The Wagner Society Welcomes Matthew Shilvock, General Director of the San Francisco Opera JCC-SF - 3200 California Street, San Francicso, CA 2nd Floor Gallanter Hall Matthew Shilvock brings a passion for opera and a wealth of experience to the post of General Director of San Francisco. He began his career with the arts service organization… Continue reading San Francisco Opera General Director Matthew Shilvock
April 1, 2017 1:00 p.m. JCC-SF at 3200 California Street, San Francisco, CA Janet Popesco Archibald, Oboe and English Horn, San Francisco Opera – More Tales from the Pit The Society is delighted to welcome another member of the San Francisco Opera Orchestra to our series of lectures. What would Tristan und Isolde be without… Continue reading Janet Popesco Archibald, Oboe and English Horn, San Francisco Opera Orchestra
The Wagner Society of Northern California A Special Concert Celebration for the 204th Birthday Anniversary of Richard Wagner Registration fee $35.00 - on-line ordering llink is at the BOTTOM OF THIS PAGE The Society has engaged pianists Steven Bailey and William Wellborn who will perform a concert of Wagner and Wagner transcriptions for… Continue reading Wagner Society of Northern California – All Wagner Concert
1:00 p.m. June 17, 2017 Desiree Mays – Heroes Then and Now "Take a good look at Wotan," Wagner tells us, "He is us!" What is a hero? Who are our heroes? Who are the heroes of the Ring, and how did they change over the course of composition? What is the meaning of Wagner's Free Hero? This talk discusses heroes from tragic… Continue reading Heroes – Then and Now
Every so often, the Wagner Society offers a "Member's Meeting". In this meeting we turn the podium over to members who share with the group their own personal Wagner experiences. In addition, we will be having a "Haus Wahnfried Garage Sale". Many of us have large collections of Wagnerian items, books, memorabilia, CDs, audio DVD and… Continue reading Member’s Meeting
September 16, 2017 1:00 p.m. JCC-SF 3200 California Street (@ Presidio) San Francisco, CA The production team for Opera San José is unable to be with us, as an alternative, we will screen a DVD of Der fliegende Hollander. Members are free; Guests are always welcome Liebig Image courtesy of Trish Benedict
October 14, 2017 1:00 p.m. JCC-SF 3200 California Street San Francisco, CA Music in the Waters Composers and Conductors at the Grand Spas of Central Europe, 1810-1914 At the height of their influence in the 19 th century, the grand spa-towns of Central Europe – gilded refuges such as Baden-Baden, Bad Ischl, Marienbad,… Continue reading Music in the Waters – Professor David Clay Large
November 18th 2017 - 1:00 p.m. JCC-SF 3200 California Street San Francisco, CA UPDATE: Our scheduled speaker, Thomas Grey had to withdraw due to a serious family emergency. He will be rescheduled for Fall 2018. NEW PROGRAM: Great Female Wagnerians of the Early Recording Era Following up on several talks about the early recording… Continue reading Great Wagner Sopranos of the Early Recording Era – Lisa Hirsch
REGISTRATION FOR THIS EVENT CLOSED ON NOVEMBER 29TH THANK YOU FOR YOUR INTEREST The finale to the Wagner Society's year is the annual Cosima Wagner Holiday Celebration. This unique, elegant event is the highlight of the Wagner Society year. We toast Richard and Cosima with champagne, enjoy a recital and celebrate the Wagner Society and… Continue reading Cosima Holiday Champagne Brunch
Kay Stern will talk about her life in music and her career with the San Francisco Opera Orchestra. The Wagner Society invites artists as speakers in order to get "up close and personal" stories about the talented individuals who enrich our lives. Kay Stern is the Concertmaster of the San Francisco Opera Orchestra, a position… Continue reading Kay Stern, Concert Master of the San Francisco Opera
The Society is delighted to welcome back Professor Adrian Daub who will give a talk entitled “Wagner's Ring in Popular Culture.” We are awaiting a fuller description of this talk. Daub is a Professor of German Studies and Comparative Literature at Stanford University as well as Director, Program in Feminist, Gender and Sexuality Studies; Director,… Continue reading Wagner’s Ring in Popular Culture
Many consider Kirsten Flagstad and Lauritz Melchior to be the greatest Wagnerian duo ever. In his talk, Jeff McMillan will recount the careers of these two great singers and will play many examples of their incomparable artistry. A fuller description of Jeff's talk is forthcoming. Jeff McMillan, a member of the Board of Directors of… Continue reading Flagstadt and Melchior
Paul Heise’s zoom talk “How Elsa Showed Wagner the Way to Siegfried” is an update of his article of the same name originally published in the May, 1995 issue of Wagner, the peer-reviewed journal of The Wagner Society (London, UK). Its subject is how Wagner’s last traditional opera Lohengrin paved the way for Wagner’s revolutionary music-drama… Continue reading How Elsa Showed Wagner the Way to Siegfried – A Zoom Lecture with Paul Heise
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Our traditional Wagnerian Celebration returns once more to the Classic Marines’ Memorial Club and Hotel. This year, in addition to a festive repast served in the beautiful Crystal Lounge, the musical program will feature a performance by current Adler Fellows, Sadie Cheslak and Ji Youn Lee. Mezzo-soprano Sadie Cheslak, a first-year Adler Fellow at the… Continue reading 2026 Cosima Wagner Holiday Celebration Brunch
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An erudite and engaging speaker, Leo Eylar returns for another fascinating lecture to the Society. His last talks with us covered “thematic transformation” – aka leitmotifs. This lecture will be a continue his examination of this key area of Wagner’s art, focusing on aspects of this subject that he did not have time to cover… Continue reading Leo Eylar Returns!
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Well known to Wagner Society members, Thomas Grey will examine the meaning and functions of the “ring” Wagner’s epic cycle. Grey is a Professor Emeritus of Musicology and by courtesy, German Studies, at Stanford University. His special fields of study are: Wagner, 19th-century opera, the history of musical aesthetics and criticism, Romantic music and visual culture.… Continue reading What does the Ring actually do in Wagner’s Ring Cycle? with Prof. Thomas Grey
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Join us for a Zoom meeting where Erica will examine the relationship between these two vastly different 19th-century composers. Wagner and Mendelssohn knew each other, and Wagner expressed admiration for Mendelssohn early on, but turned against him after his early death. Mendelssohn was a focus of Wagner’s infamous screed, Das Judenthum in der Musik (Jewishness in… Continue reading Wagner and Mendelssohn a Zoom talk with Erica Miner
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As the San Francisco Opera starts the monumental undertaking of producing Wagner’s Ring Cycle with performances of Das Rheingold this month, Katherine Syer’s presentation will enhance our experience with a talk focused on this pinnacle of musical and dramatic art. Further details on her talk will available later. Katherine Syer has taught at the University… Continue reading Aspects of the Ring with Katherine Syer
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