Culture in Los Angeles
Review: The Geffen Playhouse – The Niceties
The west coast premiere of THE NICETIES at Geffen Playhouse is excruciatingly intellectual ── an apotheosis of the American political divide. It is a mesmeric scrutiny of two opposing perspectives on matters of race and inequality in America ── a searing truth that makes us take notice at what happens when we don’t listen to each other. It forces you to examine yourself and those from different walks of life with new eyes and ears. Playwright, Eleanor Burgess delves into murky water with these two strong invincible female leads. Written with the pen strokes of […]
Callas in Concert: The Hologram Tour
The opera-actor-fashion icon diva resurrected on stage was unbelievably real! If you have never seen a Hologram concert, it is a must see “bucket list.” I attended the Callas in Concert: The Hologram Tour presented for one night only in association with the Los Angeles Times Festival of Books and it was phenomenal. Your mind […]
Malpaso Dance Company at the Wallis Annenberg
On Friday, March 29th, I attended the performance of the Malpaso Dance Company at the Wallis Annenberg in Beverly Hills. One of Cuba’s hottest dance companies, this is the second time the dance company has appeared in Los Angeles, following its debut in 2017. I expected the Cuban musical sounds we Americans have come to […]
Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra’s “Kahane on Mozart”
I attended the Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra’s “Kahane on Mozart” with the commission of James Newton Howard’s Cello Concerto at Royce Hall on the UCLA campus in Westwood, California. It was a dynamic and exciting musical evening led by conductor laureate Jeffrey Kahane. Kahane opens the evening with Mozart’s Piano Concerto No. 14. Superbly conducting from the piano, Kahane plays the […]
Review: LA Phil — Yuja Wang plays the hell out of the piano.
John Adam’s “Must the Devil Have All the Good Tunes?” his third piano concerto, was composed for Yuja Wang and the Los Angeles Philharmonic. Led by maestro Gustav Dudamel it was a star studded evening — Adams, Dudamel, Wang, Mahler and oh yes, Frank Gehry was acknowledged in the audience. The concerto is in one continuous movement, about thirty minutes long and the three seamlessly connected sections follow the traditional fast-slow-fast format, with the piano soloist active throughout. The piano and orchestra begin in the bass register, […]
Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra’s program of Transir for flute by Matthias Pintscher and Das Lied von der Erde (Song of the Earth) by Gustav Mahler was a powerful curation of two musical compositions. Both composers are known for taking risks and making bold choices – ushering in new sounds for orchestras. In a pre-concert talk flutist Henrik Heide said that both composers are detailed about phrasing, […]
LA Opera’s “The Clemency of Titus” is another terrific production!
Plácido Domingo has announced the latest details about LA Opera’s company premiere of Mozart’s The Clemency of Titus. Opening Night was a spectacular presentation of Mozart’s last opera about forgiveness. Mattie Ullrich produced rich and beautiful costumes. Director/Scenery Designer by Thaddeus Strassberger was gorgeous! Of course maestro James Conlon with his deep understanding of the music […]
Video: “Cats” at Hollywood Pantages Theatre – Thrives after many lives!
The Hollywood Pantages production of “Cats” brings the gorgeous music of Andrew Lloyd Webber to a new generation. Ever since that first performance in May 1981, Cats has been enthralling audiences around the world and has become one of the most successful shows ever written. In 1983, “Cats” won a Tony Award in several […]
Geffen’s Got A Hit – Lights Out: Nat “King” Cole is phenomenal!
Review: An outrageous amount of exorbitant talent — it’s the best show in town! Written brilliantly by Colman Domingo & Patricia McGregor the story shows us what must have been the inner-life of Nat King Cole as he trail-blazed a historical path for other minorities that would follow. He was the first African American to […]
Danielle Agami – Ate9 Dance Company
INTERVIEW WITH DANIELLE AGAMI Danielle Agami was born in Jerusalem where she studied at the Jerusalem Academy of Music and Dance and was a member of the Batsheva Dance Company. She then moved to New York to serve as the Senior Manager of Gaga U.S.A. In 2012, Agami relocated to Seattle where she became the […]
Review: “Julia Sweeney Older & Wider” Geffen Playhouse
You may or may not remember Julia Sweeney from her days as a cast member on Saturday Night Live from 1990 to 1994. The actress, author, housemom is back in Hollywood after a long hiatus from LA LA Land. Where did she go? Well, if you attend her one-woman show you will find out – […]
Review: LA Phil brings Accademia Bizantina
Accademia Bizantina is a marvelous orchestra group from Ravena. Their intention of “making music like a large quartet” was an unquestionable success. They graced the audience with a beautiful Vivaldi concert. A standing ovation by an inveterate audience of music lovers was well deserved. The evening of three encores and a smiling Alessandro Tampieri, the […]
Review: “Witness Uganda” – Wallis Annenberg
Opening Night Review 2/8/19 – Lovelace Studio Theater – – Wallis Center For the Performing Arts The Wallis Center For the Performing Arts Complex in Beverly Hills has several venues. “Witness Uganda” billed as a ‘documentary musical’ is being showcased in the Lovelace Studio theater. A relatively small arena. Instead of theatre in the round […]
Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra: Mozart & Beethoven Tonight!
Tickets still available for LACO’s concert tonight. Royce Hall tonight pm. Peter Oundjian conductor and Jonathan Biss piano Join Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra and pianist Jonathan Biss for intimate performances of music by Mozart, Beethoven, Ruth Crawford Seeger and a world premiere from Sound Investment composer Sarah Gibson. Mozart’s beautiful composition in three movements: Piano Concerto No. 17 in G major. And Beethoven’s iconic Symphony No. 5. This will […]
LA Phil – Itzhak Perlman ‘In the Fiddler’s House’
Part of Colburn Celebrity 2 Series. Perlman and Netsky’s In the Fiddler’s House was a Jewish Gem of a Jam! This one night only performance was a combination of ethnic soul and get-up-and dance Hava Nagila. In fact, through the marvelous fusion of sounds and genres, I believe I did hear a bar or two of the infamous Jewish wedding […]
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