My first opera ever. Salome--gruesome story about a beautiful and majorly entitled princess. Men…read moreswooned and one was stupid enough to kill himself over her. Then she wanted to kiss a prisoner prophet who turned her down. So she had him killed and served his head on a platter. Ultimately they had her killed which was a good idea. Excellent voices and set. I was told this might have been a difficult first time opera but I'll definitely go again.

We are SF Opera subscribers but we drive down to Palo Alto once every season to catch an opera by…read moreWest Bay Opera. They are usually high quality and it's really fun to see an opera in such a small house. The Samson and Delilah we just saw didn't live up to previous operas we've been there but it was pleasant. They are creative with sets and it was a good production. The chorus needs a lot of improvement but the leads were good . There is a lovely outdoor courtyard for intermission. Ticket prices are much less than SF Opera and I admire their goal of making opera available for all.

Year after year the Stanford Theatre continues to rock. Such a gorgeous atmosphere, classic movies,…read moregreat popcorn - and at an incredibly amazing price. Pro tip: the wurlitzer organ concert in between features on the weekends is so fun - don't leave too soon and miss it!

Absolutely delightful! In my opinion, the Stanford Theater is one of the best spots in the area…read more You will get a true trip down memory lane, from the retro movies to the concessions with prices no one can beat, and the intermission is simply a perfect touch. The theater interior is majestic, with comfortable chairs. Pro tip: check the website to see what movies are playing. You have to buy in person, but at $7 per ticket, it's a steal, if you ask me.

Very nice venue They have two theatre's They were doing the play Dracula here.They have a cafe here…read moreas well .

This is always such a great venue to come and see a show. It has an underground free parking…read moregarage. It's easily accessible if you have any mobility issues. The theater itself is very intimate and allows you a good seat no matter where you are. The staff is friendly and helpful. All shows from my experience, have been reasonably priced. Before the show grab something to eat, a cup of coffee, or even a glass of wine at the Bean Scene Cafe which is linked to the theater.

I started taking singing lessons with Mete as my dad was in hospice in my home in 2016. I had…read morealways wanted to learn to sing! It was so helpful to have this to look forward to during a such a sad time. Mete had been recommended by a neighbor, whose children study with him. I can't believe how well I've progressed - I even sang for my dad at his memorial celebration, in front of 50 people. I love my voice now, and I have so much fun singing! Mete is just the best teacher for me, so inspiring and supportive! I think most of his students are young people and children, but he's great with adults as well! He also teaches piano, and sings at events - he's just a sweetheart, and with an amazing voice and kindness!

Highly recommended!…read more Mete has been my vocal instructor for the past two months. I hadn't taken serious vocal lessons in the past so my voice was as untrained as it could get. :) He has been great at identifying where my strengths and weakness were and he could design the lessons in such a way that I made a lot of progress in such a short time. I am now able to produce operatic sounds that I didn't think I have in me! All this preparation is for my upcoming first album and Mete is critical to my singing quality both in technique and interpretation aspects.

Vicky is an excellent teacher and a talented choreographer. Her class at Dance Visions is geared…read moretoward intermediate dancers, but she welcomes all levels of dancers. Although I had a small amount of jazz dance experience, I had no ballet training when I started dancing with Vicky. I was often challenged by the pace of her class, but Vicky's supportive and encouraging teaching style helped me through the tough parts. What I enjoyed most was being able to participate in performances that Vicky choreographed. I'm no longer dancing with her because I moved away, but I always drop in for class when I'm in town. If you are an intermediate dancer or are returning to ballet after a gap in your dance training, this is the class for you. If you don't have any dance experience, I would not recommend this class for you. If you're an energetic beginner, give it a try. I'm glad I did!

I've been in Vicky's adult ballet class for almost 2 months. Vicky is very knowledgeable, patient…read moreand welcoming. I'd definitely recommend Vicky to anymore who wants to learn ballet.

Kathy is a fantastic teacher. She prepared me for many…read moreauditions, and most importantly, the one for entering the Master of Music in Vocal Performance, where I am now finishing my master's. She will guide and teach you to have a healthy technique and a complete connection with your body and emphasize the approach to the text that is so important for a singer. Whether you are a beginner or an experienced singer, she will be great for you.

My association with Kathy is almost a decade long! She first taught my daughter when she was in…read morehigh School and then my son through his high school years. She is thorough and methodical in her approach and able to harness an individual's talent and interest and channel it into something quite extraordinary. Kathy cares about her students and her knowledge and passion for music is apparent from the first time you connect with her. She took the time to understand the goals and aspirations of both my children and always coached and provided thoughtful and actionable feedback to help them improve their vocal range, tone, control and technique. She is an inspiring teacher who genuinely cares about her students and goes the extra mile to support and encourage her students. During the four years under her training for classical vocals and musical theater, my son matured from a young child to a bass-baritone, performing regularly at school and external events. He's now a sophomore in college and is continuing to take voice lessons there and is also a part of the University choir. More recently, my daughter, now 24 years old - who took lessons from her as a high student (and is now graduated from college and an adult) - began taking voice lessons from Kathy again for the past year and it's been a pure joy to know that she is in good hands. My daughter is currently in Berlin, Germany, but Kathy has made the time to help her with her lessons at a time that is convenient and effective for both to have meaningful lessons even though they are separated by thousands of miles and nine hours apart! I am sure when my daughter decides to go back for her Masters, she will continue her vocal journey and be a vibrant participant in the music community of whichever University she joins. The greatest gift she has given to my children is the love for music and performance for which I am most grateful. I highly recommend Kathy Ludowise to anyone who is seeking a vocal coach - no matter what level of previous experience. Her talent, passion and knowledge makes Kathy a wonderful vocal instructor who truly cares about her students and their goals. You'll be in good hands with her.

I hired Deborah to give me singing lessons because I was preparing a song to sing to my lady asking…read moreher to marry me. Deborah gave me so much more than voice lessons! She boosted my confidence to rely on my natural baritone and to rework the song with my own lyrics. The song was my special creation by the end, unrecognizable from what I started with. Plus Deborah was just fun to collaborate with. Deborah also helped me with my melody on the acoustic guitar. A year and a half later we are married and I am still singing the song to her!

I'm so lucky to have found Deborah! She's so knowledgeable and diligent about training the voice,…read moreof course, but what sets her apart from other teachers is that she is also exceedingly warm and kind. In just a couple classes, she helped me transform my fear of singing into an absolute joy. Now I sing all the time with my partner, or by myself just walking down the street, and it's brought so much happiness into my life. Thank you, Deborah!

Exceptional quality professional ballet training, If you want your child to experience real ballet…read more Highly recommended. My family has been with OBA for about three years. One of my boys trained there throughout that time (incl competitive track), while my other son attended pre-ballet summer sessions for a couple of months. Over those three years, we experienced regular academic-year training, summer drop-ins and intensives, competition team, private lessons and custom choreography, 2x year theater stage productions, and local community performances. Our experience was mostly with children under 12, so I can't speak to the experience for advanced students or adults. A few things I personally valued most: 1) TOP QUALITY CLASSICAL BALLET TRAINING. OBA teachers trained and taught at leading ballet schools in Russia and other countries of the former Soviet Union, with their exceptionally strong tradition of classical ballet education. What is remarkable to me is having access here in Bay Area to that caliber and tradition of training without first having to make it through the highly selective admissions process typical of that system. For a child who has the interest and ability to take ballet seriously, there is a genuine path toward advanced and potentially professional classical ballet training. There are some character and contemporary classes as a part of curriculum, and some Jazz in repertoire - but mostly classical dance! 2) BOYS PROGRAM. As a mom of two boys who displayed strong interest in dance while in elementary school, this was particularly important to me: it feels as most dance schools do not have a lot of experience teaching boys. In contrast, OBA founder has advanced teaching degree (PhD) specifically in boys technique, and I appreciated the understanding that boys can bring different energy and learning styles into the studio. Expectations remained high, but the methods didn't assume every child is the same. 3) CULTURE AND ATMOSPHERE YOU WANT YOUR KIDS TO LEARN FROM. OBA channels certain formality and graciousness to the classical/academic arts culture: respectful communication, good manners, self-discipline, consideration for others, and an expectation that students learn how to conduct themselves appropriately and respectfully with teachers, peers, and other adults. Impressively, I never saw OBA adults raising their voice or projecting their stress onto the kids -- neither have I seen kids getting rowdy. As a parent, you can experience this magical respectful, focused and positive atmosphere while observing an "open house" class or an end of year "exam", and when volunteering backstage. Over time, I saw my kids' exposure to this environment translate into more "mature" respectful behavior, greater self-discipline and responsibility, and an understanding of how to interact appropriately and professionally in classroom and backstage. 4) PERFORMANCES WHOLE FAMILY ENJOYS. Students get meaningful stage experience through OBA productions and community performances. The OBA shows like Thumbelina have been running as full productions with beautiful costumes, sets, music, and lighting. We got tons of professional photos and videos from these to toute around family. Most classes will rehearse a piece or two throughout the year and perform in shows 2x year, and some students audition for more challenging featured roles -- beware that rehearsals then may claim many Saturdays throughout the year! Those who are ready may be invited to the competition team, with opportunities to compete at events such as YAGP and CDC -- this is also quite a commitment and training starts in the summer prior to season start. Our experience on competition team has been top notch, structured and inspiring 5) ADMINISTRATION. To me, they deserve a Momager Choice Award! Communication about schedules, rehearsals, billing have been "best in class" - responsive, well organized, warm and genuinely invested in supporting child's success. Schedules / major dates are available far in advance -- like, in May all schedules for the next year were already published, so important for me with afterschool activity & family trips planning. Note that OBA operates out of two Mountain View locations, and sometimes we had classes at different locations on different days of the week. During competition prep weeks, we occasionally even had to "shuttle" between the two locations on the same day -- pay attention to those rehearsal locations in the emails! In summary, what our family valued most about our experience at OBA was access to serious classical ballet education in the Vaganova tradition, with a path toward professional training if a child has the desire and ability to pursue it, while being part of a supportive community centered around a love of art, discipline, and growth.

took my 4yo in today for a pre-ballet trial class and I was impressed! The space is beautiful. The…read morestaff was friendly. I love how they have so much structure in terms of dress code and hair requirements for class. Parents are not able to watch the class which I am completely fine with as I find this is often a distraction, especially for littles. Highly recommend if you are looking for quality ballet training.

Love concert series as well as the Studio (caberet) downstairs…read more As a musician who has performed there many times with full orchestra, I especially appreciate their willingness to correct the accoustics because in the beginning we could not hear our fellow musicians let alone ourselves. Ditto as an audience member. Couldn't live without Bing!

This concert venue is gorgeous, acoustically stunning, and designed so there isn't a bad seat in…read morethe house. Make sure you buy your tickets directly at the Box Office to avoid additional fees!

Maya is a FANTASTIC voice coach, perfect for both new AND experienced singers. I have been…read moreprofessionally singing and performing in the Bay Area, but have had limited vocal training. When I saw Maya was offering lessons, I signed up right away! When I've worked with Maya in the past, I always noticed how graceful and poised she was. She was always ready to learn something new to improve her craft, especially new techniques to improve her vocals. In the lessons we've had, I've always had a great time and felt comfortable and able to express myself. She truly has a "no judgement" zone. She was quick to identify places I was weak in and provide quality feedback! I've really enjoyed every lesson with her, and I already noticed an improvement in my voice. Book her before she becomes super busy again!

I have been singing for over 25 years and teaching voice for over 10.... I am always on the lookout…read morefor more tools for myself and to share with my students. Maya and I have sung together several times, and I have always been very impressed with the quality of her singing and her performing presence. Tracking her progress, I observed that she was one of the few who was actually "making it" in this biz before COVID hit and everything came to a screeching halt. When I saw she was offering lessons, I signed up right away. I had a great time and felt in very good hands during our lesson. She was quickly able to identify where I was deficient in my singing and offer targeted advice to help me connect more fully with my body. This is no easy feat. I, like most others, can be very nervous in a first lesson, and it can be hard to get any meaningful work done until trust is established. Maya created a very safe and supportive space, while offering quality technical feedback. As an accomplished singer and teacher in my own right, I cannot recommend her highly enough for both novice singers just starting out on their journey and more experienced singers needing guidance to break through technical limitations.