AT A GLANCE
Nicolai Rimsky-Korsakov’s Scheherazade is a marvel of orchestral color, narrative ingenuity, and melodic invention. But it is also a story of a woman working herself out of an appalling situation imposed by a powerful and horrible man. The composer himself wondered about the balance between the storytelling and the purely musical elements of his work—Scheherazade can be heard both as a portrait of the title character and as a journey into the deepest realms of imagination.
“Equality of rights under the law shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any State on account of sex.” Though we have yet to ratify the Equal Rights Amendment, women have been battling for equality from the beginning of the nation. Julia Wolfe’s Her Story, a San Francisco Symphony co-commission with four other major American orchestras, captures the passion and perseverance of women refusing subordination, demanding representation, and challenging the prejudice and power structures that have limited women’s voices.
“Equality of rights under the law shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any State on account of sex.” Though we have yet to ratify the Equal Rights Amendment, women have been battling for equality from the beginning of the nation. Julia Wolfe’s Her Story, a San Francisco Symphony co-commission with four other major American orchestras, captures the passion and perseverance of women refusing subordination, demanding representation, and challenging the prejudice and power structures that have limited women’s voices.
