Los Angeles Ballet to Make Hollywood Bowl Debut with LA Phil
Grammy-winner Carlos Miguel Prieto conducts a program featuring Balanchine's WHO CARES? and a new Melissa Barak ballet.
Los Angeles Ballet will make its Hollywood Bowl debut with the LA Phil in a night of Mexican and American gems for orchestra and ballet on Tuesday, September 8, at 8 pm as part of the Classical Tuesdays & Thursdays of the LA Phil's Hollywood Bowl 2026 summer season.
LAB's Artistic Director Melissa Barak will choreograph a new ballet set to Gabriela Ortiz's Kauyumari—a spiritual and celebratory piece about music's power to heal, transform, and expose the intangible. Kauyumari is also a commissioned work by the LA Phil. Included in the program is Balanchine's jazzy choreography, described as “tap dance on pointe,” from the 1970 ballet of Gershwin songs, Who Cares? The program also features rustic, riveting music inspired by the American West and Mexico's landscapes. Grammy-winner Carlos Miguel Prieto conducts the evening.
Fresh off of a milestone 20th season that featured Barak's collaboration with composer David Lawrence and fashion house ETRO, and a debut at The Music Center, LAB continues its commitment to partnerships with artists across genres and design worlds.
“As soon as I heard Kauyumari, I knew it would be an extraordinary piece to choreograph to,” said Barak. “The rich layers of music and how the piece builds coupled with its distinct cultural style creates this wonderful palette in which to derive ideas from. As an Angeleno, born and raised, it's certainly an exciting honor to be setting an original work for the LA Phil at the historic Hollywood Bowl.”
“LAB's debut at the Hollywood Bowl with the LA Phil is a milestone, and a moment to celebrate the artistry, cross-genre storytelling, and creative partnerships that define our company,” said Executive Director, Julia Rivera. “With Gabriela Ortiz's powerful musical landscape and Melissa's vision, combined with Balanchine's brilliance and Maestro Prieto's leadership, this program promises to be an unforgettable evening.”
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