San Diego Symphony

06/05/2026

Thank you to everyone who joined us for Bartók's "Bluebeard's Castle" and Richard Strauss's "Also sprach Zarathustra," the (epic) final Jacobs Masterworks program of the 2025–26 season.

A special thank you to Karen Cargill and Mark Stone for bringing the complex and haunting story of Judith and Bluebeard to life with extraordinary artistry, alongside Music & Artistic Director Rafael Payare and all the musicians of the San Diego Symphony Orchestra. 👏👏

As one chapter closes, we look forward to opening the next. Thank you for spending this season with us. 🤍

📸: Chad Kelco

05/27/2026

May is Military Appreciation Month, a time to recognize and honor the service and sacrifices of our military community and their families. ❤️🤍💙🎶

Through the support of our community, the San Diego Symphony is able to provide meaningful musical experiences and access to performances for active-duty service members, veterans, and military families throughout the year.

As we look ahead to America the Beautiful: 250 this July 4th at The Rady Shell at Jacobs Park, we’re grateful for the opportunity to continue sharing music with those who serve our country.

If you’d like to support this work, learn more by visiting sdsymph.org/music-for-our-military

05/22/2026

Behind the doors of Bluebeard’s Castle with Karen Cargill & Mark Stone🚪🔑💙

Ahead of this weekend’s performances, mezzo-soprano Karen Cargill and baritone Mark Stone take us inside Bartók’s haunting psychological opera — discussing the complex relationship between Judith and Duke Bluebeard, the mystery at the heart of the story, and what makes this work so gripping to perform.

📍 Jacobs Music Center
📅 May 22 & 24
🎶 Also sprach Zarathustra & Bluebeard’s Castle
🎼 Rafael Payare

05/22/2026

Dive deeper into this weekend's program with San Diego Symphony's Creative Consultant, Gerard McBurney!

"THREE THINGS," is a quick, behind-the-scenes look at the music, composers, and context of the upcoming San Diego Symphony program—so you can head into the concert both intrigued and informed.

"THREE THINGS," is a quick, behind-the-scenes look at the music, composers, and context of the upcoming San Diego Symphony program—so you can head into the c...

05/22/2026

A custom-built xylophone for one terrifying moment in an opera 👀🎼

San Diego Symphony’s newest percussionist member Matthew West shares the story behind this unique “Frankenstein” xylophone configuration used in Bartók’s Bluebeard’s Castle — specially designed to perform a passage that’s nearly impossible for one person to play on a traditional xylophone.

You’ll hear it when the first door opens in Bluebeard’s castle, revealing the torture chamber. 🫣

A fascinating, behind-the-scenes look at the creativity, problem-solving, and eerie sound world behind this weekend’s season finale.

📍 Jacobs Music Center
📅 May 22 & 24
🎶 Also sprach Zarathustra & Bluebeard’s Castle with Rafael Payare, Karen Cargill & Mark Stone
🎟️: https://sdsymph.org/3YY9iQS

05/21/2026

“If you tell the right story, they’ll say, ‘Okay, I’ll give it a try,’ and it can be beautiful.”

Classical Voice North America recently profiled Gerard McBurney — composer, arranger, broadcaster, and creative consultant to the San Diego Symphony — and the storytelling-centered philosophy behind his work.

From immersive productions to semi-staged performances like Bluebeard’s Castle, McBurney continues to help audiences connect more deeply with the music on stage.

Read the full feature from Classical Voice North America:
https://classicalvoiceamerica.org/2026/05/20/a-storyteller-of-parts-hes-everymans-entree-to-trove-of-great-music/

05/21/2026

SF Classical Voice praised Jimmy López's "Perú negro" as “muscular, eruptive life” filled with “lurching rhythms, whooping brass, pummeling timpani, and slashing or dancing strings.”
As part of his San Diego Symphony residency, López’s work celebrates Afro-Peruvian musical traditions while bringing rarely-heard sounds — including three Peruvian cajones — to the orchestral stage.

Read more from SF Classical Voice: https://www.sfcv.org/articles/feature/san-diego-symphony-honors-perus-afro-latino-heritage

05/20/2026

The San Diego Symphony Orchestra performed at the acclaimed Centro Cultural Tijuana - CECUT, an agency of the Mexican Ministry of Culture, last week under the direction of Music & Artistic Director Rafael Payare. 🇲🇽🎶

Featuring Emmanuel Chabrier’s “España,” Prokofiev’s Symphony No. 5, and Arturo Márquez’s “Conga del Fuego Nuevo,” the concert continues the Symphony’s growing role as a cultural connector for the Cali-Baja region through shared artistic experiences.

This program marked the first of a two-performance residency at CECUT in 2026.

We deeply appreciated the enthusiasm and warmth of the full-house audience. 🤍
—————
La Orquesta Sinfónica de San Diego se presentó la semana pasada en el reconocido Centro Cultural Tijuana (CECUT), organismo de la Secretaría de Cultura de México, bajo la dirección de su Director Musical y Artístico Rafael Payare. 🇲🇽🎶

Con obras de Emmanuel Chabrier (España), la Sinfonía No. 5 de Prokofiev y Conga del Fuego Nuevo de Arturo Márquez, el concierto continúa fortaleciendo el papel de la Sinfónica como puente cultural para la región Cali-Baja a través de experiencias artísticas compartidas.

Este programa marcó el inicio de una residencia de dos presentaciones en CECUT durante 2026.

Agradecemos profundamente el entusiasmo y la calidez del público que llenó la sala. 🤍

05/20/2026

Two voices. Seven doors. One unforgettable psychological thriller. 🔑🖤

Mezzo-soprano Karen Cargill stars as Judith alongside baritone Mark Stone as Duke Bluebeard in Bartók’s haunting one-act opera Bluebeard’s Castle.

Together, they bring to life the dark and mysterious fairy tale at the center of our season finale — a story of love, curiosity, and the secrets hidden behind locked doors.

📍 Jacobs Music Center
📅 May 22 & 24
🎶 Rafael Payare, conductor
🎟️ SanDiegoSymphony.org