Pianist

Join us for Festival Opera’s Spring Soirée, an evening that celebrates our deep roots in the Bay Area’s creative culture—and a moment to reflect on where we’re headed next. For 35 years, Festival Opera has provided a launchpad for emerging talent, a home for bold artistry, and a platform for meaningful engagement with our communities, earning a trusted place in the region’s arts scene.

EPSG:4326

 Spring Soirée

Piedmont Center for the Arts

What do art song and Halloween have in common? Well… monsters! Beasts without and within, love gone horribly wrong, generalized anxiety and existential crises, conversations with death… The world of classical music is rife with horrors, and contralto Sara Couden is excited to introduce as many of them as possible to the audience this October. She will be working with the fabulous and multi-talented pianist Derek Tam, presenting works by a list of composers including Schubert, Strauss, Wieck, and Weill, as well as modern composers Jordan Rutter-Covatto, Erika Oba, and Chris Castro. Don’t worry, there’s nothing to fear, but fear itself!

Artist Recital Series

Susan Waterfall will play Sonatine. Silvie Jensen, mezzo-soprano, will be joined by Daniel Lockert on piano for Deux melodies hébraïques. Harpist Anna Maria Mendieta will be joined by a small group of string and woodwind players to perform the chamber piece, Introduction et Allegro. On Chansons Madécasses, Silvie Jensen, mezzo-soprano, will be joined by Mindy Rosenfeld, flute; Stephen Harrison, cello; and Daniel Lockert, piano. In closing, Carolyn Steinbuck, piano, and Sam Weiser, violin, will play the Violin Sonata No. 2 in G Major.

Ravel: The Attraction of Modernism, featuring Susan Waterfall

Preston Hall

Susan Waterfall will play Pavane pour un infante défunte, Oiseaux tristes, and Un barque sur l’ocean. She will be joined by Julian Pollack on “Mother Goose Suite.” Jenny Matteucci, soprano, accompanied by Daniel Lockert on piano, will present Cinq mélodies populaires grecques. The Piano Trio in A minor will close out the concert, with Sam Weiser, violin; Evan Kahn, cello; and Keisuke Nakagoshi, piano.

Ravel: The Lure of the Exotic, featuring Susan Waterfall

The Mendocino Music Festival Chorale will perform a concert celebrating American composers, including music by Aaron Copland, Norman Dello Joio, Gwyneth Walker, and the lovely Frostiana by Randall Thompson. This concert was originally scheduled for 2020 but was cancelled by the pandemic, so the Festival Chorale is particularly excited (one might even say “jubilant”) to finally be performing this distinct and beautiful music.

Pianist

Daniel Lockert

Events

Upcoming events

Oct 25, 2026

Mad Scenes · Festival Opera

Past events

Mar 29, 2026

Spring Soirée · Festival Opera

Sep 22 - Nov 17, 2024

Artist Recital Series · Festival Opera

Future and recently performed repertoire

Piano in Macbeth by Verdi

Festival Opera

Piano in Lucia di Lammermoor by Donizetti

Festival Opera

Piano in Hamlet by Glass

Festival Opera

Piano in Idomeneo by Mozart

Festival Opera

Piano in Anna Bolena by Donizetti

Festival Opera

Piano in The Magic Flute by Mozart

Festival Opera

About

Daniel Lockert hasn't added a bio