Archbishhop Desmond Tutu and Reverend Mpho Tutu
March 17, at 8 p.m.
For Nobel Peace Prize laureate Desmond Tutu, human rights, particularly in his native South Africa, has been a lifelong cause. South African president Nelson Mandela appointed the Archbishop of Cape Town as chairman of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission, charged with investigating apartheid-era human rights violations and working to heal and unite the country. His daughter, Rev. Mpho Tutu, heads the Tutu Institute for Prayer & Pilgrimage. The two wrote the just-released book, Made for Goodness: And Why This Makes All the Difference, which notes, “Anyone can choose to cultivate compassion” and "Differences are not intended to separate, to alienate. We are different precisely in order to realize our need of one another."
At Davies Symphony Hall. Tickets: $20, 30.
San Francisco International Chocolate Salon
March 20
Chocoholic paradise, with 70 premium chocolatiers, confectioners and wineries showing (and sampling out) their wares. There will also be chef demos, author talks and book-signings, wine pairings, a chocolate chef contest, and a chocolate body frosting demonstration.
At Fort Mason Festival Pavilion. Tickets $25, 30.
Switchboard Music Festival
March 28, at 2 – 10 p.m.
An 8-hour, non-stop music marathon showcasing local, experimental musicians and composers who cross genres. They include: Teslim (a violinist and a Turkish- and Greek-stringed-instrumentalist who compose and perform Greek, Turkish and Sephardic music); Sqwonk (a bass clarinet duo that borrows from klezmer, heavy metal, blues and avant-garde improvisation); Sabbaticus Rex (produces sounds with gongs, bamboo flutes and throat-singing, described as “primordial easy-listening for dinosaurs”); Matt Small’s Chamber Ensemble; Zoë Keating (cello + electronics); and composer-clarinetist Jonathan Russell.
At Dance Mission Theater, 3316 24th St. Tickets: $10-40 sliding scale.
