Review: ALL WE NEED IS LOVE: SAN FRANCISCO GAY MEN'S CHORUS & SF SYMPHONY at Davies Symphony Hall
What did our critic think of ALL WE NEED IS LOVE: SAN FRANCISCO GAY MEN'S CHORUS & SF SYMPHONY at Davies Symphony Hall?
By: Steve Murray Jun. 20, 2024
There are few things more glorious than over 300 voices raised in perfect harmony. Since 1978 the SFGMC has been a voice for uplifting the LGBTQIA+ community through times of great sorrow and joy. Persevering in the ugly face of intolerance and persecution, the chorus inspired a worldwide choral movement. This summer, they will tour the Midwest where antigay legislation is being enacted. Tuesday’s concert, a high note in their 46th season titled a “Season of Love”, turned Davies Hall into a cathedral, a scared space of inclusion, reverence, and light.
A third collaboration with the 16-time Grammy Award winning SF Symphony showed the chorus at its finest with SFGMC Artistic Director Jacob Stensberg conducting. A number of guests made the evening extra special including “The Promise That Tomorrow Hold,” a world premiere piece by composer Dominick DiOrio. The evening opened with a touching tribute to the memory of Matthew Sheppard, brutally murdered in 1998. Speaking of the ‘tenderness of youth,’ David Conte’s “Elegy for Matthew” reflects our love and memory for those no longer here.
Michael Tilson Thomas was in attendance to hear his popish “I’d Like to Learn” followed by a transcendent version of Beth Nielson Chapman’s moving “How We Love” which states: “Life has taught me this, Everyday is new, And if anything is true, All that matters when we're through is how we love”. The second act was even more inspired, the interplay between the chorus and symphony elevating each song to a joyous synthesis. A song from our Native American Two Spirit brother Ty Defoe “We Are Trees,” Dominick DiOrio’s “Let Us Plant Our Gardens Now” spoke to both our chosen families and healing our planet and hearts.
In a collaboration with San Francisco Bay Area Theatre Company, Langston Hughes inspired “I, Too Sing America” calls for equality, as did “Stick with Love” based on a quote from Martin Luther King. The HomoPhonics, a subset of the chorus performed Sia’s “Elastic Heart” and their counterpart, The Lollipop Guild sang a stirring “Biblical” by pop star Calum Scott – one of the best new love songs. Among the many highlights of the show was “Comme d’habitude” (Claude Francois and Giles Thibaut) with guest vocalist Enrico Lagasca. The song was re-interpreted with new lyrics to become Frank Sinatra’s “My Way,” but this original version was lovely.
Jacob Stensberg and the SFGMC are stronger than ever and always a joy to behold. Presenting the light comic side of our lives or delving into the sacred sides of love in all its incarnations, they stand as a testament to a community’s will to survive and perhaps change the world.
Photo credit: Stefan Cohen
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Were you actually there Steve? Or were you paid by Mr. Stensberg or the chorus staff to try to spin a bad show positive?
No one in their right mind would say this was a good, successful concert. It was terribly disjointed, very loosely followed the name chosen. Many, including myself were surprised that a concert called “all you need is love” wasn’t reality about love at all, but more about Mr. Stensberg’s personal agenda which included promoting his friends whether the song fit the show or not. Not to mention how unprofessional they were (ie. Mr. DiOrio is so renowned I would think he would write better, less self serving lyrics and know not to leap on and off a stage in a major concert hall. The soloist had no stage presence, and we as the audience had to sit through 20 plus minutes of him reading sheet music when the entire chorus stood there awkwardly and were memorized on their songs, and they are the volunteers!)
The show was clearly poorly sold, audience members walked out mid act 1, and many didn’t return for act 2. Not to mention the chorus sounded and looked like they were miserable. The only thing that saved the day was the second half of the second act when SFBATCO, Homophonics, and The Lollipop Guild brought things back to what we expect from SFGMC without Mr. Stensbergs out of touch programming. I miss the days of Dr. Seelig’s masterful shows and programming, I really hope Mr. Stensberg learns and wakes up soon because shows like this is only going to hurt him and put SFGMC more out of touch from what draws the community in.
In closing, I would hope broadwayworld.com would give actual, honest reviews, but it seems you are not actually a trusted source of information and just pandering to a director that hasn’t proven himself yet.