Just in time for the season, Davidsen and recital partner James Baillieu—one of the leading song pianists of his generation—offer a program that moves from the great art song tradition to beloved music of Christmas. Works by Bach, Reger, and Richard Strauss, along with Wagner’s Tristan-imbued Wesendonck Lieder, lead to a glorious selection of traditional Christmas favorites sung in English, German, Italian, and, of course, Davidsen’s native Norwegian.
“The radiating, shimmering … overtones that halo her voice make [Davidsen] sound arrestingly powerful and visceral. You feel it as almost physical presence—pressing against your chest, raising the hairs on the back of your neck.”—The New York Times
Run time for this performance is approximately 1 hour and 30 minutes including intermission.
Major support for this performance is provided by Priscilla and Keith Geeslin. This performance is made possible in part by the the Norway House Foundation.
| R. STRAUSS | “Cäcilie,” from 4 Lieder, Op. 27 |
| BACH/GOUNOD | Ave Maria |
| REGER | Mariä Wiegenlied |
| PRAETORIUS/TRADITIONAL NORWEGIAN | Det hev ei rose sprunge |
| WAGNER | Wesendonck Lieder |
| TRADITIONAL/MENDELSSOHN (arr. Douglas) | Hark the Herald Angels Sing |
| TRADITIONAL ENGLISH (arr. Henderson) | The First Noel |
| GRUBER | Silent Night |
| BACH | Jesu bleibet meine Freude |
| TRADITIONAL | O Come, All Ye Faithful |
| BRORSON | Mitt hjerte alltid vanker |
| VERDI | “Ave Maria,” from Otello |
| TRADITIONAL NORWEGIAN | Deilig er jorden |
| TRADITIONAL SCOTTISH | Auld Lang Syne |
| ADAM | O Helga natt |
Program notes will be available approximately one week before the performance.
7:30pm
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.
Parking Alert
Parking may be a problem on campus for this performance due to a Cal Men’s Basketball game.
Many University parking lots will be reserved for patrons and city-owned lots may have a limited number of spots available. We advise you to arrive early and to consider alternative transportation.
Please see our Parking Alert section for more information.
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2026–27 Season Guides
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7:30pm
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.