Page 63 - 2019 Travel Guide to California

CORY WEAVER/SAN FRANCISCO OPERA; JUSTIN HIGUCHI/CREATIVE COMMONS/FLICKR. OPPOSITE: BILL SWERBENSKI/SAN FRANCISCO SYMPHONY; ERIK TOMASSON
San Diego’s venerable La Jolla Playhouse
has seen dozens of its productions move to
Broadway, earning 35 Tony Awards. The Old
Globe Theatre presents the plays of Shake-
speare (of course), as well as works by
the likes of Arthur Miller and an annual
Christmas production penned by a late
local resident: Dr. Seuss.
Other excellent California theaters
include the South Coast Repertory in Costa
Mesa and the Sacramento Theater Com-
pany. Finally, the state hosts at least five
annual Fringe Festivals.
Symphonies, Opera & Ballet
Frank Owen Gehry designed the Walt Disney
Concert Hall, home of the renowned Los
Angeles Philharmonic, to be one of the most
acoustically perfect performance spaces
on Earth. California’s other preeminent
orchestra is the San Francisco Symphony,
directed by the legendary Michael Tilson
Thomas, at home in Louise M. Davies Sym-
phony Hall. San Diego, Sacramento,
Oakland, Santa Cruz and Santa Barbara all
support superb orchestras as well.
Opera still maintains a huge following in
California, with nearly thirty companies
across the state. The San Francisco Opera
and Los Angeles Opera are two of the largest
in North America, with global reputations.
Kudos as well to the Long Beach Opera, now
in its fourth decade.
Ballet in the Golden State has an equally
impressive pedigree. The San Francisco
Ballet, founded in 1933, was the first pro-
fessional ballet company in the country.
The California Ballet Company in San
Diego, largest in the region, has a stellar
international reputation. Founded in
2004, the Los Angeles Ballet is a relative
newcomer to the scene, while the reinvig-
orated Oakland Ballet is now in its 54th
season.
Jazz & Blues
Here’s a quick sampler of the state’s best
jazz and blues clubs. Oakland offers the leg-
endary Yoshi’s in Jack London Square and
Geoffrey’s Inner Circle downtown. In San
Francisco, don’t miss the SF Jazz Center and
for blues, try The Saloon and Club Deluxe.
In Santa Cruz, it’s all happening at the
Kuumbwa Jazz Center, and in Sacramento
(for blues), The Torch Club. In LA, find the
hottest new offerings at the Jazz Bakery,
along with the tiny Baked Potato and the
Catalina Jazz Club.
A SCENE FROM VERDI’S
La Traviata with dancers Lorena
Feijóo, Bryan Ketron and Blanche
Hampton, San Francisco Opera,
left; ZZ Ward performing live at
The Roxy Theatre in West
Hollywood, below; Frances Chung
and Joseph Walsh in Scarlett’s
Frankenstein, San Francisco Ballet,
opposite bottom.
Rock ‘n’ Roll ‘n’ More
From the Doors to the Dead, California has
long been Ground Zero for great live music.
In San Francisco, check out what’s on at the
Fillmore, the Warfield, the Independent
and Great American Music Hall. Some of
the best venues in the East Bay include the
Fox and the glorious Paramount Theater in
Oakland, as well as Berkeley’s Greek The-
atre—known simply as “the Greek.” In
Marin County, down-home Sweetwater
Music Hall often hosts well-known artists.
Looking to rock it in LA? Check out the
Troubadour, the Roxy and Whisky a Go Go,
an LA institution since 1964. Some other
legendary California venues include the
Catalyst in Santa Cruz, the Casbah and “the
Brick” (Brick by Brick) in San Diego.
2019 TRAVEL GUIDE TO CALIFORNIA 61