San Diego Symphony Press Binder: Oct 7 - Oct 24 by San Diego Symphony

The San Diego Union Tribune 10/13/2016

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FRIDAY 10.14 “God of Carnage” Previews begin Friday. Opens Oct. 22. 8 p.m. Thursdays-Fridays; 3 and 8 p.m. Saturdays; 2 p.m. Sundays. Through Nov. 13. New Village Arts Theatre, 2787 State St., Carlsbad. $33-$36. (760) 433-3245 or newvillagearts.org

5 OCT. 13 – 19, 2016 UNION-TRIBUNE

A playground fracas leads to a parental freakout in “God of Carnage,” Yasmina Reza’s potent, Tony Awardwinning comedy about grown-ups behaving badly. Jessica Bird (fresh off assistant-directing La Jolla Playhouse’s Broadway-found “Come From Away”) stages the New Village Arts revival in what’s become a Reza-centric autumn: The playwright’s earlier work “Art” is now running at Intrepid Theatre downtown. JAMES HEBERT • U-T

4 days of film In the swing

FRIDAY 10.14 — SUNDAY 10.16

FRIDAY 10.14 — SATURDAY 10.15 “Jump Jive” 7:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday. Balboa Theatre, 868 Fourth Ave., downtown. Recommended for ages 6 and older. $40-$75. (619) 570-1100 or californiaballet.org California Ballet Company brings Jared Nelson’s fusion of classical ballet and swing to the Balboa Theatre. Nelson, recently named the company’s assistant artistic director, opens California Ballet’s 49th season with work he choreographed for the Sacramento Ballet when he was 19. It’s a daring amalgam of swing and classical dance that went on record as receiving the longest standing ovation in the Sacramento company’s history. A bold blend of styles and pacing, “Jump Jive” combines “Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy” with the sultry song “Fever” and graceful pirouettes with the jive’s mooch step. The program includes the classic “Suite Vivaldi” by Francisco Gella, Septime Webre’s “Fluctuating Hemlines,” and segments from “The Great Gatsby.” MARCIA MANNA • U-T

Symphony gets started

THURSDAY 10.13 — SUNDAY 10.16 La Costa Film Festival Today through Sunday. Carlsbad at the Omni La Costa Resort & Spa, 2100 Costa Del Mar Road; Cinepolis Luxury Cinemas, 6941 El Camino Real; Ruby G. Schulman Auditorium at the Dove Library, 1775 Dove Lane. $15-$350. lacostafilmfestival.org The La Costa Film Festival in Carlsbad features four days of films and special events for movie fans. Films include feature-length productions, short films, documentaries, and high school and college films. In previous years, the festival has honored actors Andy Garcia and Ed Harris, and this year, there are question-andanswer sessions, a Friday night event with actor Chris Noth (“Law & Order,” “Sex and the City,” “The Good Wife”), awards ceremonies and parties. There are movies like “Fastball,” an investigation into who threw the fastest pitch in baseball history; “Pickle,” about all the animals one couple have adopted over the course of their marriage; or “It Had to Be You,” a satirical romantic comedy about a jingle writer whose boyfriend proposes and gives her an ultimatum.

San Diego Symphony’s Opening Weekend, featuring Schumann, Mendelssohn and Brahms 8 p.m. Friday and Saturday; 2 p.m. Sunday. Copley Symphony Hall at Jacobs Music Center, 750 B St., downtown. $20-$96. (619) 235-0804 or sandiegosymphony.org Whether it’s family-oriented fare, the old masters, contemporary composers, movie soundtracks or jazz, the San Diego Symphony’s 2016-17 season has something intriguing for just about everyone. “Our response for tickets has been overwhelming,” said Martha Gilmer, the symphony’s CEO. “We have a balance between fantastic works by well-known composers and great pieces that are not wellknown.” The Jacobs Masterworks series, the flagship of the symphony season, begins this weekend with Jahja Ling conducting and Gil Shaham on the violin. “It will be an exciting year,” Ling said. “Major musicians want to play with us because it’s a wonderful orchestra. Even conductor Edo de Waart, now music director of the Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra, is coming to conduct my orchestra for the third time. I can’t believe this.” BETH WOOD • U-T

LISA DEADERICK • U-T

The San Diego Union Tribune 10/16/2016

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SUNDAY • B11 OCTOBER 16, 2016

Dr. Bob and Mao (“June”) Shillman, Jessie Chang and Jahja Ling (he’s Symphony artistic director), Nancy Bai, Rueibin Chen

Bill and Martha Gilmer (she’s Symphony CEO), Dr. Warren and Karen Kessler (he’s Symphony board chair), Joan and Irwin Jacobs (honorary lifetime directors; she’s Symphony Foundation board chair)

Dave and Phyllis Snyder (he’s Symphony board chair-elect; she’s a gala co-chair), Stephen and Phyllis Pfeiffer, Shannon and Sameer Patel (he’s Symphony associate conductor)

A gala celebration STORY AND PHOTOS BY VINCENT ANDRUNAS • SPECIAL TO THE U-T

SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA OPUS FUNDRAISER

great orchestra is a hallmark of a great city, and the San Diego Symphony Orchestra (SDSO) represents our town admirably. Operating since 1910, it weathered a few difficulties before maturing into one of the leading orchestras in the United States, designated “Tier 1” by the League of American Orchestras. A healthy measure of the credit for that honor accrues to Maestro Jahja Ling, SDSO’s music director, who has assembled a cast of superbly talented musicians. Now beginning his 14th and final season, he’ll become SDSO’s first conductor laureate, leaving a legacy that will endure for many years to come. CEO Martha Gilmer’s inspired leadership will help ensure SDSO’s continued success. But as board chair Dr. Warren Kessler puts it, all symphonies have a lousy business plan: Only 30 percent of their income is earned — they must rely on contributions for the rest. Fortunately, San Diego philanthropists have been generous — Joan and Irwin Jacobs pledged $120 million to SDSO in 2002, and additional local support is widespread. SDSO’s annual Opus fundraising galas are among the region’s preeminent social events. For the most recent, held last Saturday, 176 bought tickets (priced from $1,250 to $5,000) for the full event. It began with cocktails and assorted canapés in the Symphony Towers lobby before elevating to the 34th

floor University Club for a gourmet three-course feast featuring braised short ribs or grilled swordfish. Hundreds of long-stemmed red roses hung from chandeliers, and vivid descriptions of SDSO’s artistic, education, and community engagement programs preceded a live auction and paddleraise. The evening continued with a fabulous 90-minute Symphony Hall concert featuring the orchestra conducted by Thomas Wilkins. The audience of 1,352 included music students hosted by SDSO. Stunning performances by acclaimed guest artists Patti Austin and Michael Feinstein, singing solo and in duets, culminated in multiple standing ovations for both singers and musicians. Gala guests then returned to the University Club, where they were joined by 442 who had purchased $250 tickets for the concert and “after-party.” Seven rooms throughout the venue offered a jazz trio, dueling piano bars, seafood buffets, desserts, dancing, a photo booth, and comfortable lounging. Festivities continued till midnight. Beyond gala ticket sales, another $297,920 came in via auction bids, paddle-raise donations, and concert and after-party tickets — funds that will benefit SDSO’s work in the community.

Ben and Ann Haddad (she’s a gala co-chair), Sandy Levinson, Kathleen Davis, Phyllis and Dan Epstein (she’s a gala co-chair)

Jerry and Pamela Cesak, Iris and Matthew Strauss, Karen and Don Cohn

ONE-ON-ONE WITH GA IL CHATFIELD

Helping veterans find a voice STORY BY LISA DEADERICK ■ PHOTO BY EDUARDO CONTRERAS Gail Chatfield’s father was a Marine who served in World War II, but spent away from home while in the he died when Chatfield was a teen, so she never heard any of his stories service. The stories were heartfelt about his time in the service. She found herself fascinated by the stories and heart-rending and certainly Copyright © 2016 The San Diegoand Union-Tribune, LLC &bull; Policy We &bull; of other veterans her father’s age, though, eventually co-founded worthyPrivacy of a wider audience. the Veterans’ Writing Group San Diego County. have 22 authors and poets repre“We want to bring together people who love to write and guide them sented in the book, appropriately through the writing process,” she says. “The writers in our group share entitled “Away for the Holidays,”

Q: A:

tant. However, he challenged Why is it important to you himself every month to write down that veterans write their and share his innermost thoughts. stories? Copyright October Policy 17, &bull; 201610/16/2016 7:24 pm / Powered by are TECNAVIA He paid us a great compliment Because their stories saying that he could never have unfiltered, real and we done this without the support and would know nothing about miliunderstanding from a group of his tary life or war without their voices