Now More than Ever The Arts Need You
Beyond the Stage / Ideas and Insights

From the Archive: Now, More Than Ever

Playlists that kept us connected during the pandemic.
July 10, 2022

Video and Audio Collections Curated by Jeremy Geffen

During the initial period of challenges created by the global COVID-19 pandemic, Cal Performances launched multiple seasons of online streamed performances via Cal Performances at Home, which was extremely successful and reached audiences throughout the world when we could not have live audiences.

Even before we were able to mobilize Cal Performances at Home, though, beginning in March 2020, Executive and Artistic Director Jeremy Geffen began curating Now, More Than Ever playlists of video performances by great artists past and present. These provided audiences free ongoing contact with the performing arts during a time when gathering together was not possible. The series grew to over 60 issues featuring upwards of 300 performances.

Three playlists were contributed by guest curators­­: classical singer Julia Bullock, mezzo-soprano Joyce DiDonato, and cellist Sheku Kanneh-Mason. Now, More Than Ever served as a reminder of the performing arts’ unsurpassed ability to express the power and potential of the human spirit and encouraged viewers to make time each day for the arts.

While a number of the videos linked in this series are no longer active, we have preserved the original playlists and the associated introductions and commentary that accompanied them during their initial launch. You can view all of the issues below.

Now, More than Ever Archive

  • Joyce DiDonato performing Handel's "Ombra mai fu" from Serse

Issue 44 (November 4)

In this issue: “Deep River” performed by Mahalia Jackson;  Handel’s “Ombra mai fu” from Serse performed by Joyce DiDonato and Il Pomo d’Oro; Hahn’s “À Chloris” performed by Susan Graham and [...]

  • A Spooky Now, More Than Ever

Issue 43 (October 28)

In this issue: Excerpt from Giselle performed by Bolshoi Ballet and Orchestra;  Excerpts from HK Gruber’s Frankenstein!! performed by Swedish Chamber Orchestra; William Shakespeare’s Macbeth featuring and co-directed by Kenneth [...]

  • Cellist Mstislav Rostropovich and pianist Sviatoslav Richter perform Beethoven's Final movement from Cello Sonata No. 4 in C major, Op. 102, No. 1

Issue 42 (October 22)

In this issue: Beethoven’s Final movement from Cello Sonata No. 4 in C major, Op. 102, No. 1 performed by Mstislav Rostropovich and Sviatoslav Richter;  The Spirit of Noh 能 [...]

  • Tetzlaff Quartet performs Mozart's Mozart's Allegro vivace from String Quartet No. 16 in E-flat major, K. 428/421b

Issue 41 (October 13)

In this issue: Mozart’s Allegro vivace from String Quartet No. 16 in E-flat major, K.  428/421b performed by Tetzlaff Quartet;  “So Is the Day” performed by Bria Skonberg; Fanm d’Ayiti performed by [...]

  • Violinist Tessa Lark performing Telemann's Fantasia No. 7 in E-flat major, TWV 40:20

Issue 40 (September 30)

In this issue: Telemann’s Fantasia No. 7 performed by violinist Tessa Lark; Lin Hwai-min’s Moon Water performed by Cloud Gate Dance Theatre of Taiwan; Brahms’ Final Movement from Symphony No. [...]

  • Soprano Karita Mattila in Beethoven's Fidelio

Issue 39 (September 23)

In this issue: We remember US Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg by taking a look at Operas featuring female characters who refuse to become victims and take charge of [...]

  • Shostakovich's The Nose performed by The Royal Opera, choreographed by Otto Pichler

Issue 38 (September 16)

In this issue: Shostakovich’s The Nose performed by The Royal Opera; an excerpt from Rebel’s Les Éléments performed by Musica Antiqua Köln; violinist Vijay Gupta performing an excerpt from Reena [...]

  • Ivo Pogorelich performs J.S. Bach's English Suite No. 2 in A minor

Issue 37 (September 9)

In this issue: Pianist Ivo Pogorelich performs J.S. Bach’s English Suite No. 2 in A minor; violinist Roberts Balanas covers Sir Elton John; New York City Ballet dancers perform Christopher [...]

  • Now, More Than Ever, We Need the ARTS! A series of performing arts videos for a time of physical distancing

Issue 36 (September 2)

In this issue: Mezzo-soprano Joyce DiDonato guest curates this special edition of Now, More Than Ever. […]

  • Jean Rondeau performs Royer's Vertigo on the harpsichord

Issue 35 (August 27)

In this issue: A showcase of some of the most impressive keyboard artists of our time or previous generations, including Jean Rondeau, Annie Fischer, Leif Ove Andsnes, Tigran Hamasya, Thelonious [...]

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