Symphony Silicon Valley Tickets

Leslie Uggams, the cast and orchestra were phenomenal. I took my Mom and two daughters to celebrate their birthdays, and we all agreed that it was a very special afternoon. I hope that more Broadway concerts will be performed in the same fashion. We were all going with the impression that it would be only singing. I remembered Leslie Uggams on the Mitch Miller show many years ago, and have always loved her beautiful voice. I would high recommend this event.

Absolutely loved the performance. Good selection of music, extremely well played and conducted, enjoyable tenor. Friendly yet classy environment.

I was surprised at how flawlessly beautiful the orchestra played. It was as if an internationally famous philharmonic was performing. The selections played were as if I had been asked to choose my favorite pieces. About Lisa Vroman: What an extra delightful surprise; not just a songtress but a consumate preformer. She absolutely wowed us. How charming, humerous & so very talented (was that 'THE' Paul Pelosi?) Maestro Cleve rounded off the entire event with his masterful conducting an audience participation. Than you for the traditional rousing Radeszky finale! Why the 5 year hiatus? Encore,encore. P.S. Our box meal was scrumpteous.

Program was good, but we would have preferred more walzes and less Sondheim. Biggest problem was the catering - which we reported to the Deputy Director of Montalvo. Hope they get it right for next year. The lawn events are certainly worth reviving.

I feel really sorry for anyone who wasn't there. It was a fantastic event. THe music lead to wonderful visions of ballroom dancers doing a wattz. The Symphony sounded wonderful as usual and Lisa was fabulous. Even the weather cooperated and couldn't have been better. We had the box dinner and it was yummy. Can't wait til they have this event again.

Delightful concert and Lisa in fine voice. Only snafu was the lack of shuttles to take participants to the parking area.

I understand it has been five years since the last concert on the Great Lawn at the Villa Montalvo. The concert on the 22nd was long overdue, wonderfully entertaining in a perfect setting. The featured performer, Lisa Vroman was an utter delight, both vocally and personally - no uppity diva here, just a brilliantly clear and fluid vocality many opera singers would envy, and the wonderfully funny and unassuming patter of a star who loves her audience and what she does. The parking is a problem, expensive, or else involving an hour-long wait post-concert to get a shuttle back to a remote lot. But this should become a series or a recurring event. Once the idea that you'll have to wait is embedded in the collective psyche of concert-goers, an extra half hour or 45 minutes spent on the grass with, say, the dessert portion of your picnic, is not onerous.

The Manhattan Transfer has been my favorite vocal group since the 1970's and they continue to impress all who hear them. This group delivers an outstanding show with verve and a sense of wonder for the music they perform so well. This concert was an excellent example of the adaptabiliy and versatility of the group. If you ever get a chance to see them, run to the box office, don't walk and you will not be disappointed.

Good individual vocal skills but the group performance lacked severely. Perhaps they needed to rehearse more. Except for one or two tunes the group did not harmonize well together. Perhaps we were spoiled by Masterpiece (which was outstanding) and Voices in Harmony (which were very good). The Manhattan Transfer vocals were too loud. I would have preferred hearing more tunes I recognized.

The show was terrific, as usual. The performance was exhilirating and thrilling. However, I wish the Manhattan Transfer had more time to perform. The two groups before them were good, but I would have preferred to have heard more of them.

I'm a 20-year fan and have seen them in concert at least 10 times. Unfortunately, this time was a disappointment. First, there were 45 minutes of 2 opening acts, plus a 25 minute intermission. When we paid $65 each for our tickets, it wasn't clear anywhere that this was a fund-raising event for the opening acts, which we learned at the opening. Second, the sound system was just plain awful. The instruments were so muddy as to be indiscernible from booming bass background noise. The Manhattan Transfer vocals were often drowned out by the instruments, and when we did hear the vocals it was difficult to hear the lyrics. Lastly, and this was personal preference, in past performances there's been more of a mix of old and new MT music. This time, other than Birdland and maybe 2 others, the songs were either new or unfamiliar. Overall, a disappointing time for a long-time fan.

INCREDIBLE! A MUST SEE! GARY HOFFMAN IS A MASTER. THE SYMPHONY WAS TOP NOTCH, TOO!

Gary Hoffman was wonderful. I'm not a big symphony fan but really enjoyed the venue (lovely building), affordable price of tickets and the music. It was a great experience for my kids too

The orchestra had no drive or enthusiasm. The violins sounded thin and screechy.because there were not enough of them. I heard several soloists make mistakes. This is NOT the same first class orchestra I heard two years ago. With the exception of last part of the last piece, the music bored me enough to want to go to sleep. A sure cure for insomnia! It looks like budget cuts have taken their toll. I am glad I did not renew my season subscription for this season. Nor will I again. I guess that if I want to listen to a live performance by a real symphony orchestra, I'll have to hear the San Francisco Symphony. How disappointing!

We had an excellent, exhilarating experience at the California Theatre last night, especially after the intermission. The mass was very interesting, using traditional Latin but sounding very contemporary. Unfortunately, the mass was punctuated with audience clapping after every movement, which spoiled the effect. But in the second half, the show was redeemed, though we were disappointed when they announced "The Best of All Possible Worlds" was not to be performed, presumably because audience participation had been added. Also, we would like better indication of who belonged to which choir in the participating choruses.

Hearing the full orchestration of Frank Loesser's wonderful score was a bittersweet reminder of what Broadway used to be, lush and dramatic, and sometimes piquant melodies telling a passionate and warmly human story. Damn, I miss that. And what perfect casting, right down to the versatile chorus whose members played a number of featured roles.

Understand the cost of the production if sets costumes had been used. I was expecting that, therefore that was disappointing. BUT the talent was there. Too bad could not be taken a few notches up for the colorful costumes, sets etc. Was cast very well. The characters fit the people well. Mrs. Paroo I picture as a mature women.....bare shoulders did not fit her.

Barbara Day Turner was the most energetic conductor I've ever seen. Brent Barrett, who played Professor Harold Hill, has a great voice.

Saw Music Man at the California Theater Saturday night. But, wait - it's not Music Man the musical, it's music man the orchestra and some non-costumed acting on a bare stage (well, ok, there were chairs and stands). Basically the music without all that acting. Orchestra did a great job, the parts players were passable and sometimes even good. But I really think musicals were meant to be enjoyed with the acting, sets and great music! However, if you love The Music Man like I do, you'll enjoy this visit to (the outskirts of) River City.

We really enjoyed this performance. A combo of superb singing and play reading.