84 stories by "Leslie Katz"
In chronological order, these were the year's most notable moments in the arts, from this editor's highly personal perspective. "Vietgone" at American Conservatory Theater (March) The wild 1…
In "Kaleidoscope," the new Circus Bella show under a big tent on Treasure Island, clown Sara Moore balances a broom on her hand and has an amusing bit chasing the »
The post Circus Bell…
San Francisco Opera's revised production of Jake Heggie's opera "It's a Wonderful Life" in its West Coast premiere is a feel-good holiday-themed piece, even as it could add some "fixins" …
Fresh mixed-media effects and a strong cast set the stage for San Francisco Opera's engaging revival of Francesca Zambello's 2011 production of Wagner's "Ring" cycle at Tuesday's first perfo…
Opera fans from around the world, especially Richard Wagner aficionados, will flock to the War Memorial Opera House June 12-July 1 as San Francisco Opera presents three cycles of the »
…
Since 2003, the San Francisco International Arts Festival has presented artists from across the world with innovative projects dedicated to increasing human awareness and understanding ̵…
It's time for the 2018 Yerba Buena Gardens Festival, and that means free outdoor entertainment in The City from spring through fall. The festival's 18th season begins at 1 p.m. »
The po…
Bay Area doctors told touching stories about love on Tuesday at Brava theater in The City in a live version of The Nocturnists, a San Francisco-based podcast dedicated to bringing »
The…
San Francisco Opera will present a chronological, comprehensive selection of nine operas " from Handel's rarely performed Baroque classic "Orlando" to Jake Heggie's contemporary "It's a Wond…
San Francisco Opera brought back Massenet's opera “Manon” after a 19-year absence Saturday evening in Vincent Boussard's new production, which raised questions over its setting, …
Although San Francisco Opera didn't break new ground Saturday night opening its sixth revival of John Copley's production of Verdi's "La Traviata," strong company debuts from soprano Aurelia…
Paris in February can be a city as chilly as it is costly, as it is in Puccini's "La Bohème." But San Francisco Opera's strong cast of bohemians breathed warmth »
The post Artistry and…
Mozart's masterpiece "Don Giovanni" makes it quite clear it's a man's world. And two powerhouse bass-baritones, Ildebrando D'Arcangelo (in the title role) and Erwin Schrott (as his servant) …
San Francisco Opera's announcement that bass-baritone Erwin Schrott would replace the ailing Marco Vinco as Leporello in "Don Giovanni" is a win-win: The opera lands a renowned Mozart interp…
Early on in "Rigoletto," a curse befalls the title character that will dog him throughout the tale. But San Francisco Opera's re-staging of the Verdi favorite, which opened Wednesday, is …
Director Francesca Zambello's new San Francisco Opera production of "Aida" — boasting bold, contemporary designs by Los Angeles street artist RETNA — meets the challenges of moun…
There are many parts of Al Letson's one-man show that are truly moving. One is when he, a black man, offers to shake the hand of a white cop who »
The post Poet Al Letson has a moving '…
German soprano Nadja Michael, singing the lead role of San Francisco Opera's revival of Olivier Tambosi's riveting production of LeoÅ¡ JanáÄek’s "The Makropulos Case," is excep…
There's no fool like an old fool, and few old fools endure comic flimflammery quite like the aging title character in Donizetti's "Don Pasquale," which has been revived after 32 »
The p…
The attempt to adapt a 2,400-page-plus classic novel of Chinese literature into an English-language opera might seem destined to please neither Asian literary scholars nor Western opera puri…
In Giordano's pinnacle verismo work "Andrea Chénier," which takes place during the French Revolution, it's only a matter of time before heads start to roll. Fortunately, heads are more like…
San Francisco Opera faces a seemingly daunting challenge with its world premiere of composer Bright Sheng and co-librettist David Henry Hwang's "Dream of the Red Chamber," which is based on …
The 146th edition of the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey circus doesn't have any elephants, and, guess what? They weren't missed on Thursday's opening night at Oracle Arena in »…
"I saw a muzzled dog vomit on the bus." That first line promises much, and monologist Ady Lady follows through, in her wildly funny show onstage at The Marsh in »
The post Ady Lady pond…
Among the more than 100 offerings from 13 countries in the 2016 San Francisco International Arts Festival is the home-grown piece "Uncle Gunjiro's Girlfriend" by Brenda Wong Aoki and Mark &#…
