Election Section

You don’t need to be a newly arrived UC Berkeley freshman to be unclear on the concept of Economy Culture: in many years of regular attendance, I’ve been constantly surprised by those interested in opera, for example, but not bothering because “it’s so expensive.”  

Yes, orchestra seats in San Francisco’s War Memorial Opera House cost up to $180, box seats sell for $215, but standing room tickets—which I used happily many, many times—were $5 until recently, and currently are $10...compatible with the cost of a movie ticket, then as now. There are two distinct possibilities for standees: on the orchestra level, where the view is better, or on top of the top balcony, in nosebleed country, or the “gods,” where you will see ant-like figures on the far-away stage, but with the best sound in the cavernous, 3,000-seat house. Sound rises, don’t you know. 

Must have a seat? Student rush tickets cost $15, senior rush is $30. What is “rush?” It means “unsold tickets,” available on the day of the performance, from 11 a.m. to 30 minutes before curtain. Keep in mind that the earlier you buy, the better the seats are likely to be. 

Recommendations this year: Mozart’s charming and brilliant Cosi fan tutte, with an excellent cast, Sept. 11-Oct. 2; Donald Runnicles, a world-class Benjamin Britten specialist, conducting the gripping Billy Budd, Sept. 26-Oct. 17; perhaps the most accessible Wagner, The Flying Dutchman, Nov. 10-Dec. 12. See www.sfopera.com. 

And, just one final (and ultimate) opera bargain: Opera in the Park, at 1:30 p.m. on Sunday, Sept. 12, in Golden Gate Park’s Sharon Meadow, with Runnicles conducting the full San Francisco Opera Orchestra, guest stars and young artists singing arias and duets. Can’t afford opera? It’s free. (In a noisy embarrassment of riches, the park will also host, beginning at 1 p.m., another mass-attendance free concert, by the Dave Matthews Band. Expect a— ahem—“parking problem.”) 

Closer to home, a reminder for the obvious: schools are hotbeds of performing-arts opportunities, mostly inexpensive at that. At UC, there is Cal Performances, of course, at www.calperfs.berkeley. edu/; a portal for all the arts, at www.bampfa.berkeley.edu/bca/; information about the school’s famed Music Department, at http://ls.berkeley.edu/dept/ music/; theater information at http://ls.berkeley.edu/dept/theater/; and a student-run entertainment information hub, at www.ocf.berkeley.edu/~superb/, which can send you information weekly. 

There are other schools with busy arts programs—for music, take note of the following: the San Francisco Conservatory of Music (www.sfcm.edu) has a rich season of free or low-cost student and faculty concerts, and master classes with international stars—for example, baritone Nathan Gunn, Oct. 11; mezzo Susanne Mentzer, Oct. 14; the venerable pianist Menahem Pressler (a founder of the 50-year-old Beaux Arts Trio), Oct. 18; and more. You haven’t been to the guts of classical music until you attend a working class with a great musician. 

Keep an eye also on San Francisco State University ( www.sfsu. edu), which has varied music and theater events, very much in the low-to-none price range we’ve been discussing here. Go to “News & Events,” and then “Events Calendar.” Note especially SFSU’s renowned and free Morrison Artists’ Series (www. collegeofcreativearts.org). 

The next program, at 3 p.m., Sunday, Sept. 12, presents the Alexander String Quartet. On Oct. 24, the free concert in McKenna Theater will have the young and explosive PSB Trio of pianist Navah Perlman, violinist Giora Schmidt, and cellist Zuill Bailey, performing Beethoven’s “Archduke” Trio and Brahms’ Trio No. 1. 

In the category of Unusual and Inexpensive Music: beginning next week and running through Oct. 3, the San Francisco World Music Festival (www.sfworldmusicfestival.org/index.htm). “World music,” a designation that originated in Berkeley 40 years ago (see a Daily Planet article at http://tinyurl.com/4zf9m), describes the crossover genre that encompasses ancient and contemporary music of East and West. This year’s festival will take place at a variety of venues throughout the city, no longer restricted to South of Market and Tenderloin locations that used to be home for such events.  

The festival-opening concert, Sept. 17, will be held in Grace Cathedral, featuring two acclaimed musicians from India: G.S. Sachdev (bansuri) and Zakir Hussain (tabla). On Sept. 19, the festival moves into the Asian Art Museum for the Youth World Music Showcase, presenting Bay Area student musicians, including the Alice Fong Yu School Chinese Orchestra. On Sept. 26, a rich program is offered in Herbst Theater, with the Kronos Quartet, Rahman Asadollahi (Azerbaijani garmon), Zhang Hai Yue (Chinese leaf), Zhao Gang Qin (Chinese gu zheng), and members of the Peking Opera.  

The Georges Lammam Ensemble performs Arabic music at two free events on Sept. 28, during the day and in the evening, in the Alice Fong Yu School, at 1541 12th Avenue, in San Francisco. From Macedonia, Esma Redzepova, “Queen of Romani music,” and Ensemble Teodoeosievki are featured in the ODC Theater on Oct. 3.  

Other items, randomly from a list that could run many pages: 

• Too late now for the summer’s free Stern Grove Festival concert series, but keep it in mind for next year: www.sterngrove.org. 

• San Francisco Performances, an outstanding organization presenting major recitals and chamber-music concerts, mostly in Herbst Theater, has a rather incredible deal for students: the Culture Card, advertised as “20 performances for $20.” Check with your school or www.performances.org. 

• The San Francisco Symphony has rush tickets for 50 percent, student rush tickets for $20, and there is a student rush hotline at (415) 503-5577, or go to www.sfsymphony.org. There are also special season subscription series available for students. Coming up Sept. 15-17: Michael Tilson Thomas conducting a progam of Steve Reich’s “For Strings,” Sibelius’ Symphony No. 2, and the great German baritone Thomas Quasthoff in orchestral songs by Schubert—a concert not to miss.  

And, finally, there is the share-world classic Craigslist, which list Bay Area events at www.craigslist.org/cal. 

?