Dorothy Chandler News

The Music Center welcomes the return of American Ballet Theatre (ABT) with the company's production of the 19th century classic ballet, La Bayadere, which will be performed at The Music Center's Dorothy Chandler Pavilion for the first time from July 13 - 15, 2018.  The final engagement of the 15th season of Glorya Kaufman Presents Dance at The Music Center, La Bayadere is set in royal India and tells the story of eternal love, fate, vengeance and justice.  The production will highlight ABT's stellar roster of international ballet stars, including Principal Dancers Isabella Boylston, Jeffrey Cirio, Misty Copeland, Hee Seo, Cory Stearns, Gillian Murphy, Devon Teuscher and Christine Shevchenko.

Legendary playwright, Charles Mee, is turning 80 years and will be celebrated by Cherry Lane Theatre at a benefit performance of FIRST LOVE followed by a blowout bash at Casa La Femme (140 Charles Street). Additionally New York City Council Speaker Corey Johnson will recognize Charles Mee with an official New York City Proclamation for his extraordinary and enduring contributions to the American theatre, on Monday, June 11, 2018 at The Cherry Lane Theatre beginning at 7pm.

LA Opera Off Grand and The Broad Stage will present a double bill of one-act operas by Gordon Getty: Usher House and The Canterville Ghost. The operas will be performed on June 22 and 24 at The Broad Stage, located at 1310 11th Street, Santa Monica, CA 90401.

Cherry Lane Theatre (Seri Lawrence, Janio Marrero, Co-Artistic Directors) is proud to announce that Academy Award nominee Michael O'Keefe and Angelina Fiordellisi will star in its upcoming Founder's Project presentation of Charles Mee's FIRST LOVE, directed by Kim Weild. Performances will begin on June 7, the production will open on June 14 and run through July 8 at Cherry Lane Theatre (38 Commerce Street). Tickets are $65-$95 and are available at www.cherrylanetheatre.org or by calling Ovation Tix at 1.866.811.4111.

Stage and screen star, Patricia Morison died today at the age of 103 at home in Los Angeles of natural causes. A stage icon and legend best known for her starring roles in Cole Porter's Kiss Me Kate and The King & I opposite Yul Brynner, she established an indelible mark in films with a reputation as a the villainous femme fatale with large blue eyes and extremely long, dark hair that made her a favorite of studios and fans alike. 

On May 12, 2018, Los Angeles Opera presented a searing rendition of RIGOLETTO, Giuseppe Verdi's dark tale of curses and murder. Recently, General Director Placido Domingo said of this work, 'I can think of no opera that better demonstrates the power of deeply emotional music melded with incredibly gripping drama.'

The multitalented Audra McDonald, winner of a record six Tony Awards, will return to Los Angeles in concert with the LA Opera Orchestra. The concert will take place at the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion (135 North Grand Avenue, Los Angeles CA 90012) on Sunday, May 20, at 3pm.

Southern California audiences will experience some of the most captivating and entertaining dance performances during The Music Center's upcoming dance season, with choreography that expresses deep emotions and movement that showcases the dimensions of both classical and contemporary dance.  Featuring a wide range of popular and groundbreaking dance companies, including The Music Center premiere of Company Wayne McGregor and the return of The Royal Ballet to The Music Center's stages after a 20-year absence, along with Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, L.A.'s own Diavolo/Architecture in Motion and George Balanchine's The Nutcracker by Miami City Ballet, the upcoming Glorya Kaufman Presents Dance at The Music Center (Dance at The Music Center) season is the most fearless and dynamic to date.  Center Dance Arts is the founding supporter of Glorya Kaufman Presents Dance at The Music Center.

Placido Domingo, LA Opera's Eli and Edythe Broad General Director, has announced final details about the company's spring presentation of Rigoletto, the classic tragedy by Giuseppe Verdi.

For a few decades, The Complexions Dance Company has been my very favorite company to see perform. They did not fail me again. Literally mind-blowing performances from this visit to the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion.

The Music Center today announced its first Arts Integration Symposium for K-12 educators to be held at The Music Center's Dorothy Chandler Pavilion from July 18-20, 2018.  This new program features a first-ever collaboration with both The Kennedy Center and Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts where educators will have access to a team of experts from all three of the nation's leading arts institutions.  Teaching artists from across the country will join together to share their approaches to engaging students in transformative arts education programs and offer participants access to a wide range of professional development.  This opportunity is made possible by the Annenberg Foundation as part of the Annenberg Next Generation Arts Education Program.

On Saturday, April 28, at 3pm, LA Opera will present a free concert of Great Opera Choruses with Resident Conductor Grant Gershon leading the LA Opera Chorus. Highlights will include famous choruses from popular operas by Bizet, Verdi, Puccini, Bernstein and more.  Best of all, audience members of all ages-and of any musical ability-will have the exciting opportunity to join in the fun by singing along with the pros to such famous pieces as the Anvil Chorus from Il Trovatore and the Toreador Song from Carmen. The Great Opera Choruses concert will be accompanied by LA Opera Assistant Chorus Master Jeremy Frank on the piano, and will feature four soloists from LA Opera's Domingo-Colburn-Stein Young Artist Program. 

 The Music Center today announced Grand Park's 2018 summer season with free programming that offers Angelenos the opportunity to participate in their favorite outdoor activities amidst the beauty of Grand Park.

LA Opera has added a performance of Soldier Songs by David T. Little, with film by Bill Morrison, as part of its 2018/19 Off Grand season. Starring baritone David Adam Moore, the multi-media concert presentation directed by Ashley Tata will take place at the Ford Theatres (2580 Cahuenga Boulevard East, Hollywood, 90068) on Saturday, October 13, at 8:30pm.

Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra (LACO) celebrates its 50th anniversary season and its distinguished roots with "The Golden Gala," a spectacular fundraiser, on Saturday, April 14, 2018, 5 pm, including an historic concert at the Mark Taper Forum, the theatre where LACO began its journey 50 years ago, followed by a sumptuous dinner and after-party at the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion.

A story relevant to generations past and present, Shakespeare's cautionary tale of love serves as a modern metaphor for the influence of society over individual freedom. For although the personal journeys of Romeo & Juliet are integral to the tale, this is a love story within a clear social and political context - the collective identity of the group is considered more important than the desires of its citizens, dooming the young lovers from "opposite sides of the tracks" to their tragic end as their personal lives are molded by the hostilities of the previous era. Beginning in the 1930s during a time when a rigid dictatorial system had taken over the country, the Capulet family represents the upper-class conservatives with stiff, militaristic movement, while the Montagues represent the liberal low and middle classes, danced with loose, flowing motions laced with pedestrian naturalism.

LA Opera and SongFest have announced a new partnership to launch The Eva & Marc Stern SongFest-LA Opera Fellowship Program. Now in its 23rd season, SongFest is a training program and festival for singers and pianists that focuses on song and recital repertory, held at The Colburn School. SongFest and Colburn are thrilled to join forces with LA Opera and with Placido Domingo, the company's Eli and Edythe Broad General Director, in fostering community among young singers, established artists and audiences by sharing resources and collaborating on new creative projects while invigorating the increasingly vibrant arts scene in Los Angeles.

Los Angeles audiences will experience the brilliance of David Bowie like never before with StarDust, Complexions Contemporary Ballet's revelatory tribute to the late icon, taking place at The Music Center's Dorothy Chandler Pavilion from April 20 - 22, 2018. Part of the 15th season of Glorya Kaufman Presents Dance at The Music Center (Dance at The Music Center), this production will feature many of the singer's most beloved hits and glam rock-inspired costumes designed by Christine Darch.

On March 11, 2018, Los Angeles Opera presented Christoph Willibald Gluck's ORPHEUS AND EURYDICE in conjunction with Joffrey Ballet Chicago at the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion. Having previously presented the Italian version of the opera with a mezzo-soprano as Orfeo, L. A. Opera offered the 1774 French version with a tenor Orpheus and a great deal more dance this time

Houston Ballet Artistic Director Stanton Welch AM and Houston Ballet Academy Director Vicki Attard are pleased to announce that the Academy's own Lower School Principal Melissa Bowman has been named as Houston Ballet Academy's next Director, overseeing a variety of programs designed to take students from their first introduction to movement through a full course of ballet study. Mrs. Bowman will immediately step into her new role within Houston Ballet Academy as Deputy Director, while working hand in hand with Director Vicki Attard. The transition will continue through the summer and on June 4, 2018 Mrs. Bowman will assume the title of Academy Director.