January 9, 2025
FILM: The Golden Coach
Anna Magnani, the commedia dell’arte, and the music of Vivaldi were the highlights of this magnificent color film, called by Eric Rohmer “the Open Sesame of all Renoir’s work.†A movie about stage comedy, in which all activity and all space became theater.
The story of Le Carrosse d’Or took place in the 18th Century and centered around the coach which the Viceroy of Peru had sent from Europe. His official mistress hoped that this would be among her prerequisites, but the Viceroy had fallen for the star of a travelling commedia dell’arte company.
“My principal collaborator on this film was the late Antonio Vivaldi. I wrote the film while listening to records of his music, and his wit and sense of drama led me on to developments in the best tradition of the Italian theater.†— Jean Renoir
January 19, 2025
Vieness Piano Duo
This attractive duo enthralled audiences in their captivating performances throughout the U.S., Europe and the Middle East. Husband and wife Vijay Venkatesh and Eva Schaumkell’s adeptness for conversation coupled with a commanding stage presence made them in demand world-wide. Their program included music by Bach, Barber, Kurtág, Schubert, Ravel and Brahms.
"Vienness’s performance left no doubt that they combined staggering technical prowess, a sense of command, and depth of expression." — The Daily Independent
January 26, 2025
Songs of Life, Songs of Love
Morgan Harrington – Soprano
Leandra Ramm – Mezzo-Soprano
Frank Johnson – Piano
Audiences reveled in selections from Delibes’ Lakmé, Offenbach’s Les Contes d’Hoffmann, Verdi’s La Traviata, and Bizet’s Carmen. They savored the music of Clara Schumann, Gustav Mahler, Charles T. Griffes, and more. Opera jewels, cabaret gems, and art song treasures transported listeners on passionate, amusing, and poignant journeys of life and love.
February 6, 2025
FILM: Playtime
Jacques Tati’s gloriously choreographed, nearly wordless comedy about confusion in an age of high technology reached its apotheosis with Playtime. For this monumental achievement, a nearly three-year-long, bank-breaking production, Tati again thrust the lovably old-fashioned Monsieur Hulot, along with a host of other lost souls, into a baffling modern world, this time in Paris.
A group of tourists, whose paths were only occasionally crossed by M. Hulot, wandered through the interchangeable glass-and-steel skyscrapers which comprised modern-day Paris. Visual gags occurred with such simultaneous abundance that the film demanded countless viewings for each joke to be fully savored. The film’s second hour, the opening night activities at an expensive restaurant that was not quite ready to open, comprised one of the cinema’s most masterfully orchestrated comic set-pieces. With every inch of its super-wide frame crammed with hilarity and inventiveness, Playtime remains a lasting record of a modern era tiptoeing on the edge of oblivion.
(1967, 124 min, in English, German and French w/subtitles)
February 7, 2025
Tommy Mesa & JP Jofre: Art of the Tango
Cellist Tommy Mesa and bandoneon player and composer JP Jofre combined their considerable talents in a special program of tango music by Astor Piazzolla and transcriptions by Jofre himself, one of Argentina’s foremost composers and bandoneon players.
“Mr. Mesa’s playing had a musical intensity that was commanding in every detail...†— New York Concert Review
“JP Jofre’s compositions are masterly...†— Paquito D'Rivera
February 15, 2025
Love in Many Forms: Morgan Balfour
Morgan Balfour – Soprano
Dominic Favia – Trumpet
Cynthia Black – Violin
Pauline Kempf – Violin
Octavio Mujica – Cello
Derek Tam – Harpsichord
With a small baroque ensemble featuring soprano voice and trumpet, this event explored the themes of love through early music composers, both famous and lesser known. A set of Purcell songs chronicled romantic love and loss, a Pepusch English cantata explored love of country, and a riotous Handel cantata joyfully exclaimed a love of life. Showcasing music that moved from mournful to bombastic, this concert featured early music specialist performers.
“…crystal-clear tone†and broad emotional palette. — San Francisco Classical Voice
February 16, 2025
Vox Humana
San Francisco’s newest professional chamber choir, VoxHumanaSF, directed by Don Scott Carpenter, had made their triumphant debut earlier that February. THE 222’s own Choral Music Programmer, Sanford Dole, attended the concert and eagerly presented them at THE 222.
The program, Voyages, was full of musical riches, including works by Giovanni Gabrieli, Johannes Brahms, and Gustav Mahler, as well as newer works by leading contemporary composers Eric Whitacre, Joan Tower, and Jake Heggie. In addition, there were two world premieres from the group’s New Music Series.
February 21–23, 28; March 1–2, 2025
The Shape of Things
Ann Yumi Kobori
Nick Mandracchia
William Webb
Directed by Jeffrey Bracco
In life, like in art, appearances can be deceiving. Evelyn was a graduate art student and Adam was an undergraduate student who also worked at a nearby museum as a security guard. Once Adam fell in love with Evelyn, how far was he willing to go to win her approval? How far would Evelyn demand he go?
The Shape of Things was a fascinating study into the nature of love and art, and what happened when the two collided.
Neil LaBute’s The Shape of Things is a masterful blend of wit, tension, and psychological insight. This provocative play delves deep into the complexities of human relationships and the ethical boundaries of art, leaving audiences both captivated and unsettled. LaBute’s sharp dialogue and intricate character dynamics made The Shape of Things an unforgettable theatrical experience that challenged perceptions and sparked intense conversation long after the final curtain. — Theatre Today Magazine
March 6, 2025
FILM: Trouble in Paradise
Made at the height of the Depression, this sophisticated comedy mocked the earnestness of the period, causing some critics to find it “flimsy.†Dwight MacDonald, on the other hand, hailed it as coming “as close to perfection as anything I have ever seen,†and director Ernst Lubitsch echoed this judgment when he said, “For pure style, I have done nothing better or as good as Trouble in Paradise.â€
The opening shot set the mood of this exquisite jewel of a comedy: A gondolier was heard addressing the Venetian night in sweet tenor; passing by the camera, he was revealed to be the Grand Canal’s garbage collector. Soon we found two underclass types, Herbert Marshall and Miriam Hopkins, who met while picking each other’s pockets. The pair were both jewel thieves in their better moments, and together they made for Paris, where they insinuated themselves into the company of a wealthy millionairess. The action and dialogue were delectably refined and elegantly cynical.
(1932, 83 min.)
March 15, 2025
Tamir Hendelman & Tierney Sutton
Singer Tierney Sutton and pianist Tamir Hendelman joined forces for a joyous celebration of Spring, with songs by Richard Rodgers, Clifford Brown, Tom Jobim, Dori Caymmi, Paul Simon, and more. Intimate and swinging, the program touched and inspired audiences.
Over the twenty years of Sutton’s and Hendelman’s musical relationship, Sutton had racked up nine Grammy nominations for her fourteen albums as leader, and Hendelman had arranged, recorded and performed with a host of luminaries including Barbra Streisand and Natalie Cole, led his own trio, and served as the featured pianist of the Jeff Hamilton Trio as well as the Grammy-Winning Clayton Hamilton Jazz Orchestra. The duo had toured in Italy, Japan, China and throughout the US.
March 16, 2025
Maxim Lando
Maxim Lando, at a young age, had already performed at many of the most prestigious venues in the world. Described by the New York Times as a “dazzling fire-eater†and as displaying “brilliance and infectious exuberance†combined with “impressive delicacy,†Maxim was the First Prize Winner of the 2018 Young Concert Artists International Auditions. He held sold-out recital debuts at Carnegie Hall’s Zankel Hall and the Kennedy Center’s Terrace Theater. The previous year Maxim had made international headlines performing together with Lang Lang, Chick Corea, and the Philadelphia Orchestra led by Yannick Nézet-Séguin at Carnegie Hall’s Opening Night Gala.
March 21–23, 28–30, 2025
The Half-Life of Marie Curie
Julie Eccles
Leontyne Mbele Mbong
Directed by Amy Kossow
In 1911, Marie Curie won the Nobel Prize in Chemistry for her discovery of the elements radium and polonium. By 1912, she was the object of ruthless gossip over an alleged affair with the married Frenchman Paul Langevin, all but erasing her achievements from public memory.
Weakened and demoralized by the press lambasting her as a “foreign†Jewish temptress and a homewrecking traitor, Marie agreed to join her friend and colleague Hertha Ayrton, an electromechanical engineer and suffragette, to recover from the scandal at Hertha’s seaside retreat on the British coast.
The Half-Life of Marie Curie reveled in the power of female friendship as it explored the relationship between these two brilliant women, both of whom were mothers, widows, and fearless champions of scientific inquiry.
April 4, 2025
Telegraph Quartet
Now celebrating its 10th season together, the Telegraph Quartet returned to THE 222 to demonstrate once again why the San Francisco Chronicle proclaimed them “. . . an incredibly valuable addition to the cultural landscape.†They have an equal passion for the standard chamber music repertoire and contemporary, non-standard works alike. Since winning the Grand Prize in the prestigious Fischoff Chamber Music Competition in 2014, they have performed far and wide, both in North America and beyond.
“. . . Full of elegance and pinpoint control. . .Every minute of their account sounds gripping and purposeful . . .†— New York Times
April 5, 2025
Susan M. Gaines: Accidentals
With all the thrills of a rare bird sighting, Gaines’s novel Accidentals limned a compelling love story within a thicket of history, endangered species biology, and Latin American political repression. At a time when US democracy is threatened by fascism and unchecked greed, Gaines’s novel reminded readers how the past shadows the present — and how often planetary crises of environmental degradation, species loss, and climate change have been eclipsed by seemingly more urgent human political and economic crises.
“Gorgeous, smart, and surprising, Gaines’s family saga takes us into the large world of nations and politics, but also the microscopic world of mud and microbes. Tender and powerful. Also with birds!†— Karen Joy Fowler
April 12, 2025
Bay Nature
Bay Nature, celebrating its 25th year of publication, is as unique and treasured as the San Francisco Bay it covers — often described as the Bay Area’s own National Geographic. It has long been the go-to publication for readers seeking insight into local environmental issues, the nature that lives around us, and ways to get outdoors in the region.
Literary Arts Programmer Laurie Glover joined Bay Nature editor Kate Golden in conversation about how the magazine and its foundation have expanded the work of bringing science to the citizen.
April 19, 2025
Trio M
With a career spanning over three decades, pianist and keyboardist Myra Melford distinguished herself through her unique ability to blend jazz with elements of blues, Indian classical music, and avant-garde improvisation. She pursued a creative vision that was both wholly distinctive and all-embracing, where composition and improvisation interacted seamlessly and ingeniously, one side strengthening the other. Divergent idioms and eras coalesced — from jazz, blues and global folk styles to various corners of the classical tradition. Extramusical influences — the poetry of Rumi or the spirituality of the Huichol Indians of Mexico — also figured in the mix.
In the end, Melford’s efforts were best served by labels like “contemporary music†or “new music,†signifying artistic freedom and daring more than any boundaries of genre.
A 2013 Guggenheim Fellow, Melford was described by the San Francisco Chronicle as an “explosive player, a virtuoso who shocks and soothes, and who can make the piano stand up and do things it doesn’t seem to have been designed for.â€
April 26, 2025
Dreams, Fantasies and Stupors
Chelsea Hollow – Soprano
Taylor Chan – Piano
Dreams, Fantasies and Stupors was an evening of art music, whimsy, sensuality, and philosophical introspection. Featuring works by Debussy, Schoenberg, Weill, and Piaf, as well as living composers Nicolas Lell Benavides and Brennen Stokes, the program sauntered its way through states of fantasy, curiosity, and hilarity.
March – April 2025
Purpose Discussion Series
In December and January we had gathered at THE 222 for three discussion sessions about Authenticity. Each evening focused on a different angle: Art, Performance, and Community.
We followed this process with an additional three sessions focusing on Purpose in March and April. As before, the discussion questions stimulated wide-ranging conversation. Notes from the sessions informed the creation of a word cloud. The quantitative data showed in size — the larger the word, the more frequently it occurred. Another intuitive way to look at a word cloud was to see which words stood out or to notice if there were words missing.
May 3, 2025
Jane Hirshfield
In this solo virtuoso reading, Jane Hirshfield’s meditative poems opened spiritual perspectives in daily moments. Her book of essays Nine Gates: Entering the Mind of Poetry is a classic at the intersections of Zen Buddhist practice, thoughtful immediacy, and verse.
Ranging from the political, ecological, and scientific to the metaphysical, personal, and passionate, Hirshfield praised the radiance of particularity and reckoned the consequence of the daily. Her poems and essays traversed the crises of the biosphere, questions of social justice, and the myriad interior quandaries of heart, mind, and spirit.
She studied at the San Francisco Zen Center for eight years and is the recipient of many accolades, including being a finalist for the National Book Critics Circle Award, winning the California Book Award and The Poetry Center Book Award. She co-founded the Poets for Science traveling installation, which premiered on the Washington Mall at the first March for Science. She was elected to the Board of Chancellors of the Academy of American Poets. Her ten poetry books include The Asking: New & Selected Poems (2023) and Ledger (2020).
May 17, 2025
Nicolas Bearde Quintet
Internationally renowned vocalist Nicolas Bearde is a jazz singer whose remarkable depth, range and vocal technique have won acclaim from critics and jazz audiences worldwide. A seasoned and highly respected showman, Bearde’s lush “buttery baritone†vocals combined passion, wit, and sensuality. His engaging rapport captured and drew the audience into his performance.
Forged from Nashville roots and a 1980s initiation into the thriving San Francisco music scene, Nicolas’s velvety smooth delivery of time-tested standards, blues, and his own originals was soulful, swinging, improvisational and memorable.
Nicolas Bearde Quintet
Nicolas Bearde – Vocals
Glen Pearson – Piano
Ruth Davies – Bass
Lorca Hart – Drums
Charles McNeal – Saxophone
May 18, 2025
Clerestory presents Savor The Sound: A Musical Celebration of Food & Drink
Clerestory returned to THE 222 with a program showcasing the breadth of exquisite a cappella polyphony that the group is known for, spanning the centuries from Renaissance polyphony to modern-day compositions. From countertenor to bass, Clerestory's nine singers were praised by SF Classical Voice for their “distinctive voices blending in a gorgeous sound.â€
Founded in 2006, the self-led ensemble features veterans of the country's most renowned professional voice groups, including Chanticleer, Conspirare, American Bach Soloists, and others. The ensemble’s exceptional talent has been featured on National Public Radio and on San Francisco's KQED.
Jesse Antin, Clerestory Founder and President, reflected on the concert’s theme of song and sustenance as enduring companions across centuries of human celebration.
May 23 – June 1, 2025
The Burdens
If your cruel and belligerent grandfather is a horrible person who is mentally abusive to your mother and an emotional, financial, and psychological drain on you and your adult sibling… what are your options? For Jane and Mordy, the options were comical and creepy.
Audiences laughed heartily watching a family deal with The Burdens.
Jane – Lizzie Calogero
Mordy – Brady Morales-Woolery
Written by Matt Schatz
Directed by Jennifer King
Programmed by Aldo Billingslea
“I laughed harder than I have in years... I really needed that!†— Audience member at opening night
Photo by Eric Chazankin
June 7, 2025
Alka Joshi: Reading and Conversation
Alka Joshi is the internationally bestselling author of the Jaipur Trilogy: The Henna Artist, The Secret Keeper of Jaipur, and The Perfumist of Paris. Six Days in Bombay is her fourth novel.
Her debut novel, The Henna Artist, became a New York Times Bestseller and a Reese Witherspoon Pick. It was longlisted for the Center for Fiction First Novel Prize. The book has been translated into 29 languages and is in development at Netflix as a TV series. In 2023, Forbes selected Joshi as one of “50 over 50†women empowering other women.
Joshi was born in India and came to the U.S. with her family at the age of nine. She has a BA from Stanford University and an MFA from California College of Arts. She lives in California.
June 14, 2025
Mc2 Duo
Two accomplished Sonoma County artists performed music in both solo and duo formats with commentary. Their program included two Fantasias for violin alone by Telemann, a Chopin Polonaise and a Prelude by Debussy for solo piano. The duo’s program concluded with the Sonata for Violin and Piano in G major by Johannes Brahms.
Rose McCoy – Piano
Gary McLaughlin – Violin
“The Duo had the surging emotion well in hand.†— Classical Sonoma
July 2025
Why Discussion Series
In December and January we had gathered at THE 222 for three discussion sessions about Authenticity. Each evening focused on a different angle: Art, Performance, and Community. We followed this process with an additional three sessions focusing on Purpose in March and April.
In July, we gathered again for a more esoteric conversation, asking the question “why?â€
As before, the discussion questions stimulated wide-ranging conversation. Notes from the sessions informed the creation of a word cloud. Interestingly, this question generated many more individual, non-repeating words as compared to the previous two series. The quantitative data showed in size — the larger the word, the more frequently it occurred. Another intuitive way to look at a word cloud was to see which words stood out or to notice if there were words missing.
July 9, 2025
What Moves You? with Porsia Tunzi
What Moves You? was a contemplative experience of shared spiritual reflection upon a sacred text.
We gathered on the second Wednesday of the month as leaders from different faith traditions within Sonoma County guided participants based on the practice of Lectio Divina, or “Divine Reading.†A sacred text from the leader’s tradition was heard in a contemplative manner three times through. After each reading, participants shared responses and insights.
July 9 Presenter:
Porsia Tunzi, PhD, is a professor of Theology and Religious Studies at Saint Mary’s College of California. As a sociologist of religion, she explores how people live out their faith in everyday life, with a research focus on Christian women’s presence and influence on social media. With over 12 years of teaching experience, Porsia fosters inclusive, dialogue-rich learning environments inspired by the pedagogical vision of activist scholar bell hooks — where personal experience, vulnerability, and embodiment are welcomed and encouraged.
Beyond academia, Porsia is an avid crocheter, hiker, and swing dancer who delights in life’s variety. She lives in Novato with her husband and their cat, Juniper.
Programmed by Rev. Sally Hubbell
July 25, 2025
Sound That Heals
Sound Healing Experience with Kathryn Song, Adrianne Butler and Jennifer Lee
The science of how sound impacts the body has finally begun to catch up with what ancient wisdom has long known. Sound baths have been shown to reduce cortisol (the stress hormone), boost mood, reduce anxiety, help with pain management, enhance sleep quality, and support mental health and PTSD recovery.
Participants were taken on a journey through the use of drums, flute, hand pans, Koshi bells, crystal singing bowls, thumb harp, Svaram 9-bar chimes and the gong — moving from beta waves (alert and focused) to alpha waves (relaxed and creative) to theta wave frequencies (deep meditation or dreaming) and back again.
Participants experienced firsthand what medical journals have begun publishing.
August 2, 2025
Season Opener with George Cables Trio
We celebrated this milestone and the remarkable contributions of a true jazz giant. Jazz legend George Cables had recently celebrated his 80th birthday (November 13, 2024) with a stunning new recording, I Hear Echoes, showcasing the timeless artistry that defined his illustrious career.
George Cables brought his trio for the very first season of THE 222 and returned for two shows with the outstanding Essiet Essiet on bass and Jerome Jennings on drums. The performances featured music from I Hear Echoes, along with other well-known compositions. His reputation proved as varied as it was engaging, including creative interpretations of standards and his own compositions.
The concert featured jazz standards by legends like Cole Porter, Duke Ellington, and Horace Silver, as well as a tribute to the next generation of jazz talent with a piece by Arcoiris Sandoval.
Sponsored by Pat & Frank Carrubba
Appetizers provided by EnsÅ Village
Champagne Reception at 6:00 PM, Concert at 7:00 PM, Q&A followed.
August 3, 2025
George Cables Trio
George Cables returned for two additional shows featuring Essiet Essiet and Jerome Jennings. The performances included selections from I Hear Echoes and other signature works.
The recordings George Cables made with jazz giants Sonny Rollins, Dexter Gordon, Joe Henderson, Art Pepper, Bobby Hutcherson, Woody Shaw, and Freddie Hubbard are classics. His playing changed the way pianists approach hard bop and post-bop and continues to influence younger generations.
Spoonbar and THE 222 partnered for dinner and jazz, offering a special pre-concert menu and curated wine selections for ticket holders.
This was a sold-out show.
Sponsored by Pat & Frank Carrubba
August 10, 2025
Dave Seter: Zoka Nature Writing
“Zoka†is the Japanese term for the ways nature changes or transforms humans as we interact with its patterns and cycles.
Sonoma County Poet Laureate Dave Seter led participants in discovering overlooked natural objects in Healdsburg’s plaza. The workshop began with a brief introduction, followed by an expedition to the plaza. Back at THE 222, participants reflected before drafting vivid poetry or short prose. Seter guided writers in finding personal connection to nature.
The walk to the Plaza proved to be a successful inspiration, and everyone read their poems afterward.
September 6, 2025
Alan Broadbent & Harvie S Duo
When two simpatico musicians shared evident delight in each other’s company, the music unfolded in its purest form. Pianist Alan Broadbent and bassist Harvie S rendered a set of succulent standards and originals with the conversational brio of expert raconteurs.
Broadbent proved once again to be one of jazz’s most lyrical improvisers. Harvie S demonstrated his gifts as both accompanist and soloist, witty and playful, with a buoyant sense of time.
The duo showcased jazz standards from the American Songbook with spontaneous improvisation guided by the mood and inspiration of the moment.
Sponsored by Mary Van Dyke
September 20, 2025
Henry Kramer: Solo Piano
Praised by the Cleveland Classical Review for his “astonishingly confident technique†and the New York Times for “thrilling†and “triumphant†performances, pianist Henry Kramer has developed a reputation as a musician of rare sensitivity who combines stylish programming with insightful and exuberant interpretations.
Kramer performed works by Haydn, Debussy and Schubert.
“This is a pianist of enormous talent.†— The Philadelphia Enquirer
Sponsored by Roger & Sally Dansey
September 22, 2025
Fall Leaf Labyrinth
As summer transitioned into fall, so too our lives cycled through seasons. THE 222 invited participants to a ritual contemplation of change by creating a multi-sensory labyrinth together.
Participants built the labyrinth path, walked and witnessed one another entering and exiting, and concluded with reflection and a community potluck. The afternoon acknowledged the internal life through intentional ritual.
September 25, 2025
Indigenous Voices Series: Robert McNally in Conversation with Denise Low
Robert McNally’s Cast Out of Eden took on a neglected part of California conservationist John Muir’s story: while Muir argued for the preservation of wild sanctuaries, he did not fully consider the impact on the people conquered and displaced by the formation of those preserves.
Author McNally and THE 222 Programmer Denise Low discussed the conflicted outlooks of Muir and other Californians, as well as how long-standing injustices are beginning to be addressed in the 21st century as Indigenous nations work to ensure that iconic American lands serve all Americans equally.
“A convincing, corrective portrait of a revered but flawed man and of a movement’s original sins.†— San Francisco Chronicle
September 28, 2025
Awa Sangho & Yacouba Sissoko
Malian musicians Awa Sangho (The Golden Voice of Mali) and Yacouba Sissoko took audiences on a journey to West Africa. Sangho’s enchanting and melancholic voice blended beautifully with Sissoko’s mastery of the kora, weaving African gems and lullabies that carried messages of empowerment and love.
Together, they reminded audiences that love is the best religion on earth.
Sponsored by Sashi & David Cousins and Linda Hillel & Jon Eisenberg
October 2, 2025
FILM: Thirteen Conversations About One Thing
Director Jill Sprecher’s acclaimed film featured an all-star ensemble cast in a fresh and whimsical look at the invisible everyday and destiny-shaping miracles we have come to call “fate.â€
In five distinct New York tales, the lives of seemingly disparate characters converged: a prosecutor (Matthew McConaughey), whose life suddenly mirrored that of the criminals he prosecuted; a college professor (John Turturro) facing a poignant crossroads; an envious businessman (Alan Arkin) seeking revenge on a compulsively cheerful co-worker; an optimistic cleaning woman (Clea DuVall) searching for miracles in the aftermath of a tragic accident; and a wife (Amy Irving) confronting her husband’s infidelity. The stories interwove to create a touching tapestry that warmed the hearts of moviegoers and critics across the globe.
Playful and poignant, 13 Conversations About One Thing proved luminous and strangely beautiful.
(2001, 104 min.)
Film discussion followed.
Sponsored by Malin Giddings & Richard Hechler
October 4, 2025
Bastien & Bastienne presented by Pocket Opera
Pocket Opera presented Mozart’s delightful one-act opera in English, composed when he was just twelve years old.
Bastienne, the gentle shepherdess, believed her beloved Bastien had fallen into the arms of another woman. With the help of the wizard Colas and his aria of magical spells and incantations, a path opened for the lovers to reunite.
Music Director Lynne Morrow
Stage Director Chase Kupperberg
Pocket Opera, the Bay Area’s premiere chamber opera company, has offered accessible and audience-friendly performances for over 40 years. Performances were fully staged and performed in English translations by Donald Pippin.
Sponsored by Dr. Carolyn Wright & Richard Lapping
October 10, 2025
Indigenous Voices Series: Diane Willie and Marla Allison in Conversation with Denise Low
Two artists with ties to Laguna Pueblo in New Mexico — writer Diane Willie and visual artist Marla Allison — discussed their shared heritage of pottery designs, feast days, dances, and landscapes. Allison presented art slides based on the iconoclastic photographs of Lee Marmon. Willie read from Sharp Rocks, fiction, and recent works.
Together with the audience, they explored common themes and aesthetics rooted in Laguna traditions and the culture of the oldest North American inhabitants.
October 16–18, 2025
Rodney Gardiner – Smote This
In this poignant and comedic one-man performance, Rodney Gardiner reckoned with legacy and religion while reflecting on growing up Black and undocumented in 1980s Miami amid racial unrest, immigration crises, and the drug war.
Smote This wove together stories of faith, family, and identity. Through humor and vulnerability, Gardiner transformed deeply personal material into comedic gold while addressing universal themes of grief, legacy, and belonging.
Sponsored by Kathryn Song
October 19, 2025
Fandango!
One of Chicago’s most exciting ensembles, Fandango! delivered a vibrant mix of Latin, Spanish, Sephardic, Balkan and classical sounds. The quartet’s globe-trotting virtuosos brought electrifying energy and dazzling technique to the stage.
“An exciting and refreshing ensemble with authentic repertoire choices, exciting arrangements, and newly commissioned works.†— South Florida Classical Review
Sponsored by Roger & Sally Dansey
October 25, 2025
Stefan Milenkovich & Marta Aznavoorian
Violinist Stefan Milenkovich and pianist Marta Aznavoorian brought searching musicianship and refined artistry to THE 222.
“Violinist Stefan Milenkovich’s recital at the Kennedy Center was so disarmingly magical that it is not easy to describe its glories.†— Washington Post
“Marta Aznavoorian is a pianist of exceptionally finished technique and purity of musical impulse.†— Boston Globe
Sponsored by Jackie Sherman & Fred Rothenberg
October 26, 2025
Record Release Premiere of John Clayton’s Parlor Jazz Series #4: Two-O-Duo
THE 222 was the exclusive Bay Area location for John Clayton’s Parlor Series concert celebrating the release of Two-O-Duo.
Clayton performed in duo combinations with Gerald Clayton and René Marie, with all three artists joining together on select pieces. The program featured originals, spirituals, blues, and new arrangements of popular songs. There were two performances: 5:30 PM and 8:30 PM.
Sponsored by Thom Butler, Barbara Epstein, Leslie & Todd Everett, Melinda & Paul Pressler, and Barbara & Howard Wollner
November 1, 2025
Caroline Altman & Celeste Camarena – Transformation
This musical journey explored transformation of thought and consciousness through classical and contemporary vocal works by Mozart, Bellini, Massenet, Menotti, Bernstein and more.
Sponsored by Margaret Maddock
November 2, 2025
21V – Promise and Peril
The groundbreaking 21V made its 222 debut with a visionary program of 21st-century music from the Americas. This special DÃa de los Muertos concert blended remembrance and celebration with reflections on modern life, featuring contemporary works from Argentina, Mexico, Venezuela, and the US.
Sponsored by Roger & Sally Dansey
November 9, 2025
Carpe Diem Quartet
Carpe Diem presented a boundary-breaking program spanning classical, tango, folk, pop, rock, jazz and multicultural music. The ensemble’s versatility and innovation captivated audiences.
Sponsored by Melinda & Paul Pressler
November 15, 2025
Claudia Villela & Vitor Gonçalves
Claudia Villela performed songs from Cartas ao Vento, joined by Vitor Gonçalves. Their collaboration showcased haunting ballads, spirited sambas and Brazilian classics in an evening of expressive musical storytelling.
Sponsored by Care Morgenstern
November 21, 2025
Thanksgiving in Healdsburg with Sara Calvosa Olson
Sara Calvosa Olson shared insights from her cookbook ChÃmi Nu’am, reimagining Indigenous California foods for home cooks. She discussed seasonal recipes, food sovereignty, and traditional preparation methods, offering a thoughtful exploration of culture and cuisine.
November 29, 2025
Paul for Pete
Paul Mason Barnes shared his journey of political engagement during the 2020 presidential campaign, reflecting on activism, theatre, and civic life. Adapted into a one-person performance, Paul for Pete invited audiences into a story of risk, reinvention, and participation.
December 6, 2025
Homage to Bobby Hutcherson by Barry Hutcherson
Drummer Barry Hutcherson honored his father’s legacy with a sextet performance featuring music from Bobby Hutcherson’s Components and selections from 1970s bebop and Latin repertoire.
Sponsored by Melinda & Paul Pressler and an anonymous donor
December 12–14, 19–21, 2025
Heisenberg
Simon Stephens’s two-character play explored uncertainty and human connection through the unlikely relationship between Georgie Burns and Alex Priest.
“A life-affirming mating dance between two people who are so utterly dissimilar that of course they are made for each other.†— New York Times
Directed by Rondrell McCormick
Programmed by Aldo Billingslea & Amy Kossow
December 16, 2025
The Queen’s Six
Members of The Queen’s Six brought centuries of British choral tradition to THE 222, performing sacred Renaissance polyphony, madrigals, folk songs, and contemporary arrangements.
“An intimacy born of long acquaintance with one another’s voices…†— BBC Music Magazine
Sponsored by Care Morgenstern