A Feather, a Flame, and a First Masterpiece: “The Firebird” at SF Symphony

Just a few years before The Firebird premiered in Paris, Igor Stravinsky was an undistinguished law student in Saint Petersburg wishing he was a composer instead. By chance he met the son of Nicolai Rimsky-Korsakov, who was then the most prominent and influential of Russian composers, ingratiated himself with the family, and soon was taking lessons with the master himself.

Meanwhile, Serge Diaghilev was developing plans to bring Russian art to Western European capitals, beginning with painting and sculpture, then experimenting with opera, and finally settling on ballet. Together with the dancer Michel Fokine, he established the Ballets Russes in Paris, which at first mostly choreographed to existing works by Robert Schumann, Frédéric Chopin, and 19th-century Russian composers. To repurpose non-ballet music for dance was itself an innovative idea, but soon Parisians were clamoring for fresh sounds. Diaghilev and Fokine began to develop an ambitious new ballet with an original score for their French audience, and they paired two Russian folk characters—the magical Firebird and the evil Kashchei the Deathless—for the story.

On the Stage

This week’s events blur the lines between who we are and who we pretend to be—from Stravinsky’s shape-shifting Firebird to mistaken identities in Twelfth Night, blurred boundaries in Yellow Face, and the transformative journey of The Aves at Berkeley Rep.

The Aves

Theatre | Berkeley Repertory Theatre
Now – June 8 | Tickets

In the summer, an old man and an old woman sit on a park bench, talk about the birds, and bet on the rain…but things aren’t as simple as they may seem. With humor and tenderness, the singular imagination and innovative style of acclaimed playwright Jiehae Park turn the ordinary into the extraordinary as the seasons shift. 

View the Program

More Events

• Salonen Conducts The Firebird | San Francisco Symphony | Now – May 25 | View the Program
  • Composing the World Exhibit: Through June 26
• Twelfth Night | Inferno Theatre | Now – June 8
• Yellow Face | Shotgun Players | Now – June 14
  • Post-show Conversation: Thursdays & Sundays
  • ASL Interpreted: May 28

Next Line

Two newly announced special events promise to entertain while raising funds to support Bay Area arts organizations and music education programs through ticket sales.

• San Francisco Opera Guild and Neiman Marcus are joining forces for The Art of Fashion runway show and luncheon on May 28 at Neiman Marcus San Francisco. It’s set to be an afternoon of style, great food, and good company—with a luxe runway show, a delicious lunch from McCalls Catering, and plenty of eye-catching design. Even better, it all supports music education programs in the community. Seats are limited, so if this sounds like your kind of afternoon, don’t wait to grab your spot.
• Kamau Bell is heading back to Berkeley Rep from June 17 to 22 for an encore run of Who’s With Me?, his sharp, funny, and timely solo show. This round of performances isn’t just about laughs—it’s a benefit for 13 Bay Area arts organizations recently hit by NEA grant cuts. Bell brings his signature mix of insight and humor to the stage, asking big questions and inviting the audience to face them together. Proceeds support a wide range of local groups, from TheatreWorks Silicon Valley to Oakland Children’s Fairyland. A post-show meet and greet with Bell is also on offer—but spots are limited.