Thursday, November 22, 2018

ABS Awardee Cohen to Perform for New Year

Regular readers may recall that, as was announced by the American Bach Soloists (ABS) this past September, the recipient of the 2019 Jeffrey Thomas Award was countertenor Aryeh Nussbaum Cohen. (Given the delightful impact that countertenor Anthony Ross Costanzo has had in this city, particularly in his performance of George Frideric Handel’s HWV 27 Partenope with the San Francisco Opera, I am beginning to wonder whether or not performing under three names bodes well for a countertenor.) At the time of that announcement, it was also noted that the first time to listen to Cohen in performance would be on New Year’s Eve at a special ABS concert entitled A Baroque New Year’s Eve at the Opera.

The program will be a festive conjunction of arias, duets, and overtures. Cohen will be joined by ABS favorite, soprano Mary Wilson. The program will account for six operas by Handel (Partenope will not be one of them), three by Antonio Vivaldi, two by Christoph Willibald Gluck, and one by Jean-Philippe Rameau.

The interior of Herbst Theatre, showing a few of its frescoes (courtesy of ABS)

As has already be announced, this program will begin at 4 p.m. on Monday, December 31. The performance will take place in Herbst Theatre, which is on the ground floor of the Veterans Building at 401 Van Ness Avenue on the southwest corner of McAllister Street. Ticket prices are $125 (Premium Orchestra), $90 (Orchestra and Boxes), $65 (side Orchestra and Dress Circle), $50 (rear seats in center Orchestra and Dress Circle and front seats in Balcony), and $25 (remaining seats in all sections). Tickets may be purchased online through a City Box Office event page, which includes a floor plan that shows the sections in which seats are still available.

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