— Karen D’Souza. CLASSICAL MUSIC. An icon and a milestone: John Adams turns 70 in February, and the Bay Area will mark the occasion in style. In November, the San Francisco Opera will present the world premiere of “The Girls of the Golden West,” a Gold Rush opera by Adams and his frequent collaborator, librettist and director Peter Sellars. Before that, though, the San Francisco Symphony under Michael Tilson Thomas has a February celebration in store for the Berkeley composer. Performances begin Feb. 16-18, with Adams’ Passion oratorio, “The Gospel According to the Other Mary.” But the performance I’m most looking forward to is “Scheherazade.2.” This “dramatic symphony” for violin and orchestra — Adams ’s response to “The Arabian Nights” and the plight of women in wartime — gets its first Bay Area performances Feb. 22-25 under Tilson Thomas, with the sensational violinist Leila Josefowicz as soloist. The program also includes Prokofiev’s “Romeo and Juliet.” The “Arabian Nights” concerts are at Davies Symphony Hall, San Francisco ; $15-$162; 415-864-6000, www.sfsymphony.org.
Nigel made his weekly plug for National Dance Day, which takes place July 27, Since there was no flannel ballet slipperes cotton fabric show last week, Cat told us that each dancer would reveal something that no one knew about them as an introduction, Alexis said she won gold medals in dance and Nico is a soccer enthusiast, Both dancers had the flicks and kicks of the jive down cold, at least for the first half of the routine, but their high energy seemed like it drained away as the dance went on, Nigel thought they started well but commented on their loss of energy about halfway through, Mary said she enjoyed the routine and Carly Rae said she was very impressed, Hopefully, the voters will remember this routine since the first one of the show often gets forgotten..
The latest incarnation of the French Canadian traveling circus, “Amaluna,” is directed by Broadway powerhouse Diane Paulus, who also directed “Porgy and Bess” (now playing in San Francisco) and the Tony-winning revival of “Pippin.” It’s an ethereal tribute to the goddess which stitches acts of derring-do together with a whimsical twist on “The Tempest,” among other classical sources. If this big top blockbuster lacks some of the chills and thrills of previous shows, it has more than enough bewitching moments to cast a spell on Cirque buffs. This lovely homage to the power of the feminine runs through Jan. 12 in San Francisco before heading down to San Jose on Jan. 22.
Each artist expressed gratitude, but it seemed especially meaningful for those working in nontraditional fields, Carter, who also directs a Bay Area youth program called Future Arts Now, said he doesn’t feel like the award was just for him, “It’s kind of a validation of rap and hip hop as an art form,” he said, “It’s gratifying to see there are others in the community who see it as a viable art form.”, For his part, Borkenhagen says he would love to have an even more varied pool of artistic disciplines to choose from for next year’s grants, You can get flannel ballet slipperes cotton fabric more information on all the winners and the program at www.weimersawards.com..
Eating Disorders and Body Image Support Groups: The Eating Disorders Resource Center offers free support groups to create a safe space for those struggling with eating disorders and body image dissatisfaction. The groups are unstructured and open to all ages, genders and types of eating issues. Second and fourth Tuesdays of the month, 7-8:30 p.m. El Camino Hospital, 2500 Grant Road, Mountain View. Open Gardens: Charles Street Gardens opens its gates to the public. Tuesdays, 11 a.m.-1 p.m. 433 Charles St., Sunnyvale. Charlesstreetgardens.org.
