Freebie of the week: Visitors to San Jose’s renowned five-and-a-half acre Municipal Rose Garden on Saturday night will be treated to an evening of high vocal art. Opera San Jose, partnered with Applied Materials and the San Jose Sports Authority in acknowledgment of the World Cup, presents a free concert. Music director Joseph Marcheso leads the orchestra and a full complement of talented singers, including renowned Neapolitan tenor Pasquale Esposito and Vietnamese-American soprano Victoria McDowell. Performances will include excerpts from operas such as “Pagliacci,” “The Pearl Fishers,” “Carmen,” Rigoletto” and more. Other soloists on the program are tenors Alex Boyer, Edward Graves and Ben Gulley, sopranos Madison Hatten and Nicole Koh, baritones Eugene Brancoveanu and Luis Alejandro Orozco and bass-baritone Philip Skinner. Attendees are invited to bring lawn chairs, blankets and picnic baskets for the concert, which runs from 6 to 7:30 p.m. at 1649 Naglee Ave., with check-in starting at 5 p.m. For more information and to reserve a free general admission ticket, visit operasj.org.
A monumental favorite returns: It can’t come around too often. Ludwig van Beethoven’s mighty, massive and most uplifting final symphony, the Ninth, is the centerpiece of the San Francisco Symphony’s concerts this weekend. Former associate conductor James Gaffigan, recently named the next music director of the Houston Grand Opera, returns to Davies Hall to lead the triumphant work, which the profoundly deaf composer continued to conduct at its 1824 debut after it was over, only recognizing the wild applause it was receiving when the contralto soloist gently turned him around by the arm to see all the people standing, waving their arms, hats and handkerchiefs in the air. Gaffigan directs the orchestra, the Symphony Chorus and soprano Jessica Faselt, mezzo Kelley O’Connor, tenor Thomas Cooley and bass Peixin Chen in performances at 7:30 p.m. Thursday and Saturday and 2 p.m. Sunday, with an open rehearsal at 10 a.m. Thursday in Davies Hall. Find tickets, $50-$275, at sfsymphony.org.
In praise of Gillian: Singer-songwriter Gillian Welch, a revered and indispensable purveyor of Americana music, is only 58 years old and plenty active in the music business. She’ll perform with her longtime partner David Rawlings in a tribute to Steve Earle at the Nob Hill Masonic in San Francisco on Oct. 1. But fans of her music, a piercing blend of Appalachian, bluegrass, folk and other American roots music genres, can hear it Thursday night at the Freight in Berkeley at a concert featuring the Bay Area-based trio Trillian Welch. The group—consisting of singers Margaret Belton, Meredith Edgar and Jill Roger —is known for applying luscious three-part harmonies to Welch’s timeless tunes. It will be backed by the Trillionaires, a four-piece band whose members have widespread musical connections to Bay Area performers. Music starts at 8 p.m.; tickets are $39-$44. The show kicks off a big weekend at The Freight, which hosts a reunion featuring beloved singer-songwriter-musicians Teresa Trull and Barbara Higbie at 7 p.m. Saturday. Tickets, $39-$44, are at thefreight.org.
Iconic music on stage: Two musicals that bring to life some of the most popular songs in pop/rock history are onstage in the Bay Area this month. While neither could be described as a critic’s darling, mainly due to complaints about story lines, the tunes involved are iconic works that bring fans back to a certain place and time. In the South Bay, San Jose Stage is mounting “We Will Rock You,” a musical built off the many hits from Queen: “Radio Ga Ga,” “Somebody to Love,” “Killer Queen,” “Bohemian Rhapsody” and many more. The story line has nothing to do with Queen; it’s a tale about rebel Earthlings overthrowing their cruel overlords. It was penned by British alt-comedy writer and performer Ben Elton, best known for writing funny material for Rowan Atkinson (“Blackadder,” “Mr. Bean”). “We Will Rock You” runs through June 28 at San Jose Stage, 490 S. First St., San Jose. Tickets are $38-$84; go to thestage.org. Meanwhile, Center Rep is performing “Jagged Little Pill” at the Lesher Center in Walnut Creek. It’s based on the classic Alanis Morissette album of the same name, which barreled over an unsuspecting America in 1995. Like “We Will Rock You,” “Jagged Little Pill” rides a story line (in this case, by Diablo Cody) that has nothing to do with the musician who created the music. It’s about a Connecticut family dealing with suburban malaise: drugs, sexual violence and gender issues among the challenges. But it has those great songs, led of course by the insanely aggressive and catchy “You Oughta Know.” The musical runs through June 28 at the Lesher Center, 1601 Civic Drive, Walnut Creek. Tickets are $31-$101; go to www.centerrep.org/home-centerrep.
Believe in the Belt: Things seem to be going pretty darned well for Oakland-born, Los Angeles-based comedian Lewis Belt, as he returns to East Bay for a weekend set at Tommy T’s. People are still watching videos of his goofy creation Sonniebo, a fictitious musician who’s described as a “cultural mascot” of the East Bay. Meanwhile, his 2025 special “On Mommas” is still racking up hits on YouTube, and he has appeared on MTV’s “Are You The One?,” and Snoop Dogg’s “So Dumb It’s Criminal,” as well as in the 2023 film “House Party,” which was produced by LeBron James. Belt’s success is no fluke. He’s a natural-born joke- and storyteller, with an insanely likable way about him. Those who have doubts as to whether he’s quick on his feet can check out a YouTube video of him performing at the Paramount Theatre when he discovers Stephen Curry is in the audience. Belt will no doubt bring his A-game to Tommy T’s, 5104 Hopyard Road, Pleasanton, where he performs at 7:30 and 10 p.m. Friday and 7 and 9:45 p.m. Saturday. Tickets are $25-$46 at tommyts.com.