Los Angeles Opera and Plácido Domingo, their General Director, issued a press release last week announcing details of their 2018/19 (full details are below). In short, here’s what we’ve got to look forward to: Mainstage (Dorothy Chandler Pavilion) Six performances each of: Don Carlo (Verdi): September 22 through October 14, 2018; revival. James Conlon conducts. Ramón Vargas (Don … Continue reading
Folks, I’m generally an optimistic, positive-thinking kinda guy. I try to find the bright side of things and give people the benefit of the doubt, even when most others wouldn’t dream of it. So leave it to our good friends at Los Angeles Opera to test my ability to maintain a stiff upper lip and keep … Continue reading
Christmas, Hanukkah, Winter Solstice, and Festivus — all of their latest editions are now a distant memory. Perhaps it passed by and you didn’t get the CD you had secretly hoped for. Or maybe you’ve got an Amazon gift card and you’ve decided that you should really stop accumulating novels about forlorn vampires that … Continue reading
After the Los Angeles Master Chorale’s rousing season opening gala, Music Director Grant Gershon decided to trot out a familiar crowd-pleaser for its second weekend of concerts: Carl Orff’s Carmina Burana. For some, the cantata has worn out its welcome long ago, but for others — myself included — it remains an entertainingly addictive thrill-ride … Continue reading
James Conlon, Los Angeles Opera’s esteemed Music Director, makes his first appearance of the season this coming Saturday with a revival of Verdi’s Falstaff. Italian baritone Roberto Frontali plays the portly Sir John, joined by many others in this new/revamped production. The final dress rehearsal is tonight, and as has become the norm, I’ll be … Continue reading
Tonight marks the opening of Los Angeles Opera’s 2012/2013 season with a new production of Verdi’s rarely performed I Due Foscari (The Two Foscari). Plácido Domingo takes on the role of Francesco Foscari, his latest foray into the baritone repertoire and 140th role overall (give or take) in his illustrious career. I’ll be there tonight, … Continue reading
Thanks to the iPod touch game, “N.O.V.A. 2” by Gameloft, CKDH Jr. has a new favorite piece of classical music: The “Dies Irae” from Giuseppe Verdi’s Requiem. We have a recording of the Requiem by Fritz Reiner conducting the Vienna Philharmonic, and the “Dies Irae” is now on constant repeat. Nothing like hearing it cranked up … Continue reading
Los Angeles Opera’s production of Verdi’s Simon Boccanegra opens today, with Placido Domingo in the title role of pirate turned Doge of Genoa. As previously mentioned, I was offered one of LA Opera’s inaugural “tweet seats” for last Wednesday’s final dress rehearsal. Normally, I wouldn’t be writing about a rehearsal at all, let alone doing … Continue reading
All is Yar 