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American Bach Produces a Deeply Transferring St. John Ardour

Daily SF News — Fri, 15 Mar 2024 07:24:12 +0000

American Bach

For all the discrete wonders of JS Bach's St. John Passion – the stirring solos, harmonically layered choruses, soaring choruses and piercing orchestral accompaniment – American Bach's performance on Sunday, March 10, reminded the enthusiastic audience at St. Mark's Lutheran Church in San Francisco remembers what a captivating achievement of musical storytelling this great work is. The composer's depiction of Christ's torment and crucifixion, which is now exactly 300 years old, seemed lively and eternally new.

While many took credit for the afternoon, Gregório Taniguchi's lyrically astute and emotionally penetrating account of the narrative evangelist was the defining center and driving force of the line. It's not often that a recitative can do so much, but this wonderfully expressive tenor used his crystal-clear German diction, modulating timbres and piercing line readings to enliven the intricate details of Christ's suffering, death and redemption. Taniguchi rarely attracted attention, his long black hair framing his striking, gaunt face.

Gregory Taniguchi | Photo credit: Sean Fitzpatrick

Equally convincing, in another respect, was baritone Jesse Blumberg, who sang two dynamic and captivating arias and brought a deep, conflicted dimension to the role of Pontius Pilate. When Blumberg's Roman governor confronted Jesus (baritone Mischa Bouvier, intense in his composure), their heated arguments created a palpable theatrical tension in the audience.

In a Passion performance that provided several highlights, the aria that Blumberg performed with the American Bach Cantorei and three strings may be the standout. In this growing, sombre, beautiful litany, sung immediately after the evangelist proclaims the death of Jesus on the cross, the poignant majesty of Bach's genius emerges. Over an evenly flowing basic bass and a wafting decanter of strings, the soloist and choir searched for answers that only faith can answer. Here, translated from the sung German, is such an exchange in which darkness, light and mystery are connected:

“Am I now redeemed from death?” The soloist posed in a kind of musical transubstantiation of Christ’s suffering.

“In my final throes,” offered the refrain, “nowhere else can lead me.”

Right at the beginning, in the refrain “Lord, our ruler,” the Cantorei took up the musical complexity and breadth of the work. With a mixture of technical precision, transparent singing and dynamic responsiveness under the undoubted conductor and artistic director Jeffrey Thomas, the Cantorei created the far-reaching foundation of this passion.

The choirs and chorales had a radiant richness of sound and emotion. As the crowd mocked Jesus in Part 2, the Cantorei sang with a harsh, sarcastic undertone. In a moment that could have been channeled by Dickens, the singers blithely suggested drawing lots for the woven cloak worn at Christ's death. More than a few times, the work's narrative reveals the dark depths of human nature.

Yet even as he captured the profound suffering and anguish of Christ's final hours, Bach infused his passion with hope, faith, and transcendent visions. A shining star came early, in soprano Julie Bosworth's aria, “I too will follow you with eager steps.” Her bright, clear tone filled the church in a flowing line that became the vocal equivalent of a long, uninterrupted beam of light. Later, Bosworth brought a sense of fully committed immediacy to the number in a short but haunting devotional aria entitled “Dissolve now, my heart, in floods of tears.”

Among the other soloists, the amber-colored mezzo-soprano Ágnes Vojtkó made a strong impression with her poignant aria “It is fulfilled!” This echoes Christ's statement as his mouth is stuffed with a sponge soaked in vinegar.

The orchestra played with their usual grace and responsiveness, but not without some unsteady spots and problems with balance. The solo strings were particularly good, as was the even, smooth draw of the continuo parts.

Running two hours and 15 minutes, including an intermission, the St. John Passion requires and demands focused attention. The printed text in the program comprised eight pages, which are well worth reading to appreciate the sophisticated poetry of Bach's settings. Although the performance of American Bach was finely crafted in many details, it ultimately formed a unified whole. Regardless of the listener's religious orientation, this was a musically spiritual occasion.

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California school, museum battle over shifting huge ‘Pan American Unity’ mural

Daily SF News — Sat, 18 Nov 2023 23:20:20 +0000

The San Francisco Museum of Modern Art and City College of San Francisco have filed dueling lawsuits over who will move the massive piece back to the college. Image by mliu92/Wikimedia Commons

Nov. 18 (UPI) — Two public institutions — an art museum and a community college — are facing dueling lawsuits over who will pay to move a massive Diego Rivera fresco.

The San Francisco Museum of Modern Art claimed in an October lawsuit that City College of San Francisco hasn’t paid its share to move the 30-ton mural, colloquially known as Pan American Unity, the San Francisco Chronicle reported. City College countersued Friday, saying the museum mismanaged its finances so it can’t afford to send the piece back.

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The he-said, she-said sets the stage for a court battle while the work remains stuck in limbo, college Board of Trustees President Alan Wong said.

“We were thrilled to partner with the SFMOMA to share the mural with the world. Our partnership had an agreed upon multi-million dollar budget for them to take care of and return the mural we loaned,” he said.

“Now they haven’t returned the mural by the agreed-upon deadline, exceeded the budget and want money meant for our school buildings to foot the bill. We are, therefore, deeply disappointed that we had no choice but to file a counterclaim in response to the museum’s lawsuit against the college. We look forward to resolving this dispute and returning this national art treasure to its rightful home.”

The standoff began after the school loaned the work — officially called Unión de la Expresión Artística del Norte y Sur de este Continente — to the museum in 2019 while the school performed building renovations.

According to court documents, the agreement states the museum was to budget nearly $4 million, which included $1 million dedicated to return the piece by Sept. 1. Any deadline changes were required to be mutually approved.

The school claims the museum mismanaged its finances and never set aside funds to return the piece. Instead, the museum allegedly changed the terms of the initial agreement without approval and pursued litigation, the school said.

“SFMOMA also suggested the college tap into its $181.3 million in San Francisco taxpayer bond funds, which can only be used for the construction of new educational facilities, to compensate for the world-renowned museum’s financial mismanagement,” the school said.

The mural is currently in storage at the museum but is slated to be displayed in the college’s new Performing Arts Pavilion in 2026. The piece, which spans 1,600 feet, was completed in 1940 and features 10 panels depicting the past, present and future. It also includes three self-portraits and a portrait of artist Frida Kahlo, his wife.

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American Airways home top notch evaluation – The Factors Man

Daily SF News — Wed, 11 Oct 2023 13:34:48 +0000

Quick take: American Airlines’ A321neo first class started with a stressful boarding experience and meager amenities but made up for it with impressive aircraft features and a surprisingly good meal.

Pros

Enormous overhead bins are capable of accommodating every passenger’s carry-on bags.
Seatback USB ports next to personal device holders make it easy to charge while watching entertainment.
Meal service is above average, with custom sundaes.

Cons

Even on a new aircraft, American has forgone seatback entertainment and headphones.
No food or drink menus or pillows and blankets are provided.
The first-class seats recline relatively deeply but still feel constricted.

It’s been almost five years since American Airlines’ A321neo first entered service with new traveler-friendly features like bigger overhead bins, faster Wi-Fi, more widely available in-seat power and more first-class seats. Nowadays, American operates 70 of these planes, which you’ll often find on some of the airline’s transcontinental and West Coast to Hawaii flights.

On a recent trip from Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (DCA) to San Francisco International Airport (SFO), I came across a reasonably priced first-class flight for just 24,000 AAdvantage miles (worth $360 at TPG’s valuations) plus $5.60 via Philadelphia International Airport (PHL).

Here’s what it’s like to fly American Airlines’ Airbus A321neo from Philadelphia to San Francisco.

How much does first class cost to book on American Airlines?

KYLE OLSEN/THE POINTS GUY

American generally operates two to three daily flights from Philadelphia to San Francisco, most of which are on the Airbus A321neo. The airline sells basic economy fares, standard economy fares, Main Cabin Extra seats with more legroom and first-class seats. American uses dynamic award pricing, so award rates vary and correspond somewhat to cash fares — meaning if airfares are high, you can expect to redeem more miles for a ticket.

Here’s what you can expect to spend for a nonstop itinerary between Philadelphia and San Francisco over the next year at current prices.

Class	Economy	First class
Cash price (round trip)	$208 to $1,190	$1,170 to $4,790
Miles (round trip)	21,000 to 103,000 (plus $11.20 in taxes and fees)	53,000 to 200,000 (plus $11.20 in taxes and fees)

All passengers can bring a personal item and a full-size cabin bag onboard. Here’s what else is included (or not) with economy versus first-class on this specific route.

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Class	Change fees	Checked bag fees	Seat selection	Boarding group
Economy	$0 (no changes for basic economy)	$30 for the first checked bag, $40 for the second checked bag	$34 to $41 for a preferred location like a window or aisle near the front of the cabin, $0 for all other seats, $67 to $77 for Main Cabin Extra (extra legroom, complimentary beer, wine and spirits and preferred boarding)	Main cabin boarding (Group 4 to 9)
First class	$0	Two free bags	$0	First-class boarding (Group 1)

American Airlines offers complimentary upgrades for its AAdvantage elite members on this route. I was surprised to see that all but four customers on the upgrade list cleared into first class.

As mentioned, my one-way ticket from DCA to SFO via PHL cost 24,000 miles plus $5.60. If you also find a discounted first-class deal on miles, you’re best off booking with AAdvantage. When partner first-class award space is available, Alaska Mileage Plan offers seats on this route for 25,000 miles plus $18.10. If you want to use American Express, Capital One or Chase transferable points, British Airways Executive Club is probably your best option, and charges 38,750 Avios plus $5.60.

Some of the best credit cards for booking airfare include:

KYLE OLSEN/THE POINTS GUY

Checking in to and boarding first class on American Airlines

You can check in for your flight 24 hours before departure on the American Airlines app to skip the airport check-in lines. As with the Delta and United apps, you can track the status of your inbound flight to stay apprised of potential delays.

American operates out of Terminal 2 at Washington’s National Airport. There’s a designated priority check-in area. Lines for the self-service kiosks and customer service were short. With TSA PreCheck and Clear, it took a few minutes to get through security.

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KYLE OLSEN/THE POINTS GUY

Having a two-hour connection made the 15- to 20-minute walk from my arrival in the F concourse to my B departure gate more manageable, but leave plenty of time between flights if you have a connection in Philadelphia.

The gate area for the San Francisco flight felt cramped and was air-conditioned to an arctic degree, but since the plane was only about two-thirds full, plenty of seats with power outlets were available.

Boarding began on time at 7:30 p.m., and I was among one of the first passengers to board with Group 1. As I scanned my boarding pass, the gate agent told me I had too many items to be allowed to board and halted the entire boarding process. Lacking clear instructions, I interpreted this interaction as a request to place my laptop inside my backpack, which I promptly did. Eventually, I was allowed to board, but the experience was stressful due to the lack of clear instructions and the attention of other passengers and airline staff as I hurriedly loaded my laptop into my backpack.

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KYLE OLSEN/THE POINTS GUY

The Airbus A321neo features spacious overhead bins similar to what you expect on wide-body aircraft. This meant you could place a typical roller bag on its side so more passengers can fit theirs in. We pushed back on time, partly because no bags needed to be gate-checked due to full overhead bins.

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KYLE OLSEN/THE POINTS GUY

Getting settled, first-class passengers were offered a predeparture beverage choice of water, orange juice or sparkling wine in plastic cups. The flight attendant also offered to store passengers’ coats in the closet.

KYLE OLSEN/THE POINTS GUY

We pushed back from the gate at 8 p.m., about five minutes early.

How comfortable was American Airlines first class?

The aircraft for my six-hour flight to San Francisco was a brand-new, 2023-delivered Airbus A321neo with the following seat count and layout in first class.

Number of seats	20
Cabin layout	Five rows of seats in 2-2 configuration
Seat pitch and recline	37 inches, 5 inches
Seat width	21 inches

After turning right at the boarding door, all passengers pass through this single-aisle aircraft’s five rows of first class. Enhanced by the soothing blue mood lighting, the dark gray leather recliner seats have a sophisticated, if spartan, look. The last row of first class showcases the distinctive American Airlines logo on the divider, serving as a visual marker before transitioning into the economy class section of the aircraft.

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KYLE OLSEN/THE POINTS GUY

Although this was a nighttime flight, the windows felt a bit small. The Boeing 737 MAX, which American also flies, has slightly larger windows.

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KYLE OLSEN/THE POINTS GUY

While these seats do not have built-in seatback entertainment, they provide an expandable personal device holder that can conveniently accommodate a tablet or phone. Additionally, a seatback USB port is positioned next to the personal device holder, allowing you to avoid any hassle with tangled cords when you need to step out.

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KYLE OLSEN/THE POINTS GUY

Speaking of inflight charging, each seat has a universal AC power outlet in the center armrest, which opens for easy access.

Additionally, along the center armrest, you’ll find the seat control, which consists of a single metal button to recline your seat. Although you can recline your seat and adjust the headrest for added comfort, the seats do not have a forward-cradling feature. This limitation may restrict your space when the passenger in front of you decides to recline their seat.

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KYLE OLSEN/THE POINTS GUY

A foldable metal tray table expands from each seat’s other armrest. It also has a personal device stand you can pop up when the table is partially unfolded. When fully unfolded, the table provides ample space to work on, accommodating even larger devices such as my 16-inch MacBook Pro.

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KYLE OLSEN/THE POINTS GUY

There’s also a beverage tray between seats that folds down, from the preceding console which I found useful for keeping my drink handy but away from my laptop.

KYLE OLSEN/THE POINTS GUY

First-class passengers and pilots use the lavatory just behind the cockpit. American stocks liquid D.S. & Durga soap., which feels like a high-end touch. I captured these photos shortly after boarding, but around halfway through the flight, the lavatory clearly required servicing, which the flight attendants did not see to for the duration.

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KYLE OLSEN/THE POINTS GUY

American Airlines first-class amenities

With no headphones, pillows, blankets, amenity kits or menus supplied, American’s amenities were scant, especially for a six-hour first-class flight — particularly when you compare it to what’s provided in first or business class on the airline’s transcontinental flights, which proffer bedding, noise-canceling headphones, printed menus and amenity kits.

There was, however, an ample selection of inflight entertainment on the AA Inflight portal with 12 stations of live TV, hundreds of TV shows and movies (including hits like “Crazy Rich Asians” and “Carmen”), Apple Music, Apple TV+ and Rosetta Stone language classes.

I also purchased full-flight Wi-Fi for $29. While speeds weren’t sufficient for uploading photos, I could send emails and Slack messages throughout the flight.

How was the food in American Airlines first class?

On eligible routes, which my flight from Philadelphia to San Francisco was, American Airlines allows you to reserve a meal beginning 30 days (and up to 24 hours) before your flight.

The pre-order main course choices on my flight included:

Golden roasted chicken with roasted tomato chutney, salted smashed potatoes, haricot verts. Created and inspired, according to the airline, with wellness in mind by James Beard Award-winning author and nutritionist Ellie Krieger
Gemelli cacio e pepe (vegetarian) pasta with cheese and black pepper served with smoky tomato sauce, zucchini and tomatoes
Harvest vegetable and grain bowl with roasted garlic dressing, roasted vegetables, pickled onions, lentil salad, green beans, roasted shiitake mushrooms and grilled salmon available upon request (another Ellie Krieger collaboration)

You can also pre-order special meals if you have a dietary preference or restriction. I ordered the chicken, and the flight attendant confirmed my entree and asked for my preferred beverage shortly after boarding.

About 20 minutes after takeoff, the dinner service began with a hot towel. a beverage and mixed nuts.

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KYLE OLSEN/THE POINTS GUY

About 10 minutes later, dinner was served.

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KYLE OLSEN/THE POINTS GUY

The chicken dish exceeded my expectations and was a step up from United’s domestic first-class meals, which I’m more accustomed to. It had a delightful citrusy flavor, and the portion size was satisfactory. On the other hand, the shrimp appetizer fell short. It tasted more like mayonnaise than seafood, leaving room for improvement.

Complimentary beverages, including beer, wine, spirits and soft drinks, were available, but unfortunately, there was no menu provided, making it challenging to know the full selection of options.

About an hour after the dinner trays were collected, the flight attendants offered a choice of a hot fudge sundae, a lava cake or a fruit and cheese plate.

I went with the sundae, which could be customized with hot fudge, caramel, nuts, fruit and whipped cream, then served in a glass.

KYLE OLSEN/THE POINTS GUY

The hot fudge on the cold ice cream with the crunch of the nuts hit the spot.

While the flight attendants left the passengers to themselves after the dessert service, they remained available for drink requests. About an hour before landing, a snack service was offered.

KYLE OLSEN/THE POINTS GUY

The choices including kettle potato chips, honey-roasted pistachios, mini pretzels and sea salt corn nuts.

Would you recommend American first class?

Despite American Airlines lacking features like built-in seatback entertainment, headphones and high-end first-class amenities such as blankets, the upgraded meal and spacious 2-2 seating arrangement made my journey across the U.S. comfortable and relaxing. However, in the future, I would aim to avoid connecting in Philadelphia due to the significant distance between the inbound and outbound gates.

Although these aren’t the same updated seats Delta offers in first class on the same aircraft, with more comprehensive privacy dividers and crisp entertainment screens, the cabin still felt fresh. To enhance the experience, American Airlines could consider providing built-in seatback entertainment, menus and cradling recliner seats with wings on each side of the headrest to offer a slightly improved feeling of privacy.

If you’re flying from New York’s John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK) or Boston Logan International Airport (BOS) to San Francisco, Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) or John Wayne Airport (SNA), try to work out a connection to get on a nonstop flight between these airports to experience the airline’s Flagship Business or Flagship First. On these routes, American offers lie-flat seats, menus, upgraded multi-course meals, lounge access and built-in seatback entertainment in both business and first class, which would put this particular flight to shame.

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Biden praises Dianne Feinstein as defender of American values at San Francisco memorial | Information, Sports activities, Jobs

Daily SF News — Fri, 06 Oct 2023 13:10:07 +0000

The body of U.S. Sen. Dianne Feinstein arrives at City Hall Wednesday, Oct. 4, 2023, in San Francisco. Feinstein’s casket was then displayed at City Hall. Feinstein, who died Sept. 29, served as San Francisco mayor. (AP Photo/Godofredo A. Vásquez)

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — President Joe Biden praised the late Sen. Dianne Feinstein on Thursday as a dear friend and a woman of deep integrity who fought to protect what was important to America: freedom, civil liberties, security and the U.S. Constitution.

“She was always tough, prepared, rigorous, compassionate. She always served the people of California and our nation for the right reasons,” Biden said in recorded video remarks played at Feinstein’s memorial outside San Francisco City Hall.

Roughly 1,500 invited guests were at the private service, where two large screens showed photos of Feinstein over the years. Guests seated in white chairs sweltered on an unseasonably hot day as the U.S. Navy Blue Angels flight team soared overhead, occasionally interrupting speakers with the roar of their jets.

The flight demonstration squadron is in the city as part of Fleet Week, an annual San Francisco celebration started by Feinstein in 1981 when she was mayor.

Vice President Kamala Harris and Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer were scheduled to deliver remarks, along with Feinstein’s granddaughter, Eileen Mariano, who will speak for family.

California Gov. Gavin Newsom, a former San Francisco mayor, and former Gov. Jerry Brown were in the audience.

The service marks the end of two days of events in the city that launched Feinstein’s political career.

On Wednesday, hundreds of mourners streamed into City Hall to pay their respects, honoring Feinstein as fearless, smart and the glue who kept the city together after two shocking political assassinations.

Many said they had never met her but wanted to honor an indefatigable public servant who fought to level the playing field for women, members of the LGBTQ+ community and racial minorities.

Feinstein died early Friday at her home in Washington, D.C., of natural causes, said Adam Russell, a spokesperson for her office. She was 90.

Feinstein was one of California’s first two women U.S. senators, a job she first won alongside Barbara Boxer in 1992, dubbed the ” Year of the Woman.”

Feinstein spent much of her career in the U.S. Senate but will be known as the forever mayor of San Francisco, a role she inherited in tragedy. She was president of the Board of Supervisors in November 1978 when a former supervisor assassinated Mayor George Moscone and Supervisor Harvey Milk, the city’s first openly gay supervisor, at City Hall.

Feinstein, who found Milk’s body, became acting mayor and won election twice to serve as mayor until 1988.

Georgia Otterson, 76, a health care administrator, said Feinstein wasn’t as politically liberal as she would have liked, but the late mayor earned her respect with how she kept the heartbroken city together.

“We were all mourning together, holding candles. If memory serves me, Joan Baez sang,” Otterson said of an impromptu march that night from the historically gay Castro District to City Hall. “And she held us up.”

As a centrist Democrat, Feinstein was criticized by people on the left, including for her support for the death penalty, and in her later years, for working with Republicans. But the straight, white woman largely earned the gratitude of a city that celebrates its racial and sexual diversity.

She steered San Francisco through the HIV and AIDS crisis, bringing attention to an epidemic ignored by President Ronald Reagan. She also secured federal and private funding to save the city’s iconic cable cars from death by deterioration.

Feinstein led the city as it played host to the Democratic National Convention in 1984. Another San Francisco tradition — “Fleet Week” — was started by Feinstein in 1981, and this year’s annual celebration of air shows, naval ships and military bands is dedicated to her.

While Feinstein’s career sent her to Washington, she remained deeply involved in the affairs of San Francisco, the city where she was born and raised. She often called her successors — including Newsom — to complain about potholes or trash and to offer advice and encouragement.

Breed recalled looking up to Feinstein when she was a Black kid growing up in public housing and playing the French horn in a middle school band that performed regularly at mayoral events.

“She was so proud of us and she said so, and she took the time to talk to us, express how amazing we were and to remind us that we were her band,” Breed said at a news conference the day after Feinstein’s death.

Mourners Wednesday expressed their pride in Feinstein.

“She kept moving on up. I was proud of her, very proud of her,” said Dorothy Hudson, 81, a retired federal government employee. “She was very kind, very smart. She opened doors up to let people know, ‘You can do it.’”

San Francisco native Cari Donovan placed a bouquet of red and pink lilies and daisies on the floor before the casket. She lingered, crying quietly over a woman she never knew but who was so important to her life.

“She championed and fought for the rights of so many people,” Donovan said. “I’m so grateful. And I really just wanted her family to know how much she meant to me.”

The social worker said she talked to her 28-year-old daughter about the battles Feinstein fought so that younger generations of women could dream bigger. “She was a lioness.”

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