This coming week will mark a century for one of the most impactful symphonies in the country. At a time when many orchestras are suffering from budget cuts and bankruptcy, the longevity and vibrancy of this organization is incredibly inspiring.
The 100th season of the San Francisco Symphony begins with Wednesday night’s gala at Davies Symphony Hall and ends in August, an 11-month birthday bash featuring world premieres, public concerts and workshops, a historical book, documentary film, online archives including rare recordings – and unprecedented visits by six of the country’s most vital orchestras.
Not only will the year be one of great celebration for the orchestra and the Bay Area, but also a unique opportunity for the Symphony to reaffirm its growing status among American and international orchestras.
“We wanted to celebrate here, to bring things home rather than be absent from home,” said music director Michael Tilson Thomas. “And we wanted to pay homage to the identity of the symphony in different periods of development, particularly the Barbary Coast, to capture the adventurous music and theater history in San Francisco, going back to the Gold Rush.”
The first performance of the San Francisco Symphony took place Dec. 8, 1911, and featured works by Wagner, Haydn and Tchaikovsky. Some 1,400 people attended the concert, which was a matinee because orchestra members had night jobs, playing music in bars, cafes and restaurants.
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