Happy 100th birthday, Benjamin Britten!! As I mentioned yesterday, photographer Brandise Danesewich and I will be spending the whole day with James Conlon, Los Angeles Opera’s Music Director, as he prepares to rehearse, then conduct, two different FREE concerts today.

Follow along #DaywithConlon via Twitter, Facebook, Instagram — or just check the new widget I created on the All is Yar sidebar to the right.  Share your thoughts or questions on any of those platforms, or just leave them in the comments section below.

Here’s our schedule for the day (all times Pacific Standard Time):

• 10:15 AM – Depart from the Conlon home to the Jonathan Club in Santa Monica (850 Palisades Beach Club Road, Santa Monica 90403)

• 11 AM – Dress Rehearsal for Britten Birthday Bash event

• 2 PM – FREE Performance of Britten Birthday Bash event at the Jonathan Club in Santa Monica (850 Palisades Beach Club Road, Santa Monica 90403), followed by a reception.
  • James Conlon conducts Honor Choirs from the Santa Monica Malibu Unified School District in a concert featuring Friday Afternoons (Op. 7, 1933-35) performed by the Elementary Honor Choir; choruses from A Ceremony of Carols (Op. 28, 1942) performed by the Middle School Honor Choir; and Simple Symphony (Op. 4, 1934) performed by the Santa Monica High School Chamber Orchestra. Emcee’d by Kimberlea Daggy. This concert is free and open to the public.

• TBA – Travel to St. James Episcopal Church in Koreatown

• 5:15 PM – Dress Rehearsal for St. James Episcopal concert

• 8:30 PM –  Curtain for FREE concert at St. James Episcopal Church  (3903 Wilshire Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90010), reception to follow.
  • Cantata Misericordium (Op. 69, 1963), Rejoice in the Lamb (Op. 30, 1943) and Serenade for Tenor, Horn and Strings (Op. 31, 1943)
    Performed by the Choir of Saint James (James Buonemani, music director) and the UCLA Camarades String Ensemble (Neal Stulberg, music director), conducted by James Conlon. This event is free and open to the public.
  • Information: www.SaintJamesLA.org or 213.388.3417

RELATED POST:

• I’ll be celebrating Britten’s 100th b-day all day Friday with James Conlon — seriously #DaywithConlon

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Photo Credit:  Robert Millard