Bay Area Culture

Commentary In Paris, the “Officiel” is the guide for cultural events of the week. It lists dozens of theatrical productions a night—staged, rehearsed, produced—in small, medium, and large theaters. France’s national theater company, La Comédie Française, employs so many professional actors that it opened branches, or “succursales,” throughout the city. In Paris, there are around two symphony orchestras, two operas, five ballets, and dozens of chamber concerts—every night. In San Francisco, if it weren’t for their large endowments, the symphony, opera, and ballet would have shut down years ago. At a recent symphony concert in June, an orchestra musician handed out this flyer:...