Program Announced for Opening SFS Season

San Francisco Symphony Music Director Esa-Pekka Salonen (photograph by Andrew Eccles, courtesy of San Francisco Symphony)

As usual, next month will see the return of the San Francisco Symphony (SFS) and Music Director Esa-Pekka Salonen to Davies Symphony Hall to kick off the 2023–24 Season, which was announced this past March. Some readers may recall that last year’s Opening Night Gala concert was organized entirely around William Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream. This year will see more diversity, beginning in the late nineteenth century with a tone poem by Richard Strauss. The earliest of the remaining three selections was completed in 1911, while the latest took place at the very end of the twentieth century, receiving its first performance in August of 2000.

The Strauss selection will be his very first tone poem, the Opus 20 “Don Juan.” This will be coupled with one of the earliest compositions by his contemporary, Gustav Mahler. Baritone Simon Keenlyside will be the vocalist in a performance of the Lieder eines fahrenden Gesellen (songs of a wayfarer). The second half of the program (which will be performed without intermission) will then begin with the most recent composition, composed by Anders Hillborg on a commission from the Swedish Radio Symphony Orchestra. “Rap Notes” is scored for a full orchestra, including pre-recorded content, along with a coloratura soprano and three rappers. For this performance the soprano will be Hila Plitmann, and the rappers will include Kev Choice and Anthony Veneziale. The program will then conclude with Maurice Ravel’s “Bolero.”

As usual, because this is the Opening Night Gala, there will be additional celebratory events. At 5:30 p.m. there will be a pre-concert reception in the lobby of Davies Symphony Hall with sparkling wine and light bites, after which the concert will begin at 7 p.m. Following the performance, there will be two dinner options, the seated Pavilion Dinner, featuring a curated dining and music experience, and the lounge-style Symphony Supper Club. A single Web page has been created with full information about both of these options (including price levels).

All of these events will take place on Friday, September 22. For those attending only the concert, tickets are available only in the Orchestra and Boxes ($250), 1st Tier ($150–250), and 2nd Tier ($150). They may be purchased through the ticketing Web page for this event. Individual tickets for the Pavilion Dinner range between $2500 and $10,000, and those for the Supper Club are either $500 or $1000. Tickets for the Pavilion Dinner may also be purchased for parties of ten. All further information can be found on a single Web page, which also indicates how much of the expense is tax-deductible. (Those visiting this Web page should be advised that viewing the different options will require a generous amount of scrolling!)

Finally, as was similarly the case last year, the evening following the Gala will be the annual All San Francisco Concert. The program will be the same as the one performed the previous evening. It will begin at 7:30 p.m. on Saturday, September 22. This annual event is offered to community groups and social service organizations by invitation only. Those interested in being invited should send electronic mail to allsf@sysymphony.org.