SF Symphony collaborates with African-American Shakespeare Company for gala
SAN FRANCISCO -- The San Francisco Symphony kicked off its new season Friday evening with a one-of-a-kind performance and gala to benefit the artistic community.
The season opener was a first-ever collaboration of its kind between the SF Symphony and the San Francisco-based African-American Shakespeare Company (AASC). They performed Felix Mendelssohn's 'A Midsummer Night's Dream' at Davies Symphony Hall.
AASC artistic director Peter Callender directed the actors on stage, including guest stars Chris Sullivan from 'This Is Us.'
"We just wanted to bring this entire community a little bit closer to let everyone know that the African-American Shakespeare Company is here, to come see our work, to come visualize our work, to share our work, to not just support us, buu to let us know what you as a community would like to see," said Callender.
After a scaled back event last year, Friday's Opening Night Gala returned with full glamour and high fashion. The symphony welcomed hundreds of guests with a blue carpet and colorful performers on stilts and in costume. Concertgoers also enjoyed different dining experiences.
"It is truly, truly overwhelming and exciting. This is life, I mean my heart is beating faster in the best of ways," said Navid Armstrong, the co-chair at this year's gala. "Midsummer Night's Dream - it's whimsical, it's magical, it's mystical, and this is what this is all about. We wanted it to be that way."
The concert performance was filled with moments of laughter from the audience.
"We need to laugh now more than ever, Betty, we need beauty in our life," she added.
Proceeds from the night support the symphony's artistic, community, and education programs year-round, which reach nearly half a million concertgoers and more than 75,000 Bay Area students.
"They go and literally touch the instruments, they talk to the musicians, for the first time they play the violin, just to see the excitement, the life in their eyes," said Armstrong. "And a lot of them they get into music because of that. And as we all know, I'm a mother of twins, when you're exposed to music such as this, it actually helps you do better in math and science."
Guests also enjoyed a lively outdoor afterparty with music, a dance floor, and food and drinks from local vendors.
"The costumes, the lights, the smiles, the attention given to this -- to see this community come together --there's nothing like it," said Callender.