San Francisco - Alison Bing [161]
Cinema-going at its best. Reserve a stadium seat, belly up to the bar, and order from the bistro, which serves everything from rib-eye steak to mac ‘n’ cheese. A multiplex initiative by Robert Redford’s Sundance Institute, Kabuki features big-name flicks, festivals and exclusives – and it’s a green venture, with recycled-fiber seating, reclaimed-wood decor and local chocolates and booze. Note: expect a $1 to $3 surcharge for the privilege of seeing a movie not preceded by commercials. Validated parking available.
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OPERA & CLASSICAL MUSIC
You gotta love a city whose symphony conductor has rock-star status. Look for free summertime concerts at Stern Grove (see the boxed text) and check the events calendar of KDFC (www.kdfc.com), the local classical music station (102.1FM).
CHANTICLEER
415-252-8589; www.chanticleer.org
The New Yorker called them ‘the world’s reigning male chorus,’ and we have to agree. Twelve male voices blend in luxurious polyphony; the repertoire ranges from Renaissance to gospel. The Grammy-winning ensemble makes its home in SF, and often performs at venues around town, when not touring internationally.
CLASSICAL REVOLUTION
Map
415-642-0474; www.classicalrevolution.org; Revolution Cafe, 3248 22nd St; admission free; 8pm Sun; 24th St Mission
Young up-and-coming chamber musicians – usually recent grads from conservatories around the country – perform live on Sunday evenings at Momi Toby’s Revolution Cafe in the Mission. If you’re a formally trained musician in your 20s, find your tribe here. Arrive early (by 7pm latest) to snag a table.
POCKET OPERA COMPANY
415-972-8930; www.pocketopera.org; tickets adult/child/senior $34/20/31
The Pocket Opera was founded in 1978 by local character Donald Pippin, who translates librettos into English but remains faithful to original scores. The idea is to convey the story with clarity for contemporary audiences, and he’s great at his craft. The company performs around the Bay Area from February to June. In San Francisco, performances are usually at the Legion of Honor.
SAN FRANCISCO OPERA Map
415-864-3330; www.sfopera.com; War Memorial Opera House, 301 Van Ness Ave; tickets $10-350; 21, 47, 49; & Civic Center
SF has been obsessed with opera since the Gold Rush, and it remains a staple on the social calendar. Bluebloods like Ann Getty always book the Tuesday A-series – the best nights to spot fabulous drag. The gorgeous 1932 hall is cavernous and echoey, but there’s no more glamorous seat in SF than the velvet-curtained boxes, complete with champagne service. The best midrange seats for sightlines and sound are in the front section of the dress circle. The balcony has the best sound but you’ll need binoculars to see the stage, unless you come on ‘Opera Vision’ nights, when a huge screen shows the action on stage (don’t sit directly beneath the flickering high-def monitors; if you come to the opera to get away from TV, you’ll hate the balcony during these performances).
Hang in the back of the hall with die-hard opera buffs with standing-room-only tickets: starting at 10am, the box office sells 150 standing-room spots ($10, cash only); two hours before curtain, they release 50 more. Snag an empty seat after intermission, when somnambulant seniors go home – though all bets are off for Rossini and Mozart. Pre-order intermission cocktails at reserved tables in the lower-lobby cafe. Smokers and thrill-seekers: head to the Grand Tier outdoor terrace to overlook City Hall and Downtown’s twinkling lights – one of SF’s best nighttime views. If you’re walking by during a performance, wander into the box-office lobby and watch the stage monitors for a teaser.
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STERN GROVE FESTIVAL: SF’S BEST FREE CONCERTS
San Francisco may exist in a bubble, but its artists do not. The opera, symphony, ballet and celebrated touring acts take their gigs directly to the people in a series of free outdoor Sunday summer concerts at Stern Grove Festival ( 415-252-6252;