-- Winged Migration (Le peuple migrateur): Birds! We tend to think nothing of them here in the Bay Area - well, as far as the homely and picked upon poor pigeon goes - but birds are exciting creatures. Colors, flying, migrating, the ability to form perfect V-shapes - just see for yourself tonight at 7:15 p.m. and 9:25 at The Red Vic; $6-8.50. -- Mike Stern: The controversial opening of Yoshi's SF won't hinder......

What does SF Opera music director Donald Runnicles do when he's not conducting Wagner at the War Memorial Opera House? He's conducting Wagner in London. What does SF Symphony music director Michael Tilson Thomas do when he's not conducting Mahler at Davies Symphony Hall? You guessed it: he's conducting Mahler in London. We knew that addicts to Mahler or Wagner existed. But to think that they live in our own backyard? Well, that's just spooky.......

Thesis: classic Italian opera represents the core tradition of the art form and success as a singer means being able to master the genre. Anti-thesis: opera is an evolving live form, and the work of contemporary composers is relevant, forget about the old dead ones. Synthesis: let’s toss a little bit of everything on the wall, old and new, domestic and foreign, we’ll see what sticks, and call it the Merola Grand Finale. To conclude......

If you are concerned about people growing old around you, just keep looking for fresh faces to hang out with. We got this bit of wisdom not from Gavin Newsom (who got it from Willie anyway), but from James Schwabacher. One of Schwabacher’s initiatives was to co-found the SF Opera Merola program, now in its 50th anniversary, a training program-slash-talent-search for opera singers that lasts all summer. Schwabacher sadly passed away in the middle of......

Some organization we've never heard of and could probably care the less about, the American Institute of Architects, put together a list of the Top 25 Bestest Buildings in San Francisco. Look for attendant show on VH-1 featuring snarky comments from Hal Sparks, Ian Michael Black, and Rachel Harris. ...

The second show of the Merola program, Il Matrimonio Segreto, opened last night at the Cowell Theater in Fort Mason. Just to recap: the Merola program was funded in 1957 by Kurt Adler and James Schwabacher to offer a training program to young singers, with real staged performances, and a Gala in the War Memorial Opera House as a conclusion. We actually were a bit surprised that Schwabacher was not eulogized at this first Merola......

The atmosphere knob was turned all the way to "party" Saturday night at the Civic Center. We stopped by at the Madame Butterfly simulcast 15 minutes before tip-off, and found the square full of a joyful crowd. Where a few saw a half-empty glass of cool, windy weather and stayed home, quite many -- by the opera's count, there were 8,000 people -- saw an opportunity: no need to bring ice to chill the chardonnay.......

If you ever wished to stand up and stretch, or God forbid, leave, in the middle of attending an opera, the SF Opera is there for you. They don't provide you with concerts you want to run away from, but with a bunch of casual opportunities to appreciate the lyrical arts al fresco. They have a concert in Stern Grove (July 30th), they have the annual Opera in the Park in Sharon Meadows in......

The SF Opera schedule makes it look like as if, when Dr Atomic reaches the pantheon of the opera repertoire, it will be greeted at the gate by Norma. Bellini's most famous opera opened yesterday at the War Memorial Opera House, bringing back the comfort of familiarity after the more adventurous world premiere of John Adams' composition, and we absolutely loved it. Norma is the ultimate bel canto opera, this beautiful singing style which places the emphasis on the lyricism and vocal agility of the singer. It is also an extremely powerful story, and yesterday's performance was so gut wrenching it would squeeze tears out of a rock. Norma is a high Druidess in Gaul who has been conducting a secret affair with Pollione, the proconsul for the Roman invaders. Unbeknownst to the other Gauls, they have had two kids, which says something about the value of togas for maternity wear. As the opera starts, Pollione, in a bout of mid-life crisis, has decided to leave Norma for a younger priestess, Adalgisa. ...