The performing arts have always been a source of great pleasure for me. As a child, growing up as I did in a suburb of New York City, I was exposed early and often to the wonders of orchestral performances, dramatic and musical stage productions, ballet, opera, and jazz, pop and rock. It was all there for me, just a short drive (or train ride) from my home.
Moving to Sacramento, as I did in 1972, created something of a culture shock for me. For many years, in spite of all its other charms, I did very much regard the state’s capital as a cow town, bereft as it seemed to be of any meaningful performing art venues. The four years I spent in Los Angeles in the mid and late 70s were a return to normalcy for me. And when my career brought me back to Sacramento in 1979, I promised myself that I’d spend lots of time in San Francisco, so as to stay connected to the kind of artistic performances I loved.
Those trips grew less and less frequent as my wife and I became parents, with little league and related activities for the boys intruding on my cultural appetites. Still, I vowed that once Jeri and I became empty nesters, I’d resume my San Francisco sojourns. But, happily, by the time that stage of our lives arrived, the need to flee the town for some serious culture was no longer relevant. Sacramento had shed its cow town image and had become a haven for high quality artistic performances and productions. To be specific, over the last ten years or so we have spent far more time in local venues than I’d ever thought we’d spend in SF. Here are five of those venues that have been particularly meaningful to us:
Mondavi – The Mondavi Center for the Performing Arts (on the campus of U.C. Davis) and its grand Jackson Hall really saved me from a life of despair when it opened in 2002. Bringing some of the world’s great orchestras and classical musicians to our region for up to a dozen performances a year was reason enough to be elated. But over the years, we have seen performances by jazz greats like Sonny Rollins, Herbie Hancock, and Chick Corea, dance troupes like Martha Graham’s and Alvin Ailey’s, and folk/pop singers like Arlo Guthrie, Elvis Costello, and Patti Smith. We schedule about two dozen treks a year across the causeway to see some of the greatest performers and best performances available anywhere. Going to Mondavi is the cultural equivalent of a ball game at Dodger Stadium, which, if you know me, is high praise indeed.
Capital Stage – Sacramento residents have been blessed for the last nine years with the work of Stephanie Gularte, Jonathan Williams, Peter Mohrmann and their colleagues at the first real “Off-Broadway” theatrical venue the city has ever had. (In making that statement, I take nothing away from the high quality productions at B Street and the steady work at the Sacramento Theater Company, both of which also provide great performances on a regular basis.) Every Capital Stage production is noteworthy and many (e.g., “Enron,” “The Elaborate Entrance of Chad Diety,” “Master Class”) are worthy of the highest praise. The organization is committed to producing cutting-edge theater, with an emphasis on new works that challenge audiences to explore ideas and viewpoints that aren’t mainstream or simplistic.
Music Circus – Of course, this one has been around for a long time, over 60 years. But it wasn’t until the permanent indoor structure (the Wells Fargo Pavilion) was erected where the old tent used to be on H Street that the performances became something more than regional summer stock. In the last ten years, the Music Circus has attracted high quality talent from Broadway and Los Angeles for its summer productions. It is now recognized by performers as a venue to shoot for. And the productions of shows like “Miss Saigon,” “La Cage aux Folles,” and “Les Miserables” (to mention just a few) are as good as you’ll see anywhere. We have been full subscribers every year since the Pavilion opened and rarely are disappointed by the productions.
Sacramento Choral Society and Orchestra – For seventeen years now, Donald Kendrick has led this organization in performances of some of the great works of classical choral music. And he has done it on a grand scale with choruses numbering over 150 for many performances (always accompanied by a professional orchestra). Hearing works like Verdi’s “Requiem” and Dvorak’s “Stabat Mater” sung by a well-trained chorus of that size is a wondrous experience for any choral music lover, and I am most definitely a member of that club. On a smaller, but no less impressive scale, Ralph Hughes has been providing great choral music of (much of it of the a cappella variety) with his Master Singers for many years. He and Mr. Kendrick are great choral conductors, and Sacramento is blessed to have them both.
Camellia Symphony – I was serving on the Board of Directors in 1996 when the old Sacramento Symphony closed its doors forever. That was a sad day. And now with the temporary cessation of performances by the Sacramento Philharmonic (which has been guided masterfully by Michael Morgan), symphonic music has suffered another blow. Happily, however, the Camellia Symphony has stepped into the breach with some excellent orchestral performances. Under the direction of Christian Baldini for the last two years, this orchestra has tackled some challenging symphonic works (e.g., Stravinsky’s “Firebird” suite, and Beethoven’s “Eroica” symphony) and has delivered them effectively. In the absence of a full schedule by a professional orchestra, Mr. Baldini’s musicians have provided sustenance for the music lover’s soul.
So there you have the equivalent of what you’d find available in a major metropolis like New York or San Francisco or L.A. Yes, there are still times when I think of heading to SF for a symphony or to catch a play, but those times are far less frequent of late; my needs are more than adequately met, right here in my home city of Sacramento.