A video of illuminating proportions from Cal Performances
Check out Cal Performances’ video sharing this season’s Illuminations theme, tickets go on sale today for outstanding performances, and Berkeley Rep presents a West Coast premiere.
Illuminations bridges the groundbreaking scholarship of UC Berkeley with the world-class music, dance, and theatre presented by Cal Performances. Through performances, panel discussions, lecture demonstrations, Q&As, and more, Illuminations shines a spotlight on timely topics that challenge our understanding of the world and open new possibilities for the future.
History is always evolving—shaped by new voices, discoveries, and perspectives. This year’s Illuminations theme, Fractured History, invites you to dive into the dynamic process of rethinking the past. With performances and public programs in collaboration with UC Berkeley thought leaders, explore what’s left out when historical narratives are simplified, how we can widen our lens to be more inclusive, and the role the arts can play in revealing hidden layers.
In the video, UC Berkeley professors and artists from Cal Performances’ season offer a glimpse into their insights on these themes, sharing their own research and creative reflections.
“History is always fractured. There’s a certain group that’s going to tell the story and, very likely, they’re going to tell their version of the story.”
On the Stage
There’s romance on stage at SF Opera; Berkeley Rep brings a new twist on a classic tale; and sweeping, powerful music takes the stage at SF Symphony and Cal Performances.
Wilkins Conducts Rhapsody in Blue
Classical | San Francisco Symphony
October 25 –26 | Tickets
Conductor Thomas Wilkins celebrates the verve and vigor of mid-20th-century American music in a program featuring Rhapsody in Blue and music from Porgy and Bess, two works that have lured many an innocent ear into lifelong Gershwin fandom.
More Events
- The Matchbox Magic Flute | Berkeley Rep | October 18 – December 8 | View the Program
- Tristan and Isolde | San Francisco Opera | October 19 – November 5
- Tessa Lark, Joshua Roman & Edgar Meyer | Cal Performances | October 20
- Music for Families | San Francisco Symphony | October 26 | View the Program
Next Line
This week is all about planning your next event. Tickets go on sale today for three tremendous performances, including a visually impaired accessible performance.
- Cal Performances is offering a pre-show haptic access tour and live audio description for the October 27 performance of Mummenschanz. The Swiss mime troupe is celebrating 50 years and Cal Performances is committed to making this special performance accessible to blind and visually impaired patrons.
- Stanford Live and Goldenvoice have announced that Dabin will be performing at the Frost Amphitheater on April 26–27, 2025. Dabin’s Wild Youth LP has seen him solidify his signature sound which blends acoustic elements with electronic ones through a dance-pop lens. Tickets go on sale today!
- Tickets go on sale today for The World Ballet Company presentation of the world premiere of The Great Gatsby. F. Scott Fitzgerald’s timeless novel comes to life through the art of dance at BroadwaySF’s Curran Theatre on February 9, 2025.
