Symphony San Jose presents five musical postcards depicting the vast beauty and diverse character of our nation: Ives’ patriotic celebration from New England, Still’s soulful southern soliloquy, Midkiff’s Blue Ridge Mountain tribute, Shaw’s homage to fragrant orange groves, and Copland’s famous western masterpiece.
This is the first appearance of a mandolin as a solo instrument on our series, and Jeff Midkiff’s concerto (performed by the composer), is full of foot-stomping, toe-tapping, virtuosic electricity that’s great fun to hear.
Program:
- Charles Ives: Variations on “America”
- William Grant Still: Darker America
- Jeff Midkiff: Mandolin Concert “From the Blue Ridge”
- Caroline Shaw: Valencia
- Aaron Copland: Rodeo
Performances:
- Sat., December 2, 2023 @ 7:30pm
- Sun., December 3, 2023 @ 2:30pm
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A beloved Conservatory tradition is rekindled as Christmas at the California returns December 4-7!
You are invited to enjoy four unforgettable nights of heartwarming performances that capture the Christmas spirit through music and art.
PERFORMANCES:
Monday, Dec. 4, 2023 @ 6pm
Christmas Around the World!
Take delight and step into the season as the K-3 Kidservatory Choirs present the first night of Christmas at the California with Christmas Around the World! Embrace the rich cultures within the Valley Christian community and experience the hope that the birth of Christ brings through the joyous voices of the youngest students.
Tuesday, Dec. 5, 2023 @ 7pm
Christmas Joy!
Immerse yourself in the melodies of the Junior High Bands, Strings, Drums and Jazz groups as they bring Christmas Joy! to the California Theatre stage. May the merriment brought to life by the talented students captivate you and bring you into the Christmas spirit!
Wednesday, Dec. 6, 2023 @ 6pm
A Christmas Celebration!
Embrace the joy of the Christmas season with A Christmas Celebration, where the stage will come alive with a harmonious blend of young musicians from the 4th and 5th grades, joined by experienced High School instrumentalists. This fusion of different ages and levels of expertise promises to be a heartwarming display of talent, spreading the festive spirit that Christmas brings to all.
Thursday, Dec. 7, 2023 @ 7pm
A Conservatory Christmas
The VCS season of Christmas performances draws to a close with the spectacular A Conservatory Christmas! The stage will burst into life with the awe-inspiring talents of Conservatory Fellows, as they come together with select performance ensembles from Elementary, Junior High and High School programs. This grand finale promises to be an evening you won’t soon forget, filled with the harmonious music and joy of the holiday season. Be there to experience it for yourself and let the spirit of the holidays warm your heart. From VCS: “We can’t wait to see you there!”
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Symphony San Jose and the Symphony San Jose Chorale invite you to celebrate “The Most Wonderful Time of the Year”.
Rejoice in holiday classics including carols, audience sing-alongs, and the famous Silicon Valley version of “The Twelve Days of Christmas”.
Bring friends and family for an unforgettable time at the California Theatre!
Performances:
- Sat., December 9, 2023 @ 7:30pm
- Sun., December 10, 2023 @ 2:30pm
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The Symphony Orchestra, Camilla Kolchinsky Orchestra, El Camino Wind Orchestra and Honors Wind Ensemble celebrate the holiday season with a festive program of dances, overtures and suites.
Program:
- Beethoven: Egmont Overture
- Strauss II: The Blue Danube Waltz
- Sarasate: Zigeunerweisen (ft. Ashley Huang, violin)
- Hisaishi: “Merry-Go-Round” from Howl’s Moving Castle
- Rrimsky-Korsakov: Overture to The Tsar’s Bride
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Join Maestro Leroy Kromm, San Jose Symphonic Choir, San Jose Baroque Orchestra and other devotees in singing Handel’s beloved oratorio, Messiah.
Bring your score or purchase one in the lobby. Wear your favorite holiday attire.
Come early and enjoy carols of the season performed in the lobby by Vivace Youth Chorus of San Jose.
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“Delightful. As imaginative as it is captivating!” – Metro Silicon Valley
The San Jose Nutcracker is a joyful holiday production that transports the well-loved story to turn-of-the-century San Jose.
The fun begins at every performance with festive holiday decorations in the elegant lobby. Attendees can meet costumed characters and be photographed in magical fairytale settings, plus enjoy inventive displays from History San Jose, and treats and toys available for purchase.
Tickets start at just $25.
Presented in partnership with History San Jose, The San Jose Nutcracker is performed by New Ballet and accompanied by a live professional orchestra.
Also available: My Very First Nutcracker, a shortened performance with reduced ticket prices for families with young children.
NOTE: AGES 1 AND OVER REQUIRE A TICKET.
Performances:
- Sat., December 16, 2023 @ 2pm & 7pm
- Sun., December 17, 2023 @ 2pm
- Fri., December 22, 2023 @ 7pm
- Sat., December 23, 2023 @ 2pm & 7pm
This is a magical holiday ballet for the youngest audiences.
My Very First Nutcracker is a special one-act presentation of The San Jose Nutcracker, ideal for families with toddlers, preschoolers and young children. This joyful holiday production features the festive holiday party, at which Uncle Nikola reveals his fascinating gifts.
Kids will marvel at the historic San Jose Electric Light Tower rising magically above the streets of San Jose, and cheer on adorable mice and toy soldiers who compete to win a magic crown. Introduce your family to the magic of classical ballet!
My Very First Nutcracker has a run time of approximately 55 minutes. Tickets start at $17.
NOTES:
- My Very First Nutcracker does not include the second act of The San Jose Nutcracker where Clara meets the Sugarplum Fairy and journeys to the “Valley of Heart’s Delight.” For the complete two-act classical ballet with live orchestra, click here.
- AGES 1 AND OVER REQUIRE A TICKET.
Leila Forouhar is a Persian pop artist and Habib Qaderi is an Afghan pop artist.
They have been sharing stages over the past 30 years and they join together, once again, for this concert.
Tickets will be on sale soon.
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Ali Siddiq is a stand-up comedian and public speaker out of Houston, Texas. Ali’s unique style of stand-up began behind the walls of incarceration, an incubator for interesting experiences and good stories.
In 2022, Ali released two new hour specials… The Domino Effect on YouTube and Unprotected Sets on EPIX. To date, The Domino Effect has over 10 million views, ranking it in the top 5 most-watched comedy specials of the year. On June 4, 2023, Ali released The Domino Effect 2: Loss, the sequel to his viral stand-up special, which already has over 3 million views on YouTube to date.
People received their first taste of Ali Siddiq when he appeared on HBO’s Def Comedy Jam and Live From Gotham. In 2013, he was named Comedy Central’s “#1 Comic to Watch”. In 2014, Ali impressed comedy enthusiasts by displaying his ability to captivate an audience with his “Mexicans Got On Boots” tale, a descriptive storytelling, with over 13 million views, of a prison riot on This Is Not Happening, the first of three appearances.
His stories continued with his Half Hour special, which premiered on Comedy Central in the Fall of 2016. Immediately following the premiere of that special, Comedy Central offered Ali an hour-long special where he performed for inmates live in a Texas jail, sending Ali back to where it all started. The hour special, Ali Siddiq: It’s Bigger Than These Bars, premiered in February 2018 on Comedy Central. In 2019, Ali was a Top 5 finalist on NBC’s Bring the Funny. He also appeared as a regular cast member on the reboot of Punk’d for Quibi.
Additionally, Ali has appeared on several popular podcasts like The Joe Rogan Experience, 85 South, Uncle Joey’s Joint with Joey Diaz, Ari Shaffir’s Skeptic Tank, Bertcast, Pour Minds and many others.
Advisory: Due to some mature material, parental guidance is suggested.
Tickets are on sale as of October 6.
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Technology is part of our daily lives, but this program reminds us of the awesome power we have unleashed. Adams’s piece depicts a ride in a terrific sports car quickly regretted; Dukas’ setting of the Goethe poem sees a young wizard meddling in things he doesn’t understand; Schoenberg’s new work includes a battle between cello soloist and hologram; and Strauss’ epic tone poem was featured in the original A.I.-gone-wrong movie, 2001: A Space Odyssey.
Automation is a cinematic concerto that explores the conflicts and connections between man and machine. Watch and listen as cellist Yves Dhar and his holographic A.I. counterpart interact on stage in a groundbreaking composition by Grammy-nominated, Emmy-winning composer Adam Schoenberg that features cello, halldorophone, electronics, orchestra and projected visuals.
Program:
- John Adams: Short Ride in a Fast Machine
- Paul Dukas: The Sorcerer’s Apprentice
- Adam Schoenberg: Automation
- Richard Strauss: Also Sprach Zarathustra
Performances:
- Sat., January 27, 2024 @ 7:30pm
- Sun., January 28, 2024 @ 2:30pm
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Verdi’s classic tale of honor, revenge, fathers and daughters is never out of the repertory for long. An instant success from the night of its premiere, it has been moving audiences around the world for generations.
Armed with a gripping story, a shocking twist and an iconic score, Rigoletto is an indestructible, eternal testament to the sacrifices we make for our job, our family and our honor.
Performances:
- Sat., February 17, 2024 @ 7:30pm
- Sun., February 18, 2024 @ 2pm
- Fri., February 23, 2024 @ 7:30pm
- Sun., February 25, 2024 @ 2pm
- Fri., March 1, 2024 @ 7:30pm
- Sun., March 3, 2024 @ 2pm
> California Theatre Events Calendar
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Many classical composers have been seduced by cinema, none more so than Erich Korngold and Dmitri Shostakovich. Korngold was the first composer with international stature to compose for Hollywood. In Russia, Shostakovich was having similar success with the new medium.
There have also been film/tv composers lured to the concert hall. Known for his iconic scores for The Simpsons, Nightmare Before Christmas, Batman and more, Danny Elfman is a four-time Oscar nominee and one of the most revered composers in Hollywood. His violin concerto was written for this concert’s soloist, Sandy Cameron, who herself can be heard on numerous Hollywood soundtracks.
Whether writing for stage or screen, these composers’ music tells a story.
Program:
- Erich Korngold: Overture to The Sea Hawk
- Danny Elfman: Violin Concerto
- Dmitri Shostakovich: Symphony No. 1
Performances:
- Sat., March 23, 2024 @ 7:30pm
- Sun., March 24, 2024 @ 2:30pm
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Tony Hinchcliffe is a touring stand-up comedian, writer and podcast host based out of Austin, Texas. Hinchcliffe began his career cutting his teeth at the renowned Comedy Store in Los Angeles — evolving from a door guy saturated in the world of comedy to a paid regular sharing the stage with the best comics in the world.
As the host of the #1 live podcast in the world, Kill Tony, he has scaled his namesake platform to stream to hundreds of thousands weekly and over 100 million people total in its ten years running since June 2013. Hinchcliffe and his assembly of enthusiasts collectively made “The Store” the place to be on Monday nights before touring every major city in the U.S. traversing the globe in an international run, and discovering numerous fresh comics and elevating many more up-and-coming voices.
With Kill Tony’s new home at The Comedy Mothership — Joe Rogan’s club in the core of Downtown Austin — this uniquely influential open mic in the stand-up universe has a legacy unrivaled by anything else out there.
As a professional wordsmith with impressive edge, Hinchcliffe partners his reputation as a roast comic with a long-working résumé supporting his uniquely qualified candidacy. From his membership of the Writer’s Guild to his Comedy Central rolodex of credits, he is a top draft pick to judge roast battles and also extremely well-insulated by the company of the most respected working stand-ups today.
William Montgomery and Kim Patterson are also scheduled to perform tonight.
NOTE: This event will be a phone-free experience. Use of cellphones, smart watches, smart accessories, cameras, or recording devices will not be permitted in the performance space.
Upon arrival at the venue, all phones, smartwatches, and accessories will be secured in Yondr pouches that will be opened at the end of the event. Guests maintain possession of their phones at all times and can access their phones throughout the event at designated Phone Use Areas in the venue. All phones will be re-secured in Yondr pouches before returning to the event space.
Anyone seen using a cellphone during the performance will be escorted out of the venue. Guests are encouraged to bring a credit card for purchases inside the venue. We appreciate your cooperation in creating a phone-free viewing experience.
Tickets: $39.75-$175
Tickets are on sale as of October 13.
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Opera San José is thrilled to present the long-awaited Bay Area premiere of Mexican composer Daniel Catan’s masterpiece Florencia en el Amazonas, OSJ’s first Spanish-language work.
Crystal Manich, after her celebrated West Side Story production. returns as director.
Set on a steamboat voyaging down the enchanted Amazon rainforest, the glamorous Florencia and the other passengers go on a life-changing adventure. Charged with the magical realism of Gabriel Garcia Marquez, the opera blurs the boundaries of the real and the fantastic to explore and reveal longing, grief and love. Music Director Joseph Marcheso conducts.
Performances:
- Sat., April 20, 2024 @ 7:30pm
- Sun., April 21, 2024 @ 2pm
- Fri., April 26, 2024 @ 7:30pm
- Sun., April 28, 2024 @ 2pm
- Fri., May 3, 2024 @ 7:30pm
- Sun., May 5, 2024 @ 2pm
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Symphony San Jose pays tribute to the great Italian opera composer on the 100th anniversary of his death. Carlos Vieu returns in this retrospective that will feature operatic highlights from Giacomo Puccini’s early, middle and late career masterpieces.
Two of opera’s leading soloists, Jenny Schuler and Ben Gulley, along with the Symphony San Jose Chorale, perform some of Puccini’s most memorable arias, duets and choruses, including “The Humming Chorus”, “O mio bambino caro” and “Nessun Dorma”.
Program:
Selections from Manon Lescaut, La Fanciulla del West, La Bohème, Madame Butterfly, Turandot and more.
Performances:
- Sat., May 11, 2024 @ 7:30pm
- Sun., May 12, 2024 @ 2:30pm
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Bored Teachers presents the 2024 “We Can’t Make This Stuff Up” Comedy Tour, featuring the funniest teacher-comedians in the world!
Their hilarious skits have amassed hundreds of millions of views on the internet, and they’re all joining comic forces on the stage to bring you a night of laughter you do not want to miss….
So put that red pen down, pause that Netflix series you’ve been bingeing, throw on your comfiest teacher tee, call your teacher besties, and come burn off some of that stress this school year has been dumping all over you!
Tickets are on sale as of November 10.
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From Symphony San Jose: “You’ve heard of the three ‘B’s (Bach, Beethoven, and Brahms). Well, how about the three ‘M’s: Arturo Márquez, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart and Gustav Mahler!”
The Symphony’s 2023–2024 season comes to a rousing conclusion with the help of international conducting sensation Tatsuya Shimono and San Jose’s own Van Cliburn Gold Medalist, Jon Nakamatsu.
Program:
- Arturo Márquez: Danzón No. 2
- Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart: Piano Concerto No. 21
- Gustav Mahler: Symphony No. 1 (Titan)
Performances:
- Sat., June 1, 2024 @ 7:30pm
- Sun., June 2, 2024 @ 2:30pm
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Kathy Griffin is a two-time Emmy and Grammy Award winning comedian, television star, best-selling author and advocate known for her biting satire and fearless comedy. The legendary performer holds the Guinness Book of World Records award for writing and starring in an unprecedented 20 televised stand-up specials.
Kathy is perhaps best known for her hit Bravo series Kathy Griffin: My Life on the D-List, which aired for 6 years and won 2 Emmys. Kathy starred on NBC’s Suddenly Susan and guest starred on Seinfeld, Law & Order: SVU, Glee, You and Curb Your Enthusiasm.
She has lent her unique voice to animated characters in Shrek Forever After, The Simpsons, American Dad, Futurama and Dilbert. Kathy co-produced and co-hosted CNN’s New Year’s Eve special with Anderson Cooper for 10 years.
Kathy’s memoir, Official Book Club Selection: A Memoir According to Kathy Griffin, debuted at #1 on the New York Times Bestseller List. Her second book, Kathy Griffin’s Celebrity Run-Ins: My A-Z Index, was also a New York Times Bestseller.
Kathy is a passionate advocate for the LGBTQIA+ community, women, other disenfranchised groups, and is a cancer survivor herself.
Tickets are on sale as of November 17.
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