into the sky. The <b><a href="http://www.mont-alto.com/">Mont Alto Motion Picture Orchestra</a></b>, consisting of piano, violin, cello, trumpet & clarinet, provided a pleasant accompaniment to the film, vamping on a series of light, often waltzing, themes.<br />
<br />
§ <b><a href="http://prod3.agileticketing.net/websales/pages/info.aspx?evtinfo=276005~d9133282-4896-49aa-be18-b053ee8cefc3&epguid=1822aae7-3fda-46c4-8940-081224f26742&">Magic and Mirth</a></b><br />
<i>Those Awful Hats</i> | USA | 1909 | D.W. Griffith<br />
<i>Cartoon Factory</i> | USA | 1924 | Fleischer Studios<br />
<i>The Masquerader</i> | USA | 1914 | Charlie Chaplin<br />
<i>First Prize For Cello Playing</i> | France | 1907 | Pathé Frères<br />
<i>Fantasmagorie</i> | France | 1908 | Émile Cohl<br />
<i>Tit For Tat</i> | France | 1906 | Gaston Velle<br />
<i>When The Devil Drives</i> | UK | 1907 | Walter Booth<br />
<i>Down In The Deep</i> | France | 1906 | Ferdinand Zecca<br />
<i>The Dancing Pig</i> | France | 1907 | Pathé Frères<br />
<i>The Witch</i> | France | 1906 | Georges Méliès<br />
<br />
Presented by <a href="http://www.lobsterfilms.com/">Serge Bromberg</a><br />
Live musical accompaniment by <a href="http://silent-film-music.com/">Donald Sosin</a> and <a href="http://www.frankbockius.de/">Frank Bockius</a><br />
<a href="http://silentfilm.org/festivalevents/sfsff-2017-june-14">San Francisco Silent Film Festival 2017</a><br />
Saturday, June 3, 10:00am<br />
<a href="https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=1&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=0ahUKEwjn2umks63UAhWM2YMKHRhQAs8QFggpMAA&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.castrotheatre.com%2F&usg=AFQjCNHqB6oGnYulBASI_UXVwgMCebLvCA&sig2=R94rFewPv0ibzeF-9vG9qQ">Castro Theatre</a><br />
<br />
§ <i><b>Filibus</b></i><br />
Directed by Mario Roncoroni | Italy | 1915 | 71 m.<br />
Live musical accompaniment by <a href="http://www.mont-alto.com/">Mont Alto Motion Picture Orchestra</a><br />
San Francisco Silent Film Festival 2017<br />
Saturday, June 3, 2:30pm<br />
Castro TheatreAxel Feldheimhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12517904558156089265noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17709835.post-43893986441434514612017-06-05T00:57:00.000-07:002017-06-05T00:57:37.746-07:00SF Silent Film Festival Day 2<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8svOmHvPVFXyrtj6FiBFpNY403xzy9KOD0PJKiXVSD5w9h7vHKE8Y8O9EWIFfx4kLLprXhaGZfbSGqKkoF6ZuBzwclKWo8XhzK6PqpCCoJjwCPf0SXWP-KDGqel-_KtKn0BVX/s1600/bloga.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="489" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8svOmHvPVFXyrtj6FiBFpNY403xzy9KOD0PJKiXVSD5w9h7vHKE8Y8O9EWIFfx4kLLprXhaGZfbSGqKkoF6ZuBzwclKWo8XhzK6PqpCCoJjwCPf0SXWP-KDGqel-_KtKn0BVX/s200/bloga.jpg" width="152" /></a></div>
The afternoon of the 2nd day of the <a href="http://silentfilm.org/homepage/whats-new/sfsff-2017-june-14">San Francisco Silent Film Festival</a>, I attended the screening of <b><i><a href="http://prod3.agileticketing.net/websales/pages/info.aspx?evtinfo=276002~d9133282-4896-49aa-be18-b053ee8cefc3&epguid=1822aae7-3fda-46c4-8940-081224f26742&">The Dumb Girl of Portici</a></i></b>, an historical epic from 1915, directed by Lois Weber. The movie is derived from Auber's opera <i>La muette de Portici</i> & is notable for the casting of Anna Pavlova. <b><a href="https://people.ucsc.edu/~stamp/research/Shelley_Stamp/Home.html">Shelley Stamp</a></b>, author of a <a href="http://www.ucpress.edu/book.php?isbn=9780520284463">book</a> on Lois Weber, provided us with some background to the film's production & told us to watch for the use of camera movement. <b>George Willevan</b>, who participated in the film's restoration, related how footage for the film's ending was initially overlooked & told us that he had yet to see the movie on a big screen.<br />
<br />
Pavlova dances in the opening & closing scenes, & she moves as if electrified & stretching every part of her body as far as possible. I felt like I got some idea of the intensity of her stage presence, but her acting did not fit well with the brash Hollywood style of the movie. Lois Weber was clearly given a lot of resources for costumes, locations & extras. I wondered where a scene showing an enormous domed building in the background was shot. There is a great deal of carnage in the mob scenes. At one point, Pavlova's character confronts severed heads on pikes. The plot is sometimes laborious, & a man in the row in front of me gently snored through the middle portion of the show.<br />
<br />
Pianist <b><a href="http://silent-film-music.com/">Donald Sosin</a></b> & percussionist <b><a href="http://www.frankbockius.de/">Frank Bockius</a></b> performed an improvisatory accompaniment with repeated riffs & a much forward momentum. They matched the pacing & mood of each scene & played continuously for nearly 2 hours without tiring. Despite the weekday afternoon show time, attendance was large. The musicians received an approving ovation.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhueLB-rX1UMEHU03Y301f8tc3AABuiUgTvMFEmtlaX1f7zapcEgPBDUn06AHsjiWFF2AHscI7mXbBxFK8lLxlY-YI8wuPK3pTvurtD73-aR8Z_HNWeifdd9kDWIgzz3esFXgJa/s1600/blogc.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="640" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhueLB-rX1UMEHU03Y301f8tc3AABuiUgTvMFEmtlaX1f7zapcEgPBDUn06AHsjiWFF2AHscI7mXbBxFK8lLxlY-YI8wuPK3pTvurtD73-aR8Z_HNWeifdd9kDWIgzz3esFXgJa/s200/blogc.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
I returned in the evening to see <b><i><a href="http://prod3.agileticketing.net/websales/pages/info.aspx?evtinfo=276003~d9133282-4896-49aa-be18-b053ee8cefc3&epguid=1822aae7-3fda-46c4-8940-081224f26742&">Body and Soul</a></i></b>, a 1925 film starring Paul Robeson. <b>Anita Monga</b>, the festival's artistic director, introduced the evening's accompanist, <a href="http://djspooky.com/" style="font-weight: bold;">DJ Spooky</a> & highlighted his many collaborations. DJ Spooky praised director Oscar Micheaux's independence & was proud that his own DVD release of <i><a href="http://djspooky.com/pioneers-of-african-american-cinema/">Body and Soul</a></i> was <a href="https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/kinolorber/pioneers-of-african-american-cinema">self-financed</a>. He described his score for the the film as an "art mix" of jazz & blues.<br />
<br />
The film itself has low production values, but it is interesting to see Paul Robeson's boldly charismatic presence as well as the director's cynical view of the church. The film makes frequent use of flashbacks, & I was struck by how the rape of Isabelle is depicted through close-ups of the Reverend's footsteps.<br />
<br />
DJ Spooky's live mix for the screening was eerie & slow-paced, using a lot of piano, saxophone & percussion tracks. <b><a href="http://www.stummfilmmusiker.de/de/">Guenter Buchwald</a></b> on the violin added to the harmonies with drawn-out notes & double-stops. The relationship between the images and the music was never clear to me, & I ended up feeling distanced from the story. The sound system belched jarringly a couple of times during the show. The audience gave the musicians an eager & respectful ovation.<br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: x-small;">§ <a href="http://prod3.agileticketing.net/websales/pages/info.aspx?evtinfo=276002~d9133282-4896-49aa-be18-b053ee8cefc3&epguid=1822aae7-3fda-46c4-8940-081224f26742&"><i>The Dumb Girl of Portici</i></a></span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">dir. Lois Weber | 1912 | USA | 112 min</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">Music by <a href="http://silent-film-music.com/">Donald Sosin</a> & <a href="http://www.frankbockius.de/">Frank Bockius</a></span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: x-small;">San Francisco Silent Film Festival 2017</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">Friday June 2 2017, 3:30p</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">Castro Theatre</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: x-small;">§ <i><a href="http://prod3.agileticketing.net/websales/pages/info.aspx?evtinfo=276003~d9133282-4896-49aa-be18-b053ee8cefc3&epguid=1822aae7-3fda-46c4-8940-081224f26742&">Body and Soul</a></i></span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">dir. Oscar Micheaux | 1925 | USA | 93 min</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">Music by <a href="http://djspooky.com/">DJ Spooky</a> & <a href="http://www.stummfilmmusiker.de/de/">Guenter Buchwald</a></span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: x-small;">San Francisco Silent Film Festival 2017</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">Friday June 2 2017, 7p</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">Castro Theatre</span>Axel Feldheimhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12517904558156089265noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17709835.post-69602839873964722302017-06-03T01:01:00.000-07:002017-06-04T16:52:21.734-07:00SF Silent Film Festival: Tales from the Archives<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6ecTccWPMMmK1Z_jK1D8ICejM_re0B_NmBgP9MwQnqZOyO1BDHbaP9LoGUqDoPmJoX3pAZPFb5rwqkPEBAbkknUvig9SBIBLUMnXfLg59cmq1vSzn3xcV_F5T8XI-QiWOIxmV/s1600/blogd.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="487" data-original-width="640" height="151" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6ecTccWPMMmK1Z_jK1D8ICejM_re0B_NmBgP9MwQnqZOyO1BDHbaP9LoGUqDoPmJoX3pAZPFb5rwqkPEBAbkknUvig9SBIBLUMnXfLg59cmq1vSzn3xcV_F5T8XI-QiWOIxmV/s200/blogd.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Jack's Joke. 1913.<br />
Edison Kinetophone.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
I started my 2nd day at the SF Silent Film Festival with <a href="http://prod3.agileticketing.net/websales/pages/list.aspx?epguid=1822aae7-3fda-46c4-8940-081224f26742&"><b>Amazing Tales from the Archives</b></a>, a free program of highly informative presentations by film preservationists. A chipper <b>George Willeman</b>, from the <a href="https://www.loc.gov/">Library of Congress</a>, talked us through one of his pet projects: resurrecting Edison Kinetophone films. The technology involved synchronizing phonograph cylinders with projectors via a mechanical cable & pulley system. Mr. Willeman summed it up as "too damned complicated," & it failed in the market. He showed us his discovery of the 1st microphone accidentally appearing in a shot, & we saw absurd single-take films of singing blacksmiths & shouty actors.<br />
<br />
<b>Elif Rongen-Kaynakçi</b>, of <a href="https://www.eyefilm.nl/">EYE Filmmuseum</a> in Amsterdam, gave a slide lecture about the life of <b><a href="https://www.eyefilm.nl/en/collection/search-and-watch/dossiers/the-desmet-dossier">Jean Desmet</a></b>, an early 20th century serial entrepreneur & film exhibitor, whose archive of <a href="https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLQr5oaajRw8OvEX7Y5zN0RncTeHfXPYOi">films</a>, movie posters, photographs & documents form the EYE's <a href="https://www.eyefilm.nl/en/collection/selection/collection-dossiers/the-desmet-dossier/eye-and-desmet">Desmet Collection</a>. Ms. Rongen-Kaynakçi is especially interested in his business correspondence, which provides details like the cost of a Bechstein piano for his cinema. She is also interested in his investment in a patented "cloud projector," which would have projected giant ads onto clouds, in the manner of the Bat-Signal.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfIuO7znBJmmlSFJ6rgj-JAROLBKGYa1W9tqtOPvPr4L06oMsBcZEXENU7nIE8ccpd454zXCLU_llGndL9GSdQzC76B5sY99yWIYtLlcMKTx6dGeZBVC1q6Oe86kF2k63a2gKx/s1600/blogc.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="419" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfIuO7znBJmmlSFJ6rgj-JAROLBKGYa1W9tqtOPvPr4L06oMsBcZEXENU7nIE8ccpd454zXCLU_llGndL9GSdQzC76B5sY99yWIYtLlcMKTx6dGeZBVC1q6Oe86kF2k63a2gKx/s200/blogc.jpg" width="130" /></a></div>
Lastly, <b>Heather Linville</b>, of the <a href="http://www.oscars.org/film-archive">Academy Film Archive</a>, told us the astonishing story of Idris Welsh, who, as a 6-foot tall teenager, joined up with a certain Captain Wanderwell in 1922, adopted the moniker <b>Aloha Wanderwell</b>, & led a fleet of Model T's on a round-the-world tour. Along the way, she shot, edited & appeared in a series of travel films & eventually ending up in Hollywood. The Captain himself was charged with the enslavement of a minor, which he resolved by marrying Aloha. She went on to continue shooting travelogues & presenting her films to audiences in person. I could not understand why I had never heard of her & why no one has yet made her biopic. She even had a pet monkey called Chango.<br />
<br />
Ms. Linville ran many excerpts of the travel films as she spoke. One alarming clip showed a motorcade of Model T's driving straight up the stairs of the Great Wall of China. Pianist <b><a href="http://silent-film-music.com/">Donald Sosin</a></b> provided gentle, unobtrusive accompaniment to the films. Even though this was weekday morning, there was an impressive audience turnout.<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">§ <a href="http://prod3.agileticketing.net/websales/pages/list.aspx?epguid=1822aae7-3fda-46c4-8940-081224f26742&">Amazing Tales from the Archives</a></span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">George Willeman, <a href="https://www.loc.gov/">Library of Congress</a></span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">Elif Rongen-Kaynakçi, <a href="https://www.eyefilm.nl/">EYE Filmmuseum</a></span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">Heather Linville, <a href="http://www.oscars.org/film-archive">Academy Film Archive</a></span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">Music by <a href="http://silent-film-music.com/">Donald Sosin</a>, piano</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span>
<a href="http://silentfilm.org/festivalevents/sfsff-2017-june-14"><span style="font-size: x-small;">San Francisco Silent Film Festival 2017</span></a><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">Friday June 2 2017, 10a</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">Castro Theatre</span><br />
<div>
<br /></div>
Axel Feldheimhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12517904558156089265noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17709835.post-45928240909460426042017-06-02T01:51:00.000-07:002017-06-02T01:51:45.609-07:00Opening Night of SF Silent Film Festival<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEic30l1rVtau3NGQFrtUwrwh38A1a7an-4Wm9HOy-ogJo8DfhvWZ6YdR_BsUWOOZUDEvbopC8F234iiC9108VgtAI4VUprqW_830DFjl588NMXa-5WAxxlTFpZxSvBmNCgCX480/s1600/blogb.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="573" data-original-width="544" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEic30l1rVtau3NGQFrtUwrwh38A1a7an-4Wm9HOy-ogJo8DfhvWZ6YdR_BsUWOOZUDEvbopC8F234iiC9108VgtAI4VUprqW_830DFjl588NMXa-5WAxxlTFpZxSvBmNCgCX480/s200/blogb.jpg" width="189" /></a></div>
The <a href="http://silentfilm.org/festivalevents/sfsff-2017-june-14">San Francisco Silent Film Festival</a> had a packed house for their <a href="http://prod3.agileticketing.net/websales/pages/info.aspx?evtinfo=275999~d9133282-4896-49aa-be18-b053ee8cefc3&epguid=1822aae7-3fda-46c4-8940-081224f26742&">opening night</a> on Thursday. The event started about 10 minutes late due to ticket holders still waiting to get into the <a href="http://www.castrotheatre.com/">Castro Theatre</a>. The program featured the 12-piece <b>Berklee Silent Film Orchestra</b> performing their original score for <i><b>The Freshman</b></i>, Harold Lloyd's effortlessly endearing comedy about social humiliation.<br />
<br />
Festival President <b>Robert Byrne</b> thanked sponsors & introduced <b>Suzanne Lloyd</b>, Harold Lloyd's granddaughter, & <b><a href="https://www.berklee.edu/people/sheldon-mirowitz">Sheldon Mirowitz</a></b> of the <a href="https://www.berklee.edu/">Berklee School of Music</a>. Ms. Lloyd expressed her excitement to hear the new music, & Mr. Mirowitz explained that the score was composed by 7 of his students, who were each assigned one reel of the film to orchestrate. He individually introduced the student composers, who come from the United States, Switzerland & Mexico.<br />
<br />
The score begins boldly, with a peppy march that recurs throughout. The music generally sounds 19th century classical, plus marches & jazz dances that evoke the film's period. It's synchronized with the on-screen action tightly, & every musical mood is stated clearly. The band was amplified, & I sometimes felt bullied by the score. The musicians were technically very secure, & all gave strong, boldhearted performances that fit the fearlessly optimistic personality of Lloyd's character.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuOS8f2JtQiLYVQs92RHiAlGKyx-x6-UJQ6qgOqsYw-kIc99BIewJtELZhBDmrG_43VuEd0B9vyBX-LafGfzhteAITI_VLTKUQ8lhrZec9oQE8Ojm_K5UOM1sX0uKIUFECzE1k/s1600/blogc.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="475" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuOS8f2JtQiLYVQs92RHiAlGKyx-x6-UJQ6qgOqsYw-kIc99BIewJtELZhBDmrG_43VuEd0B9vyBX-LafGfzhteAITI_VLTKUQ8lhrZec9oQE8Ojm_K5UOM1sX0uKIUFECzE1k/s200/blogc.jpg" width="148" /></a></div>
The opening night audience was enthused, even applauding the restoration credits preceding the film. I'd never seen <i>The Freshman</i> before, & I found it simply plotted & thoroughly enjoyable. Intertitles sometimes carry the jokes, & I wish I knew what was meant by calling someone a "radio liar." I was impressed by the performances of 2 cats & by the string of gags involving Lloyd in a disintegrating dinner jacket at the Fall Frolic. The audience applauded the smooth choreography of a scene in which Lloyd takes advantage of temporarily having 3 arms. The show ended with a long & happy standing ovation for the composers & musicians. For those just getting started, there was an opening night party at the <a href="https://mcroskey.com/">McRoskey Mattress Company</a> down the street, apparently with more <a href="https://twitter.com/sfsilentfilm/status/870502068024352768">live music</a>. <br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">§ <i>The Freshman</i></span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">dirs. Fred C. Newmeyer & Sam Taylor | 1925 | USA | 76 min</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">Live musical accompaniment by Berklee Silent Film Orchestra</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span>
<a href="http://silentfilm.org/festivalevents/sfsff-2017-june-14"><span style="font-size: x-small;">San Francisco Silent Film Festival 2017</span></a><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">Thursday June 1 2017, 7p</span><br />
<a href="http://www.castrotheatre.com/"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Castro Threatre</span></a>Axel Feldheimhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12517904558156089265noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17709835.post-30391563919471572422017-05-31T18:58:00.000-07:002017-06-04T16:52:50.309-07:00SF Silent Film Festival 2017 at a Glance<b>§ <a href="http://silentfilm.org/homepage/whats-new/sfsff-2017-june-14">San Francisco Silent Film Festival 2017</a></b><br />
<a href="http://www.castrotheatre.com/">Castro Threatre</a><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;">Thursday June 1 2017</span><br />
<br />
7:00 PM<br />
<b><i><a href="http://prod3.agileticketing.net/websales/pages/info.aspx?evtinfo=275999~d9133282-4896-49aa-be18-b053ee8cefc3&epguid=1822aae7-3fda-46c4-8940-081224f26742&">THE FRESHMAN</a></i></b><br />
1925 | USA | 76 min | Fred C. Newmeyer, Sam Taylor, Harold Lloyd<br />
Music by Berklee Silent Film Orchestra<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;">Friday June 2 2017</span><br />
<br />
10:00 AM (Free screening)<br />
<b><a href="http://prod3.agileticketing.net/websales/pages/info.aspx?evtinfo=276000~d9133282-4896-49aa-be18-b053ee8cefc3&epguid=1822aae7-3fda-46c4-8940-081224f26742&">AMAZING TALES FROM THE ARCHIVES</a></b><br />
George Willeman, Library of Congress<br />
Elif Rongen-Kaynakçi, EYE Filmmuseum<br />
Heather Linville, Academy Film Archive<br />
100 min<br />
Music by Donald Sosin<br />
<br />
1:00 PM<br />
<b><i><a href="http://prod3.agileticketing.net/websales/pages/info.aspx?evtinfo=276001~d9133282-4896-49aa-be18-b053ee8cefc3&epguid=1822aae7-3fda-46c4-8940-081224f26742&">GET YOUR MAN</a></i></b><br />
1927 | USA | 76 min | Dorothy Arzner, Clara Bow, Buddy Rogers<br />
Footage from NOW WE'RE IN THE AIR<br />
Music by Stephen Horne<br />
<br />
3:30 PM<br />
<b><i><a href="http://prod3.agileticketing.net/websales/pages/info.aspx?evtinfo=276002~d9133282-4896-49aa-be18-b053ee8cefc3&epguid=1822aae7-3fda-46c4-8940-081224f26742&">THE DUMB GIRL OF PORTICI</a></i></b><br />
1912 | USA | 112 min | Lois Weber, Anna Pavlova<br />
Music by Donald Sosin & Frank Bockius<br />
<br />
7:00 PM<br />
<b><i><a href="http://prod3.agileticketing.net/websales/pages/info.aspx?evtinfo=276003~d9133282-4896-49aa-be18-b053ee8cefc3&epguid=1822aae7-3fda-46c4-8940-081224f26742&">BODY AND SOUL</a></i></b><br />
1925 | USA | 93 min | Oscar Micheaux, Paul Robeson<br />
Music by DJ Spooky<br />
<br />
9:30 PM<br />
<b><i><a href="http://prod3.agileticketing.net/websales/pages/info.aspx?evtinfo=276004~d9133282-4896-49aa-be18-b053ee8cefc3&epguid=1822aae7-3fda-46c4-8940-081224f26742&">THE INFORMER</a></i></b><br />
1929 | UK | 99 min | Arthur Robison<br />
Music by Stephen Horne, Guenter Buchwald & Frank Bockius<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;">Saturday June 3 2017</span><br />
<br />
10:00 AM<br />
<b><a href="http://prod3.agileticketing.net/websales/pages/info.aspx?evtinfo=276005~d9133282-4896-49aa-be18-b053ee8cefc3&epguid=1822aae7-3fda-46c4-8940-081224f26742&">MAGIC AND MIRTH: A Collection of Enchanting Short Films, 1906–1924</a></b><br />
60 min<br />
Music by Donald Sosin<br />
<br />
12:00 PM<br />
<b><i><a href="http://prod3.agileticketing.net/websales/pages/info.aspx?evtinfo=276006~d9133282-4896-49aa-be18-b053ee8cefc3&epguid=1822aae7-3fda-46c4-8940-081224f26742&">A STRONG MAN</a></i></b><br />
1929 | Poland | 80 min | Henryk Szaro<br />
Music by Guenter Buchwald & Sascha Jacobsen<br />
<br />
2:30 PM<br />
<b><i><a href="http://prod3.agileticketing.net/websales/pages/info.aspx?evtinfo=276007~d9133282-4896-49aa-be18-b053ee8cefc3&epguid=1822aae7-3fda-46c4-8940-081224f26742&">FILIBUS</a></i></b><br />
1915 | Italy | 71 min | Mario Roncoroni<br />
Music by Mont Alto Motion Picture Orchestra<br />
<br />
5:00 PM<br />
<b><i><a href="http://prod3.agileticketing.net/websales/pages/info.aspx?evtinfo=276008~d9133282-4896-49aa-be18-b053ee8cefc3&epguid=1822aae7-3fda-46c4-8940-081224f26742&">OUTSIDE THE LAW</a></i></b><br />
1920 | USA | 76 min | Tod Browning, Lon Chaney<br />
Music by Stephen Horne & Frank Bockius<br />
<br />
7:15 PM<br />
<b><i><a href="http://prod3.agileticketing.net/websales/pages/info.aspx?evtinfo=276009~d9133282-4896-49aa-be18-b053ee8cefc3&epguid=1822aae7-3fda-46c4-8940-081224f26742&">BATTLESHIP POTEMKIN (Bronenosets Potyomkin)</a></i></b><br />
1925 | USSR | 72 min | Sergei Eisenstein<br />
Music by the Matti Bye Ensemble<br />
<br />
9:30 PM<br />
<b><i><a href="http://prod3.agileticketing.net/websales/pages/info.aspx?evtinfo=276010~d9133282-4896-49aa-be18-b053ee8cefc3&epguid=1822aae7-3fda-46c4-8940-081224f26742&">A PAGE OF MADNESS (Kurutta Ichipeiji)</a></i></b><br />
1926 | Japan | 70 min | Teinosuke Kinugasa<br />
Music by Alloy Orchestra<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;">Sunday June 4 2017</span><br />
<br />
10:00 AM<br />
<b><i><a href="http://prod3.agileticketing.net/websales/pages/info.aspx?evtinfo=276011~d9133282-4896-49aa-be18-b053ee8cefc3&epguid=1822aae7-3fda-46c4-8940-081224f26742&">THE DOLL (Die Puppe)</a></i></b><br />
1919 | Germany | 60 min | Ernst Lubitsch<br />
Music by Guenter Buchwald & Frank Bockius<br />
<br />
12:00 PM<br />
<b><i><a href="http://prod3.agileticketing.net/websales/pages/info.aspx?evtinfo=276012~d9133282-4896-49aa-be18-b053ee8cefc3&epguid=1822aae7-3fda-46c4-8940-081224f26742&">SILENCE</a></i></b><br />
1926 | USA | 70 min | Rupert Julian<br />
Music by Mont Alto Motion Picture Orchestra<br />
<br />
2:00 PM<br />
<b><i><a href="http://prod3.agileticketing.net/websales/pages/info.aspx?evtinfo=276013~d9133282-4896-49aa-be18-b053ee8cefc3&epguid=1822aae7-3fda-46c4-8940-081224f26742&">A MAN THERE WAS (Terje Vigen)</a></i></b><br />
1917 | Sweden | 60 min | Victor Sjöström<br />
Music by the Matti Bye Ensemble<br />
<br />
4:00 PM<br />
<b><i><a href="http://prod3.agileticketing.net/websales/pages/info.aspx?evtinfo=276014~d9133282-4896-49aa-be18-b053ee8cefc3&epguid=1822aae7-3fda-46c4-8940-081224f26742&">THE LOST WORLD</a></i></b><br />
1925 | USA | 100 min | Harry O. Hoyt, Willis O'Brien, Wallace Beery, Bessie Love<br />
Music by Alloy Orchestra<br />
<br />
6:30 PM<br />
<b><i><a href="http://prod3.agileticketing.net/websales/pages/info.aspx?evtinfo=276015~d9133282-4896-49aa-be18-b053ee8cefc3&epguid=1822aae7-3fda-46c4-8940-081224f26742&">TWO DAYS (Dva Dni)</a></i></b><br />
1927 | USSR | 60 min | Heorhii Stabovyi<br />
Music by Stephen Horne<br />
<br />
8:15 PM<br />
<b><i><a href="http://prod3.agileticketing.net/websales/pages/info.aspx?evtinfo=276016~d9133282-4896-49aa-be18-b053ee8cefc3&epguid=1822aae7-3fda-46c4-8940-081224f26742&">THE THREE MUSKETEERS</a></i></b><br />
1921 | USA | 146 min | Fred Niblo, Douglas Fairbanks<br />
Music by Guenter Buchwald EnsembleAxel Feldheimhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12517904558156089265noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17709835.post-12739548414389727772017-05-31T17:43:00.000-07:002017-05-31T17:43:27.013-07:0022nd San Francisco Silent Film Festival<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEityL3ny_k6myKg5Fr1S8TU_zmYBKx2R_mn4CPM3K5_iey3opVT36VcxI41ER0QZIiOoKEzTrsLvV-grfWy0crxbfVeky6Z3VL0qwkPuScB8qekYqeDt1mRcH-8FAwz_Y_6hEDT/s1600/bloga.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="514" data-original-width="640" height="160" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEityL3ny_k6myKg5Fr1S8TU_zmYBKx2R_mn4CPM3K5_iey3opVT36VcxI41ER0QZIiOoKEzTrsLvV-grfWy0crxbfVeky6Z3VL0qwkPuScB8qekYqeDt1mRcH-8FAwz_Y_6hEDT/s200/bloga.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
Thursday is the 1st night of the <a href="http://silentfilm.org/festivalevents/sfsff-2017-june-14"><b>SF Silent Film Festival</b></a>, running June 1 - 4 at the <a href="http://www.castrotheatre.com/">Castro Theatre</a>. This year's festival presents <a href="http://www.silentfilm.org/festivalevents/music-musicians">36 musicians</a> providing live accompaniment for 18 films from 9 countries. <a href="http://djspooky.com/"><b>DJ Spooky</b></a> is new to the festival this year, & on Friday night he accompanies <a href="http://prod3.agileticketing.net/websales/pages/info.aspx?evtinfo=276003~d9133282-4896-49aa-be18-b053ee8cefc3&epguid=1822aae7-3fda-46c4-8940-081224f26742&"><i><b>Body and Soul</b></i></a>, a 1925 feature by African-American director <b>Oscar Micheaux</b>, starring <b>Paul Robeson</b>. On opening night the <b><a href="https://www.facebook.com/thebsfo/">Berklee Silent Film Orchestra</a></b> performs their original score for <a href="http://prod3.agileticketing.net/websales/pages/info.aspx?evtinfo=275999~d9133282-4896-49aa-be18-b053ee8cefc3&epguid=1822aae7-3fda-46c4-8940-081224f26742&"><b>Harold Lloyd's <i>The Freshman</i></b></a>, & Sunday at noon the <b><a href="http://www.mont-alto.com/">Mont Alto Motion Picture Orchestra</a></b> accompanies <b><a href="http://prod3.agileticketing.net/websales/pages/info.aspx?evtinfo=276012~d9133282-4896-49aa-be18-b053ee8cefc3&epguid=1822aae7-3fda-46c4-8940-081224f26742&"><i>Silence</i></a></b>, a 1926 American crime drama based on a stage play, restored with recently discovered footage from the <a href="http://www.cinematheque.fr/">Cinémathèque Française</a>.<br />
<br />
The festival has 2 films directed by women, including <i><b><a href="http://prod3.agileticketing.net/websales/pages/info.aspx?evtinfo=276002~d9133282-4896-49aa-be18-b053ee8cefc3&epguid=1822aae7-3fda-46c4-8940-081224f26742&">The Dumb Girl of Portici</a></b></i>, a high-budget epic directed by <b>Lois Weber</b> & starring <b>Anna Pavlova</b> in her only screen role. <b>Dorothy Arzner</b> is the director of <b><i><a href="http://prod3.agileticketing.net/websales/pages/info.aspx?evtinfo=276001~d9133282-4896-49aa-be18-b053ee8cefc3&epguid=1822aae7-3fda-46c4-8940-081224f26742&">Get Your Man</a></i></b>, a comedy with <b>Clara Bow</b> & <b>Buddy Rogers</b>. It plays with a fragment of <i><b>Now We're in the Air</b></i>, a lost comedy with <b>Louise Brooks</b> & <b>Wallace Beery</b>.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbxaLIU_iPDvGUB95yP6NUft7Xp77WsP1f1aBvYO7tjuyjmbsXSrgAXQHJ6s0bubxwyUtlcSWj3UNMJ4QgSanUjjbe1K25_FddHmw7h3MXBB-JKKhocRZJs98ZSwQcy02pLwPv/s1600/blogb.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="456" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbxaLIU_iPDvGUB95yP6NUft7Xp77WsP1f1aBvYO7tjuyjmbsXSrgAXQHJ6s0bubxwyUtlcSWj3UNMJ4QgSanUjjbe1K25_FddHmw7h3MXBB-JKKhocRZJs98ZSwQcy02pLwPv/s200/blogb.jpg" width="142" /></a></div>
I am told that the Saturday afternoon showing of <i><b><a href="http://prod3.agileticketing.net/websales/pages/info.aspx?evtinfo=276007~d9133282-4896-49aa-be18-b053ee8cefc3&epguid=1822aae7-3fda-46c4-8940-081224f26742&">Filibus</a></b></i>, an Italian adventure film featuring sky pirates, is a must-see. Preceding the screening, the festival will present an award to the the Dutch <b><a href="https://www.eyefilm.nl/en">EYE Filmmuseum</a></b>, for its commitment to the preservation of silent film. Films from the EYE's <a href="https://www.eyefilm.nl/en/collection/selection/collection-dossiers/the-desmet-dossier/eye-and-desmet">Desmet Collection</a> will be shown in the free, & always fascinating, <b><a href="http://prod3.agileticketing.net/websales/pages/info.aspx?evtinfo=276000~d9133282-4896-49aa-be18-b053ee8cefc3&epguid=1822aae7-3fda-46c4-8940-081224f26742&">Amazing Tales from the Archives</a></b> presentation on Friday morning.<br />
<br />
The festival will also honor <b>David Shepard</b>, a film preservationist who died this year, with a Saturday morning <a href="http://prod3.agileticketing.net/websales/pages/info.aspx?evtinfo=276005~d9133282-4896-49aa-be18-b053ee8cefc3&epguid=1822aae7-3fda-46c4-8940-081224f26742&">program of shorts</a> selected by the delightful <b><a href="http://www.lobsterfilms.com/">Serge Bromberg</a></b>. The classic <i><b><a href="http://prod3.agileticketing.net/websales/pages/info.aspx?evtinfo=276009~d9133282-4896-49aa-be18-b053ee8cefc3&epguid=1822aae7-3fda-46c4-8940-081224f26742&">Battleship Potemkin</a></b></i> is on the schedule, as well as the the avant-garde<b><i> <a href="http://prod3.agileticketing.net/websales/pages/info.aspx?evtinfo=276010~d9133282-4896-49aa-be18-b053ee8cefc3&epguid=1822aae7-3fda-46c4-8940-081224f26742&">A Page of Madness</a></i></b>, which I have always wanted to see. <b><i><a href="http://prod3.agileticketing.net/websales/pages/info.aspx?evtinfo=276015~d9133282-4896-49aa-be18-b053ee8cefc3&epguid=1822aae7-3fda-46c4-8940-081224f26742&">Two Days</a></i></b>, a Soviet film set during the Civil War in the Ukraine, looks intriguing.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2aLBZf6oDcyXwpUYBPlkezwwnoGxdSYsNhxrPT56w7jBb9zXFxjMHUxA4ucAl0ACqzN9OzIKK0gf2tMmAfj2ZivwgduB1JSjwgUJQMDJd9ez7UIXsuV9c6ORIfMNiwGIpaR9V/s1600/blogc.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="621" data-original-width="456" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2aLBZf6oDcyXwpUYBPlkezwwnoGxdSYsNhxrPT56w7jBb9zXFxjMHUxA4ucAl0ACqzN9OzIKK0gf2tMmAfj2ZivwgduB1JSjwgUJQMDJd9ez7UIXsuV9c6ORIfMNiwGIpaR9V/s200/blogc.jpg" width="146" /></a></div>
I got to attend the festival's informal media preview event last month & had a chat with a fellow who does the sound for the Silent Film Festival, which sounds like an oxymoron, but isn't. He said <i>The Freshmen</i> is one of his favorites & assured me that <b><i><a href="http://prod3.agileticketing.net/websales/pages/info.aspx?evtinfo=276016~d9133282-4896-49aa-be18-b053ee8cefc3&epguid=1822aae7-3fda-46c4-8940-081224f26742&">The Three Musketeers</a></i></b> show that closes the festival would be the most fun.<br />
<br />
§ <a href="http://silentfilm.org/festivalevents/sfsff-2017-june-14">The 22nd San Francisco Silent Film Festival</a><br />
June 1 - 4, 2017<br />
<a href="http://www.castrotheatre.com/">Castro Theatre</a><br />
<a href="http://www.castrotheatre.com/"><br /></a>
<b>§ <a href="http://silentfilm.org/festivalevents/sfsff-2017-june-14">Festival Site</a> | <a href="http://prod3.agileticketing.net/websales/pages/list.aspx?epguid=1822aae7-3fda-46c4-8940-081224f26742&">Schedule & Tickets</a> | <a href="http://prod3.agileticketing.net/websales/pages/CatalogProductInfo.aspx?catinfo=2335~d9133282-4896-49aa-be18-b053ee8cefc3&epguid=dd6ef22b-b11b-4295-bf48-1994ac741bdd&">Festival Pass</a> </b>Axel Feldheimhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12517904558156089265noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17709835.post-41463059394947366512016-10-08T13:04:00.000-07:002016-10-08T13:04:50.555-07:00The Salesman<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0qjeOjwarPDV4lyFULrboAEMG-TrR4m5HOs7EeMSbSkSmQtluWFIpcrNHZFf3D1NMjU9XAyPVwFM9wEswan64p0KENFULUz0q0JWOS__pYTApxUeAgvRkWh_XRlTocR1umCYG/s1600/TheSalesman_web.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="216" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0qjeOjwarPDV4lyFULrboAEMG-TrR4m5HOs7EeMSbSkSmQtluWFIpcrNHZFf3D1NMjU9XAyPVwFM9wEswan64p0KENFULUz0q0JWOS__pYTApxUeAgvRkWh_XRlTocR1umCYG/s320/TheSalesman_web.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
A couple of weeks ago I got to see a preview screening of <i><a href="https://www.instagram.com/thesalesman.movie/">The Salesman</a></i>, Asghar Farhadi's taut new film about personal revenge. It plays at the <a href="http://www.mvff.com/">Mill Valley Film Festival</a> <a href="http://tickets.cafilm.org/websales/pages/info.aspx?evtinfo=240178~b5ffc240-184b-4172-a0fd-0f56eabee2d5&epguid=c6b17b06-9289-4456-9ea8-48c16255c85d&">next week</a> & then in Bay Area theaters in January. The story presents us with a cultured, well-educated husband & wife living in Tehran. They are about to star opposite each other in a production of Arthur Miller's <i>Death of a Salesman</i>. In the gripping opening scene, which is in one long take & appears to be an over-stated MacGuffin, they are forced to evacuate their apartment building. They move to another apartment, previously inhabited by an elusive woman who may be a prostitute. When the wife is alone in the apartment one evening, she is assaulted by an intruder. The specific details of attack are never made explicit, but the wife is too traumatized to talk to the police, & the husband, out of a chivalrous instinct, sets out to track down the assailant himself.<br />
<br />
Though the plot is calculated & takes many contrived side trips, the movie has an immediacy & sense of urgency. I was never sure where scenes were headed, & I liked the way that things left unsaid or unseen loomed large. In the subplot involving <i>Death of a Salesman</i>, it's nice seeing realistic glimpses of the production, which appears quite faithful.<br />
<br />
Farhadi often trails the characters with a hand-held camera, & always felt like I was right in the middle of the action. Shahab Hosseini as the husband Emad is a likable & charismatic actor. It is easy to keep identifying with Emad even as his behavior becomes increasingly disappointing. There's a stage-like quality to the tension underlying every scene, & the film is unsettling. Right through its last moments, I kept re-evaluating what I thought about its moral dilemmas.<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">§ <a href="https://www.instagram.com/thesalesman.movie/">Forushande (The Salesman)</a> (2016)</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">Asghar Farhadi, dir.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">Iran, France, 125 mins.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: x-small;">§ <a href="http://www.mvff.com/">Mill Valley Film Festival 39</a></span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">Rafael 1, Fri, Oct 7, 7:30 PM</span><br />
<a href="http://tickets.cafilm.org/websales/pages/info.aspx?evtinfo=240178~b5ffc240-184b-4172-a0fd-0f56eabee2d5&epguid=c6b17b06-9289-4456-9ea8-48c16255c85d&"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Rafael 2, Wed, Oct 12, 12:00 PM</span></a><br />
<div>
<br /></div>
Axel Feldheimhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12517904558156089265noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17709835.post-53808016900247426832016-10-07T20:00:00.000-07:002016-10-07T20:00:54.727-07:00Dream of the Red Chamber at SF Opera<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBhiKSv2FpmpqBQFKp5-Utglg3K8L52QsBtVFZCwymiLg4tVCo0wKI_1KfuvsCL7nE8fdfFkgWtWWFw_-DCmlocBu5WotiAknx5lXxywTnnVzP-IZXRn5oxEN5wDIqmDXECxJi/s1600/blog0913a.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="270" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBhiKSv2FpmpqBQFKp5-Utglg3K8L52QsBtVFZCwymiLg4tVCo0wKI_1KfuvsCL7nE8fdfFkgWtWWFw_-DCmlocBu5WotiAknx5lXxywTnnVzP-IZXRn5oxEN5wDIqmDXECxJi/s320/blog0913a.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
Back in the first week of the <a href="http://sfopera.com/">San Francisco Opera</a> season, I attended the 2nd performance of <i><a href="http://sfopera.com/discover-opera/201617-season/dream-of-the-red-chamber/">Dream of the Red Chamber</a></i>, the opera by <b><a href="http://www.brightsheng.com/">Bright Sheng</a></b> & <a href="http://barclayagency.com/site/speaker/david-henry-hwang"><b>David Henry Hwang</b></a> receiving its world premiere here. I enjoyed the visual spectacle of the production. The opening chorus of beggars, emerging from a burning village, looks like a painting come to life. Dai Yu's boat trip at the beginning of the story & her climactic disappearance at the end are depicted simply but effectively using rippling blue fabrics. I liked the visual poetry of an interlude that illustrates the passing of the seasons with falling leaves of different colors.<br />
<br />
Scene transitions had beautiful choreography. The grand hall of the Jia family is appropriately ostentatious, & as its multi-plane backdrop rose into place, I felt like I was floating above the landscape. The transformation of Granny Jia's deathbed into a funeral bier was efficient & clever. The costumes were opulent.<br />
<br />
The cast was uniformly strong & ardent. Tenor <b>Yijie Shi</b> as Bao Yu sounded open & clarion & acted befittingly like a feckless teenager in act 1. Soprano <b><a href="http://www.pureumjosoprano.com/">Pureum Jo</a></b> as his love interest Dai Yu sang with a consistent, solid sound & had nice soft notes. I liked mezzo <b><a href="http://kimhyona.com/">Hyona Kim</a></b> as the imperious Lady Wang. Her singing was expressive & emphatic. Soprano <b><a href="http://irenerobertsmezzo.com/">Irene Roberts</a></b> was a pragmatic Bao Chai. Her sound was full, & she was impressively resolute in her act 2 monologue. Soprano <b><a href="http://www.alpha-artists.com/karen-chia-ling-ho">Karen Chia-ling Ho</a></b> was a rueful Princess Jia & sang confidently. The soloists are almost all high voices, so it was nice hearing the male voices of the chorus.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEIRF-ptqtt2On6Th25tQEFzUEnkGAmy_XWYLy-TAqIR2kCo9QvfS7lgCVGmJyffF8R_t3Ne3RF1qv5J6qTw7IDcP9ifJ2k_5v7TkLnDZWTgCdR9n4chEDeG4p9eqd8sxra4f5/s1600/blog0913c.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEIRF-ptqtt2On6Th25tQEFzUEnkGAmy_XWYLy-TAqIR2kCo9QvfS7lgCVGmJyffF8R_t3Ne3RF1qv5J6qTw7IDcP9ifJ2k_5v7TkLnDZWTgCdR9n4chEDeG4p9eqd8sxra4f5/s200/blog0913c.jpg" width="150" /></a></div>
Mr. Sheng's music is atmospheric, with strong, irregular rhythms, chromatic harmonies, & shimmering orchestral colors. Chinese accents are provided by gongs at moments of urgency, & there is a prominent solo for the <i>qin</i>. The vocal lines often feel stretched, with long-held notes at the ends of phrases. The orchestra played alertly for conductor <b><a href="http://www.cami.com/?webid=291">George Manahan</a></b>, & the clarinet solos were especially lovely.<br />
<br />
The choppy storyline includes elements of romance, domestic drama, politics & Buddhist philosophy. Mr. Hwang's English language libretto is prosaic & even bald, particularly in the erotic dream scene. Supertitles & program notes were accommodatingly provided in both English & Chinese, & there were definitely more Asian faces in the audience than I am used to seeing at the opera.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMrZ0ev7oljzer01iwiwUqcVSBA0iMp7t2lSEiy68A1CfNW1IQphOzWgyPRT5GxTxkZ4JY1x6PXosF4COor9ih0QznO05Cmt1ijRZNrRweMn5GpGjdIBZxe90ybYuL7HuSCZEA/s1600/blog0913b.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMrZ0ev7oljzer01iwiwUqcVSBA0iMp7t2lSEiy68A1CfNW1IQphOzWgyPRT5GxTxkZ4JY1x6PXosF4COor9ih0QznO05Cmt1ijRZNrRweMn5GpGjdIBZxe90ybYuL7HuSCZEA/s200/blog0913b.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
There was an <a href="http://sfopera.com/plan-your-visit/intermission/">open curtain</a> during intermission, with director <b>Stan Lai</b> talking about the production & taking questions via <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/opencurtain">Twitter</a>. The audience seemed attentive. Mr. Sheng was present to take a curtain call at the end of the performance.<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">§ <a href="http://sfopera.com/discover-opera/201617-season/dream-of-the-red-chamber/">Dream of the Red Chamber</a></span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">Music by <a href="http://www.brightsheng.com/">Bright Sheng</a></span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">Libretto by <a href="http://barclayagency.com/site/speaker/david-henry-hwang">David Henry Hwang</a> and Bright Sheng</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span>
<a href="http://sfopera.com/"><span style="font-size: x-small;">San Francisco Opera</span></a><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">Conductor, <a href="http://www.cami.com/?webid=291">George Manahan </a></span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">Director, Stan Lai</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">Production Designer, Tim Yip</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">Lighting Designer, Gary Marder</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">Choreographer, Fang-Yi Sheu</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">Chorus Director, Ian Robertson</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">Fight Director, Dave Maier</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: x-small;">Flower/Dai Yu, <a href="http://www.pureumjosoprano.com/">Pureum Jo</a></span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">Stone/Bao Yu, Yijie Shi</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">Lady Wang, <a href="http://kimhyona.com/">Hyona Kim</a></span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">Bao Chai, <a href="http://irenerobertsmezzo.com/">Irene Roberts</a></span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">Granny Jia, Qiulin Zhang</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">Princess Jia, <a href="http://www.alpha-artists.com/karen-chia-ling-ho">Karen Chia-ling Ho</a></span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">Aunt Xue, <a href="http://www.macallister-management.com/page1/page14/page14.html">Yanyu Guo</a></span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">The Monk/Dreamer, Randall Nakano</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">Lady-in-Waiting/Flower, <a href="http://www.tonimariepalmertree.com/">Toni Marie Palmertree</a>, Amina Edris, <a href="http://www.zandasvede.com/">Zanda Švēde</a></span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">Eunuch/Stone, <a href="http://www.harrisonparrott.com/artist/profile/pene-pati">Pene Pati</a>, Alex Boyer, <a href="http://www.cami.com/?webid=2550">Edward Nelson</a></span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: x-small;">Tuesday 09/13/16 7:30PM</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">War Memorial Opera House</span><br />
<div>
<br /></div>
Axel Feldheimhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12517904558156089265noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17709835.post-53814115648328094332016-10-07T13:15:00.000-07:002016-10-07T13:15:42.752-07:00SFMOMA Modern Cinema Schedule<a href="https://www.sfmoma.org/theme/modern-cinema-week-1">WEEK ONE: HAUNTED BY CINEMA</a><br />
<br />
FRIDAY, OCTOBER 7<br />
6:00 pm - <i><b>Rashomon</b></i> (Akira Kurosawa, Japan, 1950, 88 min.) with an introduction by Philip Kaufman<br />
8:30 pm - <i><b>The Bitter Tears of Petra von Kan</b>t</i> (Rainer Werner Fassbinder, Germany, 1972, 125 min.)<br />
<br />
SATURDAY, OCTOBER 8<br />
1:00 pm - <b>Agnès Varda in California: D<i>ocumenteur / Black Panthers / Uncle Yanco</i></b> (Agnès Varda, France, 112 min.)<br />
3:45 pm - <i><b>Mysterious Object at Noon</b></i> (Apichatpong Weerasethakul, Thailand, 2000, 89 min.)<br />
5:45 pm - <b><i>The Seventh Seal</i></b> (Ingmar Bergman, Sweden, 1957, 96 min.)<br />
8:00 pm - <b><i>L'Avventura</i> </b>(Michelangelo Antonioni, Italy, 1960, 143 min.)<br />
<br />
SUNDAY, OCTOBER 9<br />
2:00 pm - <b><i>Sans Soleil</i> with <i>La Jetée</i></b> (Chris Marker, France, 1983/1962, 132 min.)<br />
5:00 pm - <b><i>Black Girl</i> with <i>Borom Sarret</i></b> (Ousmane Sembène, Senegal, 1966/1963, 85 min.)<br />
7:15 pm - <b><i>Jeanne Dielman, 23, quai du Commerce, 1080 Bruxelles</i></b> (Chantal Akerman, Belgium/France, 1975, 201 min.) with an introduction by Wayne Wang<br />
<br />
<a href="https://www.sfmoma.org/theme/modern-cinema-week-2">WEEK TWO: APICHATPONG WEERASETHAKUL</a><br />
<br />
THURSDAY, OCTOBER 13<br />
7:00 pm - <b>An Evening with Apichatpong Weerasthakul</b><br />
<br />
FRIDAY, OCTOBER 14<br />
6:00 pm - <b><i>Mekong Hotel</i></b> (Apichatpong Weerasethakul, Thailand, 2012, 61 min.)<br />
8:00 pm - <b><i>Viridiana</i></b> (Luis Buñuel, Spain, 1961, 90 min.)<br />
<br />
SATURDAY, OCTOBER 15<br />
1:00 pm - <b><i>The River</i></b> (Jean Renoir, France, 1951, 99 min.)<br />
3:30 pm - <b>Shorts by Apichatpong Weerasthakul</b><br />
6:00 pm - <b><i>Syndromes and a Century</i></b> (Apichatpong Weerasethakul, Thailand/France, 2006, 105 min.)<br />
8:30 pm - <b><i>Knife in the Water</i></b> (Roman Polanski, Poland, 1962, 94 min.)<br />
<br />
SUNDAY, OCTOBER 16<br />
2:00 pm - <b><i>Tropical Malady</i></b> (Apichatpong Weerasethakul, Thailand/France, 2004, 118 min.)<br />
4:30 pm - <b><i>The Spirit of the Beehive</i></b> (Victor Erice, Spain, 1973, 99 min.)<br />
7:00 pm - <b><i>Cemetery of Splendor</i></b> (Apichatpong Weerasethakul, Thailand, 2015, 122 min.)<br />
<br />
<a href="https://www.sfmoma.org/theme/modern-cinema-week-2">WEEK THREE: HAUNTED CINEMA</a><br />
<br />
FRIDAY, OCTOBER 21<br />
6:00 pm - <b><i>Pitfall</i></b> (Hiroshi Teshigahara, Japan, 1962 97 min.)<br />
8:30 pm - <b><i>Carnival of Souls</i></b> (Herk Harvey, USA, 1962, 78 min.)<br />
<br />
SATURDAY, OCTOBER 22<br />
3:00 pm - <b><i>Picnic at Hanging Rock</i></b> (Peter Weir, Australia, 1975, 107 min.)<br />
6:00 pm - <b><i>Grey Gardens</i></b> (Albert Maysles and David Maysles, USA, 1976, 94 min.)<br />
8:00 pm - <b><i>Ugetsu</i></b> (Kenji Mizoguchi, Japan, 1953, 97 min.)<br />
<br />
SUNDAY, OCTOBER 23<br />
3:00 pm - <b><i>Uncle Boonmee Who Can Recall His Past Lives</i></b> (Apichatpong Weerasethakul, UK/Thailand/Germany/France/Spain, 2010, 113 min.)<br />
6:00 pm - <b><i>A Touch of Zen</i></b> (King Hu, Taiwan, 1971, 180 min.)<br />
<br />
Phyllis Wattis Theater at <a href="http://www.sfmoma.org/">SFMOMA</a><br />
Please use entrance at Minna Street, near Third Street.<br />
<div>
<br /></div>
Axel Feldheimhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12517904558156089265noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17709835.post-76161423117264501162016-09-29T23:49:00.000-07:002016-09-29T23:49:26.246-07:00Don Pasquale at San Francisco Opera<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjei_4K8X19YIQc2WSZGwB7ooEXfroY8yvTUz2-XPgPkYXGodjL7vuugNIWbfjMliAIvyX0nJ0KkSPzpYIn119tvF1o2BXx-beOTCEM2gO6UFUaa5UVnlOArnRT8Pn4nECoUvKw/s1600/donpasquale_med.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjei_4K8X19YIQc2WSZGwB7ooEXfroY8yvTUz2-XPgPkYXGodjL7vuugNIWbfjMliAIvyX0nJ0KkSPzpYIn119tvF1o2BXx-beOTCEM2gO6UFUaa5UVnlOArnRT8Pn4nECoUvKw/s320/donpasquale_med.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Maurizio Muraro (Don Pasquale) and <br />Lucas Meachem (Dr. Malatesta).<br />Photo from SF Opera web site.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Wednesday night I was in standing room at <a href="http://sfopera.com/">San Francisco Opera</a> for <i><a href="http://sfopera.com/discover-opera/201617-season/don-pasquale/">Don Pasquale</a></i>, Donizetti's sprightly farce about elder abuse. Director <a href="http://maestroarts.com/artists/laurent-pelly"><b>Laurent Pelly</b></a>'s modern dress staging is great fun. Comic momentum was propelled by slapstick, stylish costumes, silent movie-style pantomime, dancing & a lot of opening & closing of doors. Even from up in the balcony, I did not feel I was missing any of the action. The stylized set represents a street with houses on either side & a huge rotating room in the middle, representing Don Pasquale's home. This room also turned out to function as a megaphone. Singers' voices sometimes boomed when they were standing inside.<br />
<br />
Ernesto 1st appearance made me laugh right away. He entered wearing his pajamas & stirring a cup of coffee. It immediately established his unambitious character & gave a reason for Don Pasquale to disinherit him. Similarly, Norina's shabby apartment, with its piles of clothes & magazines but no furniture, immediately communicated her scrappy personality.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfSriCc0eRS4Vy1etksbNtDVleppG30KpNIuevCehKyc96ynIA6vcwrpZp4tABhWrPH10LPSKypzmYx_FeHwZvlySWwmx5eh_WpU6aIcSsHzaiWPdMHuMAwpa7CLIrAZiNSXOM/s1600/blog0928b.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfSriCc0eRS4Vy1etksbNtDVleppG30KpNIuevCehKyc96ynIA6vcwrpZp4tABhWrPH10LPSKypzmYx_FeHwZvlySWwmx5eh_WpU6aIcSsHzaiWPdMHuMAwpa7CLIrAZiNSXOM/s200/blog0928b.jpg" width="150" /></a></div>
Bass-baritone <b>Maurizio Muraro</b> in the title role had a resonant, stentorian voice & was a terrific comic actor. His shadow boxing during his act 3 scene with Malatesta so pleased the audience that they spontaneously applauded mid-duet. He was also a very human & sympathetic Pasquale. Tenor <b><a href="http://www.lawrencebrownlee.com/">Lawrence Brownlee</a></b> has a unique voice. It's light & agile & goes high up with astonishing comfort, yet it's tensile & cutting. Mr. Brownlee had to be a game performer as Ernesto. He sang into the floor while on all fours, sang while climbing a tall ladder & dangled upside down from a window.<br />
<br />
Soprano <b><a href="http://www.heidistober.com/">Heidi Stober</a></b> was a gutsy Norina, & the staging did nothing to ameliorate the meanness of her treatment of Pasquale. Ms. Stober sounded sturdy & a bit sultry, & she showed off startlingly big high notes. Baritone <b><a href="http://lucasmeachem.com/">Lucas Meachem</a></b> was an elegant yet shady Malatesta. His voice was firm, suave & soothing, & he was hilarious in his duets with Norina & Pasquale. The chorus was solid & lively & came across as a character in itself. 3 supers playing Pasquale's servants were amusing presences.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8CoDXp0QpSUoDw1LgQesxAK_rP0bxn5EK_t1brLgG7p9NmIm5aHIp9-dnq4IKa8ol03ioTHXcZSLlC5XQOgLTz_5suVXsDv0VqiTKPLFLBUagnt9nzmcSP9XAPkAzOYkpa4bk/s1600/blog0928a.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="136" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8CoDXp0QpSUoDw1LgQesxAK_rP0bxn5EK_t1brLgG7p9NmIm5aHIp9-dnq4IKa8ol03ioTHXcZSLlC5XQOgLTz_5suVXsDv0VqiTKPLFLBUagnt9nzmcSP9XAPkAzOYkpa4bk/s200/blog0928a.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
Conductor <b><a href="http://www.giuseppefinzi.com/">Giuseppe Finzi</a></b> led with quick tempos & a flexible beat. The musical climaxes were pointed. All the orchestral solos sounded smooth, & the trumpet solo for Ernesto's "Cercherò lontana terra" had a nice long line & was polished. The violins' ensemble was occasionally loose.<br />
<br />
My opera companion & I had a conversation with a friendly usher who admitted to being curious about opera but not yet a fan when she 1st started ushering. This would be a good production to attend when there is an <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/opencurtain">Open Curtain</a>. I'd like to see how they turn Don Pasquale's house upside down during intermission.<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">§ <a href="http://sfopera.com/discover-opera/201617-season/don-pasquale/">Don Pasquale</a></span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">Music by Gaetano Donizetti</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">Libretto by Giovanni Ruffini and Gaetano Donizetti</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span>
<a href="http://sfopera.com/"><span style="font-size: x-small;">San Francisco Opera</span></a><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">Conductor, <a href="http://www.giuseppefinzi.com/">Giuseppe Finzi</a></span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">Director, <a href="http://maestroarts.com/artists/laurent-pelly">Laurent Pelly</a></span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: x-small;">Don Pasquale, Maurizio Muraro </span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">Norina, <a href="http://www.heidistober.com/">Heidi Stober </a></span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">Ernesto, <a href="http://www.lawrencebrownlee.com/">Lawrence Brownlee</a></span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">Dr. Malatesta, <a href="http://lucasmeachem.com/">Lucas Meachem</a></span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">A Notary, Bojan Knežević</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: x-small;">Wednesday 09/28/16 7:30PM</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">War Memorial Opera House</span>Axel Feldheimhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12517904558156089265noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17709835.post-26840659433838373392016-09-23T21:03:00.000-07:002016-09-23T21:03:28.063-07:00Modern Cinema Series at SFMOMA<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTkNrqOhUOCEC0YWxDQARa5l9wyhKta0xEJTYDqKpBrTDEu5uM-J96uwC5n2vVH93vm82vdsLR0AcG3xqElOkLw0TFIblqghp3fmOb4bqVNZqOgQnShvM9VEaEPoybhz0nk3_V/s1600/blog0913b.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTkNrqOhUOCEC0YWxDQARa5l9wyhKta0xEJTYDqKpBrTDEu5uM-J96uwC5n2vVH93vm82vdsLR0AcG3xqElOkLw0TFIblqghp3fmOb4bqVNZqOgQnShvM9VEaEPoybhz0nk3_V/s200/blog0913b.jpg" width="150" /></a></div>
Last week the <a href="https://www.sfmoma.org/">SFMOMA</a> held a <a href="http://www.sffs.org/press/releases/91316-modern-cinema-oct-2016">press briefing</a> in their newly renovated Phyllis Wattis Theater to announce their up-coming <a href="https://www.sfmoma.org/event/series/modern-cinema-criterion-collection/">Modern Cinema</a> series, taking place on 3 packed weekends in October. <b>Dominic Willsdon</b>, SFMOMA's Curator of Education and Public Practice, & <b>Frank Smigiel</b>, Associate Curator, Performance and Film, discussed the program's themes, along with <b>Noah Cowan</b>, Executive Director of the <a href="http://www.sffs.org/">San Francisco Film Society</a>, who was actually at the <a href="http://www.tiff.net/">Toronto International Film Festival</a> but appeared via a choppy Skype call.<br />
<br />
With Halloween deliberately in mind, the curators chose many films on the subject of haunting. Their selections reminded me of what would play at an art house cinema in the days before video rentals. The schedule includes art film classics <i>Rashomon</i> & <i>The Seventh Seal</i>, the cult classics <i>Carnival of Souls</i> & <i>Grey Gardens</i>, & notorious experimental works like <i>Sans Soleil</i> & <i>Jean Deilman</i>. The 2nd weekend focuses on Thai director <a href="http://www.kickthemachine.com/">Apichatpong Weerasethakul</a>, who will attend all weekend to introduce the screenings. Philip Kaufman & Wayne Wang are also expected as guest presenters. Tickets are available online for individual shows, but as far as I know there are no series passes.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHFnjIfLFK9w7ICHZI07PEiYZWE-n2ONdB2UdUpwwU7ujDpZqw8mpV_mOWSPsxNW3b96TA_VopanfhA9wFHEaXzXJEaxKMsfCiJVz4beOgURO9p5zqBGH1BscoZRTMlCgtePsP/s1600/blog0913a.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHFnjIfLFK9w7ICHZI07PEiYZWE-n2ONdB2UdUpwwU7ujDpZqw8mpV_mOWSPsxNW3b96TA_VopanfhA9wFHEaXzXJEaxKMsfCiJVz4beOgURO9p5zqBGH1BscoZRTMlCgtePsP/s320/blog0913a.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
The renovated theater seats 270 & is equipped with film & digital projectors & a <a href="http://www.meyersound.com/news/2016/sfmoma/">Meyer Sound system</a>. The staff made sure we noted the new cupholders. The theater has its own entrance & box office on Minna Street, so that screenings can take place outside of museum hours. The stage has been deepened so that the space is also suitable for live performances.<br />
<br />
A couple of the attendees had very specific questions about the versions of the films being shown. When Mr. Cowan was asked what was the best thing he'd seen at TIFF so far, he was eager to name Barry Jenkins's <i><a href="http://www.tiff.net/films/moonlight/">Moonlight</a></i> & the biopic <i><a href="http://www.tiff.net/films/jackie/">Jackie</a></i>.<br />
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<div>
<span style="font-size: x-small;">§ Modern Cinema Press Briefing</span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-size: x-small;">Tuesday, September 13, 10:00 am</span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-size: x-small;">Phyllis Wattis Theater, SFMOMA</span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-size: x-small;">§ <a href="https://www.sfmoma.org/event/series/modern-cinema-criterion-collection/">Modern Cinema: Criterion Collection and Apichatpong Weerasethakul</a></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><a href="https://www.sfmoma.org/theme/modern-cinema-week-1">Week 1: Haunted by Cinema</a> | Friday, October 7 - Sunday, October 9</span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><a href="https://www.sfmoma.org/theme/modern-cinema-week-2">Week 2: Apichatpong Weerasethakul</a> | Thursday, October 13 - Saturday, October 16</span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><a href="https://www.sfmoma.org/theme/modern-cinema-week-3">Week 3: Haunted Cinema</a> | Friday, October 21, - Sunday October 32</span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-size: x-small;">Phyllis Wattis Theater, SFMOMA</span></div>
</div>
Axel Feldheimhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12517904558156089265noreply@blogger.com0