Blogolini

Seriously,  herding fish into the nets of Portuguese fishermen is one of the skills of the Portuguese Water Dog.  I don't think there will be much opportunity to herd fish at the White House.  Herding cats (senators) maybe.  First Lady Michelle Obama announced today that her family will be welcoming a rescued Portuguese Water Dog in April.  Similar to a poodle (the standard version) the breed is known to be almost non-allergenic.  Congrats to John on the Peninsula.  He guessed the breed and won tickets on today's KDFC Lunch Box trivia to hear The 5 Browns next week at The Marin Center. The Obamas are asking for name ideas.  Would you believe Porto?

The wonderfully gifted German violinist Anne Sophie Mutter is featured this week on our KDFC CD of the Week with a tribute to Mendelssohn's 200th birthday.  On the cover of the CD she is wearing one of her signature strapless gowns.  She almost always wears a strapless dress when she performs because she likes the feel of the violin against her naked skin.  I even remember seeing her years ago at Davies in a strapless maternity outfit!  She returns to Davies with the SFS at the end of February.  Can't wait to see what she wears.  Enjoy this gallery of beautiful gowns. 

This Sunday (2/1) at 8pm KDFC will broadcast SF Opera's recent production of Korngold's hauntingly beautiful opera, Die Tote Stadt. You won't want to miss this special presentation of a work that has been compared to Hitchcock's Vertigo.  In the meantime, SF Opera just announced its line-up for the 2009-2010 season.  The season will be the first for new Music Director Nicola Luisotti (pictured).  Maestro Luisotti will conduct Verdi's Il Trovatore which will kick off the season on September 11.  He will also helm Salome, Otello and The Girl of the Golden West.  The season includes Il Trittico by Puccini, Wagner's Die Walkure, Gounod's Faust, The Daughter of the Regiment by Donzetti and Mozart's Abduction from the Seraglio.  Mark your calendars for the next two outdoor simulcasts from SF Opera and the SF Giants.  We'll be at AT&T Park once again on Friday, June 5 for Puccini's Tosca and then on Saturday, September 19, catch a free simulcast of the opera's season-opening opera, Il Trovatore. For complete details from SF Opera's news conference, go their website.

KDFC listeners cannot be categorized.  If your image of a KDFC listener is of some tweedy music professor-type with gray hair and a pipe,  get ready to have that image shattered.  While there may be someone out there smoking a pipe  (of what?) I'm happy to say that we have listeners from every conceivable background, education-level, age, ethnicity and geographical circumstance.  Take for example Karl Muller who recently returned from several tours of duty in Iraq  (see photo below).  He now lives in west Oakland in a neighborhood that he describes as only slightly less dangerous than Iraq!  Karl is a fan of all kinds of music but he especially enjoys KDFC when he's creating something out of steel or relaxing in his hot tub.  Karl,  this one's for you.

Last night Jim and I attended a dress rehearsal of "Dracul:Prince of Fire" at Oakland's The Crucible.  Driving home, I kept wondering how in the world I would describe this unique event to you.  One thing's for sure, you're not going to see anything like it anywhere else.  The upshot is I liked it.  It was compelling and so different from your typical ballet fare.  Think of it as the anti-Nutcracker.  The story is loosely based on the idea that Dracula had a dad.  A dad who slayed a dragon and became a vampire.  There's no reason to try and figure out the plot, which is good because it doesn't really add up.  But that's just fine.  The fire is all!  Fire everywhere.  Coming out of the dragon's nose, rimming the stage, at the ends of a baton being spun by a very gifted fire-manipulator.  "Dracul" is a combo-pack of straight-ahead ballet, Cirque du Soleil acrobatics, and, oh, did I mention, the FIRE?  Check out this video for a taste of what's going on this weekend and next at The Crucible.

This is such a simple idea and an easy way to help others this holiday season:

Happy Holidaze! We are excited to announce the Muni Manners Holiday Fast Pass Drive - a simple way for riders to give back to the com-Muni-ty without spending a dime.

How does it work? From Dec 10 through Dec 21, individuals leaving town for the holidays drop off an otherwise wasted Muni Fast Pass, and we donate the transit tickets to local women's shelters to provide those in need with a ride home or transportation to a safe haven. The locations listed below have agreed to host our drop-off boxes. Once collected, Fast Passes will be donated to the La Casa de Las Madres and Asian Women's Shelter in San Francisco. We've spoken to both shelters and they are thrilled to receive the passes for their clients.

Safeway, 2300 16th St & Potrero Ave
Safeway, 2020 Market St & Church St
Safeway, 15 Marina Blvd & Laguna St
One Market Lobby @ the Market St entrance

Smooth riding,
SF Muni Ladies
Angelie Agarwal & Julie Hayes

Once again we're participating in the Gingerbread House competition at the Palace Hotel. KDFC's entry this year (photo below) is adorable, with little marzipan mice exploring a music stand with white chocolate music and a cello in yummy chocolate gingerbread.  The concept is the brainchild of our Marketing guru, Val Robichaud and pastry chef Sarah I. Joos.  They call it "Midnight Mouse" and everything is made of gingerbread. Stop by the Palace Hotel at 2 New Montgomery Street in SF through December 31st and vote for the KDFC Gingerbread design.  Your vote will help our chosen non-profit organization, Music in Schools Today, win $2000!

On this Thanksgiving Day, I'd like to thank our great KDFC listeners.  Thanks for making KDFC the most successful classical station in the country.  Be sure to have KDFC on during your turkey feast on Thursday.  The wonderful Linda Bruno will be filling in for me from noon to 4:00 and you can hear Ray White in the morning with Nicole LaCroix bringing you great music in the evening hours.  I also want to thank my neighbor and friend Sandy van Broek for sending me the photo of my own personal theater in Italy!  Obviously that double "c" was one of those pesky masonry typos!

US News and World Report just published the names of America's Best Leaders and our own Michael Tilson Thomas made the list.  This will come as no surprise to anyone who is a regular attendee at Davies Symphony Hall or, for that matter,  to anyone living in the Bay Area.  In his 12 seasons with the SFS, MTT has brought a wonderful excitement and creative innovation not only to the orchestra but to the community in general. And not a little glamor too.  Here's MTT on his musical mission:

"If I had to say, 'Who am I going to impress from here onward? Am I going to be playing for the experts or the guys at the gym?' I'll pick the guys at the gym," Thomas says. "I want them to feel there is something in this music for them. You don't have to know anything special to love classical music. If you are alive and in tune with your own feelings and the way in which those feelings are changing all the time, then classical music is for you."

Read the entire profile.

Thanks to everybody for their great composer campaign slogans. Here are a few choice ideas:

Bach to Basics
There's No Bizet Like Show Bizet
Bach to the Fugueture
Smitten with Smetana
Dvorak for the New World
Haydn: No Surprise
Vote Offenbach: Yes We Can-Can
We Love Ludwig!

And don't forget to vote for the 2009 KDFC Classical All-Stars right now at www.kdfc.com.