Music

DONE WELL INDIVIDUALLY, BUT A CURIOUS AND UNNECESSARY PAIRING Conductor Susanna Målkki returned to Disney Hall with a contrasting program of Antonin Dvořák’s Slavonic Dances, Op. 46 and a U.S. premiere of an LA Phil commissioned Double Concerto by Felipe Lara written for Claire Chase, flute and esperanza spalding, bass and voice. The Slavonic Dances…

THE CRASH OF SYMBOLISM As part of its 2022-23 season, LA Opera is presenting Debussy’s one-of-a-kind enigmatic masterpiece Pelléas et Mélisande in its entirety,  conducted by Music Director James Conlon  at the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion The production, which originated at Scottish Opera, was created by the internationally acclaimed director David McVicar. Tickets for performances March 25 through…

I TELL-A YOU, IS-A MAGIC! It’s a-me, Mario! And I’m-a tell you that Pacific Opera Project’s revival of The Magic Flute AKA #Superflute has a-gotta be seen to believe. Josh-a da Shaw take-a Mozart’s famous opera-a and-a turn it into a 90s’ Super-a Mario Bros videogame, and it-a work-a so well dat it’a come back-a…

The Los Angeles Philharmonic hosted two of the most proficient and popular concert pianists this week, both of whom proved why they are considered top-tier. In an exhaustive exhibition of Rachmaninoff — four piano concertos and the Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini — superstar pianist Yuja Wang joined Gustavo Dudamel for a two-weekend set…

THIS CONCERT WILL BE ONE FOR THE BOOKS, AND WILL BE LIVESTREAMED FOR ONLY $19 While Ms. Joy had to cancel her original date of Feb. 11, and the March 26 show now sold out, don’t despair. You can still see her, as The Soraya is offering a livestream for only 19 bucks (get tickets…

HOW THE WEST WAS LOST AND BORING Under the baton of California’s own celebrity composer, John Adams, the LA Phil performed his Girls of the Golden West in a concert setting on Friday, January 27th. Premiered in 2017 by the San Francisco Opera, the work was conceived and co-created by librettist, culture maker and long-time…

HEIGH-HO, HECTOR! The full house at Walt Disney Concert Hall buzzed with excitement as fast-paced whispers reverberated through the crowd when Hector Olivera opened his solo organ recital by walking directly to the remote console on stage, placing his stuffed Kermit the Frog doll next to him, where the frog appeared to be waiting for…

DAWSON GETS HIS DUE IN LA PHIL’S FIRST PERFORMANCE OF HIS NEGRO FOLK SYMPHONY The swellegant Maestro Roderick Cox returned to Disney Hall with the LA Phil last weekend. Even knowing the talent of the conductor, players, and guest violinist Karen Gomyo, there were some surprises at this stupendous program. The first came before the…

SHEKU INHABITS HAYDN I hear an old soul in his playing. English cellist Sheku Kanneh-Mason, aka Sheku, is a decent, heartfelt, unpretentious performer, and his music follows suit. He evokes some kind of sacred spirit in his cello playing, which is dreamy and soothing while being exhilarating. He does Casals, Du Pre & Rostropovich proud,…

AMERICAN PREMIERE OF VIVALDI’S HERCULES IN THERMODON: A WINNER PACIFIC OPERA PROJECT’S JOSH SHAW: THE HERCULES OF OPERA PRODUCTIONS The Four Seasons composer and violin virtuoso Antonio Vivaldi reckoned to have written 94 operas, yet only 49 have been identified by musicologists; of these, a mere 22 survive, most found in the Library of Turin….

Michael Tilson Thomas (MTT) walked quickly to the podium at Disney Hall and when he arrived, he stood, frozen, for an extended period of time, as if he were calling upon a moment of silence and so, when the first bars of Claude Debussy’s Prélude í   L’Après-midi  d’un faune were heard, they seemed to emanate from the…

Mahler’s symphonic farewell, the Ninth, is remarkable and must be seen live. Beginning and ending with slow movements, the Ninth repeatedly flouts tradition, combining raw, raucous enthusiasm with heartbreaking gestures of acceptance and final goodbyes. Below is an overview of the monumental composition which will enlighten your experience when you see Michael Tilson Thomas —…