Mezzo-soprano Ema Nikolovska returns to Berkeley following her memorable 2024 debut—this time joined by acclaimed guitarist Sean Shibe—in an eclectic concert weaving together acoustic and electric music across genres and centuries. Orlando riffs on the character and energy of Virginia Woolf’s groundbreaking novel, with echoes of the medieval Chanson de Roland and Ariosto’s Orlando Furioso. Exploring love, conflict, and identity, the duo performs works by Schubert, Dowland, Bob Dylan, Laurie Anderson, and others alongside new commissions by Sasha Scott, Nahre Sol, and more.
“The experience felt like being awake in a vivid dream… their shared artistic purpose and daring made it gel”—The Times, London
| MASSENET | “Ô Souverain, ô juge, ô père,” from Le Cid |
| DOWLAND | Praeludium
Selections from The Firste Booke of Songes Come Again, Sweet Love doth Now Invite Come, Heavy Sleep Think’st Thou Then by Thy Feigning |
| Sasha SCOTT | 1000 Parts of You |
| Linda Catlin SMITH | Dark Light |
| Thomas ADÈS | “Blanca,” from The Exterminating Angel |
| Detlev GLANERT | “Hexensabbat,” from Orlando-Lieder |
| SCHUBERT | “Einsamkeit,” from Winterreise, D. 911 |
| GLANERT | “Lied der Wehmut,” from Orlando-Lieder |
| Nahre SOL (Alice Gi-Young Hwang) | This Other Here |
| Maddie ASHMAN | Split |
| Cassandra MILLER | Dream Memorandum (It Reminded Me of the Truth) |
| Hans ABRAHAMSEN | “See the small, limpid well-spring,” from Two Inger Christensen Songs |
| SCHUBERT | “So laßt mich scheinen,” from Gesänge aus Wilhelm Meister, D. 877, No. 3 |
| Alex PAXTON | Be Kind |
| DOWLAND | Orlando Sleepeth |
| VIARDOT | Aimez-moi |
| Bob DYLAN Based on Traditional/American arranged by Jean Ritchie (1922–2015) |
Masters of War |
| Laurie ANDERSON (with electronics by Sasha Scott) |
O Superman |
Program notes will be available approximately one week before the performance.
3pm
There is a $20 service charge on all subscription orders, and a $15 per order service charge on ticket purchases made by phone or online that are not part of a subscription package. There is no fee for tickets purchased in person at the Zellerbach Hall Ticket Office unless they are part of a subscription.
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2026–27 Season Guides
Some of you want your mind blown. Some want your heart broken. Some want to see a legend before they stop touring. Whatever brings you through those doors, we’ve built a guide for it. Explore the six patron guides below to find the performances that were made for you!
3pm
There is a $20 service charge on all subscription orders, and a $15 per order service charge on ticket purchases made by phone or online that are not part of a subscription package. There is no fee for tickets purchased in person at the Zellerbach Hall Ticket Office unless they are part of a subscription.