Philip Glass's Symphony No. 8 represents a return, after a number of major works, to writing orchestral music where the subject of the work is the language of music itself, as in the tradition of the 18th and 19th century symphonies. It's also a work in three movements––each markedly different from one another in length, texture and internal musical procedures. The New York Times said, "[Symphony No. 8] is about continuous change…the chromaticism that has crept into Mr. Glass' music since Koyaanisqatsi is now more extreme, and more fluid. Indeed, the great attraction of the work is the unpredictable orchestration."

Also on the program are Thomas Adés's Concentric Paths, Op. 24, performed by violinist Yumi Hwang Williams, and Mason Bates performing his Rusty Air in Carolina on the electronica. The Cabrillo Festival Orchestra is conducted by Marin Alsop.

Santa Cruz Civic Auditorium, Santa Cruz. $26-$39
(831) 426-6966. www.cabrillomusic.org

Sunday, September 23, 9:30-10:30 am
The Forum at Grace Cathedral presents "Christopher Hampton Discusses Appomattox"

Academy and Tony Award-winning British playwright Christopher Hampton discusses the creation and development of his libretto for Appomattox. The Very Rev. Alan Jones, Dean of Grace Cathedral, moderates. Attend onsite at Grace Cathedral, or tune in to the live audio webcast or archived recordings at www.GraceCathedral.org/forum.

Grace Cathedral, San Francisco. FREE and open to the public.
(415)749-6300. www.gracecathedral.org

Tuesday, September 25, 7 pm
City Lights celebrates Appomattox

A symposium-style event, moderated by San Francisco Opera's Musical Administrator Dr. Clifford (Kip) Cranna, features members of the Appomattox production team and highlights books about the Civil War.

City Lights Booksellers and Publishers, San Francisco. FREE.
(415) 362-8193. www.citylights.com

Friday, September 28, 8 pm
Philip Glass performs at San Francisco Performances

Philip Glass performs his chamber music on the piano with cellist Wendy Sutter in a rare, intimate recital appearance. The evening features the Bay Area premiere of Songs and Poems for Cello, only the second-ever performance of the piece.

Herbst Theatre, Veterans Building, San Francisco. $30/$45
(415) 392-2545. www.performances.org

Sunday, September 30, 7:30 pm
San Francisco Opera presents "Philip Glass: An Interview with an Icon"

Join San Francisco Opera's General Director David Gockley in conversation with Philip Glass about his music, his career, and his perspective on American music in his 70th year.

War Memorial Opera House, San Francisco. Private event for donors of $500 and up.
(415) 565-3241.

Monday, October 1, 6-7 pm
San Francisco Opera Guild presents Appomattox Insight Panel Discussion

Learn more about the opera at this informal discussion. Cast and production team members share their insights and experiences in creating this exciting new opera.

Herbst Theatre, Veterans Building, San Francisco. Free to Guild members; $5 non-members.
(415) 565-6433. www.sfopera.com/insights

October 1-4
San Francisco Opera Guild's San Francisco, Marin, East Bay, Sonoma and South Peninsula Chapters, and San Jose Opera Guild present Appomattox Preview Lectures

Thomas May will give in-depth previews of Appomattox. Mr. May, who writes frequently for San Francisco Opera, is Senior Music Editor at Amazon.com, and is author of Decoding Wagner and The John Adams Reader.

October 1, 7:30 pm
Mt. Tamalpais United Methodist Church, 410 Sycamore Avenue at Camino Alto, Mill Valley. Complimentary refreshments begin at 7 pm. Admission: $10. For information, contact Verna Parino (415) 388-6789 or e-mail vparino@sbcglobal.net.

October 2, 10 am-12 noon
Villa Montalvo ,15400 Montalvo Rd., Saratoga. Free to members; $10 for guests and visitors. For information, contact Mrs. Joy H. Hulme at (408) 741-1331 or e-mail HotFlash96@aol.com

October 2, 7:30 pm
Little House, 800 Middle Road, Menlo Park. Admission: $8 for members, $10 for non-members, payable only at the door. For information, contact Karen Burtness Prak at (650) 329-1374 or e-mail klbprak@hotmail.com.

October 3, 12 noon
Koret Auditorium, Lower Level, New Main Library, 100 Larkin Street, San Francisco. Admission: Free. For information, call (415) 565-3204.

October 3, 8-9:30 pm
St. Mark's United Methodist Church, 451 Moraga Way, Orinda. Refreshments begin at 7:30 pm. Admission: $10. For information, contact Elizabeth Green-Sah at (925) 376-5653 or call/e-mail Silvia Lin at (925) 838-9255, lllll@juno.com.

October 4, Time and location TBD
For location and time information, please contact Sonoma chapter head. Admission: $10. For information, call Kathleen Ellithorpe at (707) 546-4379 or Neva Turer at (707) 539-1220.

Please visit www.sfopera.com/previews for details.

Thursday, October 4, 12 noon
The Commonwealth Club hosts A Forum on Appomattox

San Francisco Opera's Musical Administrator Dr. Clifford (Kip) Cranna will host a panel discussion on Appomattox, featuring librettist Christopher Hampton, composer Philip Glass, and members of the cast and production team.

Gold Room, Commonwealth Club of Northern California, San Francisco
(415) 597-6705. www.commonwealthclub.org.
Reservation begins September 10.

October 5-November 3
San Francisco Performing Arts Library & Museum presents "Appomattox: Philip Glass's Civil Wars" - An Exhibition

This exhibition uses a lush range of media to trace issues of war and peace throughout Philip Glass's career, from such landmark operas as the CIVIL warS and Satyagraha to films like Kundun and Naqoyqatsi. The display will also take viewers behind the scenes into the making of Appomattox.

Lobby of War Memorial Opera House. Free (to opera ticket holders only).
(415) 255-4800. www.sfpalm.org.

October 5-24
San Francisco Opera presents Appomattox Opera Talks

Informative 25-minute talks presented by Sara Jobin prepare listeners to enjoy the opera. Opera Talks begin 55 minutes before each performance in the orchestra section of the Opera House.

War Memorial Opera House. Free (to opera ticket holders only).
www.sfopera.com/operatalks

Monday, October 8, 7:30 pm
Stanford Lively Arts and Aurora Forum at Stanford co-present An Evening with Leonard Cohen and Philip Glass

Philip Glass and Leonard Cohen participate in a discussion on Book of Longing, Glass's new musical setting of Cohen's poems and artwork. The discussion is moderated by Alan Acosta, Associate Vice President and Director of University Communications at Stanford

Memorial Auditorium, Stanford University. FREE but seating is ticketed.
(650) 725-2787. www.livelyarts.stanford.edu.

Tuesday, October 9, 8 pm
Stanford Lively Arts presents Philip Glass's Book of Longing

The West Coast premiere of Book of Longing is the consummation of longstanding mutual admiration between iconoclast composer Philip Glass and Leonard Cohen, the profound poet and folk musician. Co-commissioned by Stanford Lively Arts, this landmark new work intertwines Glass's signature musical style with Cohen's pensive, erotic poetry. Performed by an elite ensemble of musicians and vocalists, with Philip Glass on keyboard, the piece also showcases Cohen's artwork and is staged by award-winning choreographer and MacArthur Fellow, Susan Marshall.

Commenting on the unprecedented collaboration with poet, novelist and singer-songwriter Leonard Cohen, Philip Glass says, "I found Cohen's work intensely beautiful, personal and inspiring. Six years in the making, our stars are finally aligned. For me, this is both a departure from my past work and a fulfillment of an artistic dream." Book of Longing by Leonard Cohen is a collection—20 years in the making—of 167 new poems and 43 original illustrations by Cohen himself.

Memorial Auditorium, Stanford University.
$38/$44/$58/$70 adult; $19/$22/$29/$35 Stanford student.
Opening Night Dinner with Philip Glass, 5:30 pm: $325 per person includes dinner and premium seating at performance.
(650) 725-2787. www.livelyarts.stanford.edu

Thursday, October 11, 8 pm
Other Minds presents Music for Two Pianos

Renowned conductor and pianist Dennis Russell Davies will be joined by partner Maki Namekawa in a special recital of works for two pianos by Philip Glass and J. S. Bach (transcriptions by György Kurtág). The concert will also feature the U.S. premieres of works by Balduin Sulzer (Austria) and Chen Yi (China/US), and a recent work by San Francisco composer Adam Fong. The pianists, along with Glass, Chen and Fong, will share their thoughts about the music in a pre-concert discussion hosted by Other Minds Artistic Director Charles Amirkhanian.

Herbst Theatre, Veterans Building. $20-$50
(415) 934-8134. www.otherminds.org

Saturday, October 13, 8 pm
San Francisco Conservatory of Music, BluePrint Project: Mind the Gap presents "Synesthesia: Bridging the Senses"

Under the artistic and musical direction of Nicole Paiement, the opening concert of the BluePrint Project's 2007-08 season features Philip Glass's Facades, with digital video sets by video artist Elliot Anderson. Further bridging the senses will be the evocative Nocturne for string quartet by Robert Helps and Finnish composer Kaija Saariaho's Sept Papillons, featuring SFCM cello faculty member Jean-Michel Fonteneau. The symbolist poetry of Arthur Rimbaud will also be presented in two very different contexts: from the imaginative string sonorities of Benjamin Britten's Les Illuminations to Voyelles—a funky, hip-hop-influenced piece by local composer Jay Lyon for chamber ensemble with narrator.

San Francisco Conservatory of Music. $20 general; $15 students/seniors/members.
(415) 503-6275. www.sfcm.edu

October 13 and 20
California Historical Society presents:

October 13, 8 am-5 pm
The Civil War in the Bay Area
A one-day deluxe coach tour, led by California Historical Society tour historian Gary Holloway, visits several fascinating Bay Area Civil War sites in San Francisco, Marin, and Benicia. A gourmet luncheon is included.

$150, San Francisco Opera subscribers and California Historical Society members; $200, all others.
(415) 357-1848, ext. 224. www.calhist.org.

October 20, 5 pm
Dinner, History, and Opera
Get in the mood for Appomattox with a historically accurate Civil War-era reception and gourmet dinner at the elegant California Historical Society headquarters. The special program features Civil War expert Dr. Robert J. Chandler, Senior Research Historian at Wells Fargo Bank. Deluxe transportation is provided to the Opera House for reserved orchestra-level seats at the Appomattox performance. Space is limited. 

$295 each or $575 per couple for San Francisco Opera subscribers and California Historical Society members; $350/$650 for all others.
(415) 357-1848, ext. 224. www.calhist.org.

CLERESTORY

Bay Area men's a capella ensemble performs the music of Billings, Copland, Barber and Ives, as well as American folk songs and hymns of the Civil War.

Friday, October 19, 8 pm
St. Mark's Episcopal Church
2300 Bancroft Way at Ellsworth, Berkeley

Sunday, October 21, 7 pm
St. Mark's Lutheran Church
1111 O'Farrell Street, San Francisco

$15 adults; $8 seniors/students.
www.clerestory.org.