The Music Center Announces Fall Lineup, Including JAJA’S AFRICAN HAIR BRAIDING, PARANORMAL ACTIVITY and More
From Complexions Contemporary Ballet and LA Opera to Dudamel’s final LA Phil season highlights.
By: A.A. Cristi Sep. 23, 2025
The Music Center has just announced performances and public programs across Downtown L.A. this fall, inviting Angelenos to experience dance, music, theatre, and immersive arts on its campus with resident partners Center Theatre Group, LA Opera, the LA Phil, the Los Angeles Master Chorale, and Gloria Molina Grand Park.
“From groundbreaking premieres to beloved classics reimagined, each performance invites us to see the world—and each other—with fresh eyes,” said Rachel S. Moore, president and CEO of The Music Center.
THE MUSIC CENTER PRESENTS: BLACK PLANETARIUM — UNCHARTED ANTHOLOGIES (Digital Arts Space)
Beginning Thursday, October 23, 2025, Kidus Hailesilassie’s Black Planetarium will transform the Digital Arts Space into a constellation of textiles, moving image, installation, and VR rooted in Pan-African knowledge-making. Guests will step inside shaded textile environments and meditative soundscapes in a living vessel for memory, rest, and imagination.
Glorya Kaufman PRESENTS DANCE AT THE MUSIC CENTER: COMPLEXIONS CONTEMPORARY BALLET (Dorothy Chandler Pavilion)
Complexions will bring its high-octane fusion of classical precision and athletic intensity with Retro Suite and For Crying Out Loud (set to U2’s Songs of Surrender) on Friday, October 24 at 7:30 p.m., Saturday, October 25 at 7:30 p.m., and Sunday, October 26 at 2:00 p.m.
THE MUSIC CENTER’S INNOVATION SOCIAL (Dorothy Chandler Pavilion – Founders’ Room)
On Friday, November 14, 2025, from 6:00–9:00 p.m., the free speakeasy-style gathering will spotlight “Connection through Movement,” featuring digital avatars of traditional African dance, visualized AI datasets of African languages, and short narratives that bridge ancestral movement and the present day.
THE MUSIC CENTER TOURS (Meet at Walt Disney Concert Hall)
Docent-led, 90-minute tours will continue Tuesdays–Fridays at 11:00 a.m. and Saturdays–Sundays at 10:15 a.m., offering behind-the-scenes history and architecture across the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion, Ahmanson Theatre, Mark Taper Forum, Walt Disney Concert Hall, and Jerry Moss Plaza.
GLORIA MOLINA GRAND PARK: DOWNTOWN DÍA DE LOS MUERTOS
From Saturday, October 25 through Sunday, November 2 (8:00 a.m.–9:00 p.m. daily), visitors can view community altars across the park, with an Opening Ceremony on Saturday, October 25 (11:00 a.m.–4:00 p.m.) and Noche de los Muertos on Sunday, November 2 (3:00–7:00 p.m.), featuring music, dance, poetry, candlelight, lanterns, and glowing ofrendas.
GLORIA MOLINA GRAND PARK: WELLNESS BREAK (Performance Lawn)
Free, in-person yoga sessions will return Wednesdays and Fridays from 12:00–12:45 p.m., complemented by on-demand wellness classes at grandparkla.org.
EATS AT GLORIA MOLINA GRAND PARK (Olive Court)
Food trucks will serve lunch Tuesdays–Thursdays from 11:00 a.m.–2:00 p.m. between Grand Avenue and Hill Street.
JAJA’S AFRICAN HAIR BRAIDING (Mark Taper Forum)
Center Theatre Group will stage Jocelyn Bioh’s acclaimed comedy, directed by Whitney White, from October 1–November 9, 2025, with performances Tuesdays–Thursdays at 7:30 p.m., Fridays at 8:00 p.m., Saturdays at 2:00 p.m. and 8:00 p.m., and Sundays at 1:00 p.m. and 7:00 p.m.
PARANORMAL ACTIVITY (Ahmanson Theatre)
Levi Holloway’s world-premiere play—set in the world of the hit film franchise—will run November 13–December 7, 2025 (Tue–Thu 7:30 p.m.; Fri 8:00 p.m.; Sat 2:00 & 8:00 p.m.; Sun 1:00 & 7:00 p.m.; no Sun eve on Dec 7; special matinees Nov 26 & Dec 4 at 2:00 p.m.).
WEST SIDE STORY (Dorothy Chandler Pavilion)
LA Opera will present Bernstein’s landmark work under James Conlon with performances on September 25 & 27 at 7:30 p.m., September 28 at 2:00 p.m., October 4 & 11 at 7:30 p.m., October 5 & 12 at 2:00 p.m., and October 8 at 7:30 p.m.
LA BOHÈME (Dorothy Chandler Pavilion)
Puccini’s classic will return November 22 at 7:30 p.m., November 30 at 2:00 p.m., December 4 at 7:30 p.m., December 6 at 7:30 p.m., December 10 at 7:30 p.m., and December 14 at 2:00 p.m., conducted by Lina González-Granados with Janai Brugger (Mimì) and Oresto Cosimo (Rodolfo).
LA PHIL: DUDAMEL LEADS REID & STRAUSS (Walt Disney Concert Hall)
Gustavo Dudamel will open his final LA Phil season with Ellen Reid’s world premiere for orchestra and choir alongside Strauss’s An Alpine Symphony on September 25 at 8:00 p.m., September 27 at 8:00 p.m., and September 28 at 2:00 p.m.
LA PHIL: DUDAMEL LEADS AN ALPINE SYMPHONY (Walt Disney Concert Hall)
Dudamel will continue with An Alpine Symphony on Friday, September 26 at 8:00 p.m.
RY X WITH ORCHESTRA (Walt Disney Concert Hall)
The Grammy-nominated artist will make a one-night appearance on Monday, September 29 at 8:00 p.m.
THE RITE OF SPRING WITH DUDAMEL (Walt Disney Concert Hall)
Dudamel will conduct Stravinsky’s The Rite of Spring and The Firebird with the U.S. premiere of John Adams’s Frenzy on October 2 at 8:00 p.m., October 4 at 8:00 p.m., and October 5 at 2:00 p.m.
LEDISI: FOR DINAH (Walt Disney Concert Hall)
Ledisi will salute Dinah Washington on Friday, October 3 at 8:00 p.m.
CHAMBER MUSIC: STRAUSS, PÄRT & GLASS (Walt Disney Concert Hall)
Members of the LA Phil will perform chamber works on Tuesday, October 7 at 8:00 p.m., with a complimentary glass of wine for early arrivals.
DUDAMEL CONDUCTS MAHLER’S “RESURRECTION” (Walt Disney Concert Hall)
Mahler’s Symphony No. 2 will be presented October 9 at 8:00 p.m., October 10 at 11:00 a.m., October 11 at 8:00 p.m., and October 12 at 2:00 p.m., featuring the Los Angeles Master Chorale.
PAUL JACOBS (Walt Disney Concert Hall)
The Grammy-winning organist will perform Sunday, October 12 at 7:30 p.m.
LA PHIL GALA: GUSTAVO’S FIESTA (Walt Disney Concert Hall)
The season-opening gala will take place Tuesday, October 14 at 7:00 p.m., benefiting the LA Phil’s learning and community programs.
YUNCHAN LIM (Walt Disney Concert Hall)
The Van Cliburn winner will make his WDCH debut on Thursday, October 16 at 8:00 p.m.
IVAN LINS QUARTET (Walt Disney Concert Hall)
Brazilian jazz great Ivan Lins will perform Friday, October 17 at 8:00 p.m.
LOS FABULOSOS CADILLACS (Walt Disney Concert Hall)
The Latin Grammy-winning band will celebrate its 40th anniversary on Saturday, October 18 at 8:00 p.m. and Sunday, October 19 at 7:30 p.m.
BOZ SCAGGS (Walt Disney Concert Hall)
Boz Scaggs will perform Saturday, October 25 at 8:00 p.m.
AN EVENING WITH Itzhak Perlman (Walt Disney Concert Hall)
Itzhak Perlman will appear Tuesday, October 28 at 8:00 p.m.
JACOB COLLIER (Walt Disney Concert Hall)
Jacob Collier will make his WDCH solo debut Wednesday, October 29 at 8:00 p.m.
Nicole Scherzinger (Walt Disney Concert Hall)
Nicole Scherzinger will perform Thursday, October 30 at 8:00 p.m.
HALLOWEEN ORGAN, FILM & MUSIC: THE HUNCHBACK OF NOTRE DAME (Walt Disney Concert Hall)
Organist Clark Wilson will accompany the 1923 silent classic on Friday, October 31 at 8:00 p.m.
FAYE WEBSTER WITH ORCHESTRA (Walt Disney Concert Hall)
Faye Webster will appear with a 40-piece orchestra Saturday, November 1 at 8:00 p.m. and Sunday, November 2 at 7:30 p.m.
MEHTA LEADS BRUCKNER’S EIGHTH (Walt Disney Concert Hall)
Zubin Mehta will conduct Bruckner’s Symphony No. 8 on Friday, November 7 at 8:00 p.m., Saturday, November 8 at 2:00 p.m., and Sunday, November 9 at 2:00 p.m.
SYMPHONIES FOR YOUTH (Walt Disney Concert Hall)
Family concerts (recommended for ages 5–11) will take place Saturday, November 8 at 11:00 a.m. and Saturday, November 22 at 11:00 a.m., with themed activities beginning at 10:00 a.m.
RECOVECOS: ANGÉLICA NEGRÓN & LIDO PIMIENTA (Walt Disney Concert Hall)
The Green Umbrella program Recovecos will highlight Caribbean and Latin American composers on Tuesday, November 11 at 8:00 p.m., featuring world and U.S. premieres with the LA Phil New Music Group.
MOZART, RAVEL & PINTSCHER (Walt Disney Concert Hall)
Emanuel Ax will join the LA Phil for Mozart’s Piano Concerto No. 25, framed by Ravel’s Mother Goose Suite and La Valse, with the L.A. premiere of Pintscher’s neharot on November 13 at 8:00 p.m., November 14 at 11:00 a.m., and November 16 at 2:00 p.m.
Patti Smith AND HER BAND: HORSES AT 50 (Walt Disney Concert Hall)
Patti Smith will perform Horses in its entirety on Saturday, November 15 at 8:00 p.m.
BRAHMS STRINGS (Walt Disney Concert Hall)
LA Phil musicians will offer an evening of chamber music on Tuesday, November 18 at 8:00 p.m.
ELGAR’S ENIGMA (Walt Disney Concert Hall)
The LA Phil will present Korngold Variations, Edmund Finnis’s new cello concerto for Sheku Kanneh-Mason (world premiere), and Elgar’s Enigma Variations on November 21 and 22 at 8:00 p.m. and November 23 at 2:00 p.m.
LOS ANGELES MASTER CHORALE: TWO TITANS | THE MUSIC OF BEETHOVEN AND VERDI (Walt Disney Concert Hall)
The Master Chorale will open its 2025–26 season with Beethoven’s Mass in C and Verdi’s Four Sacred Pieces on Sunday, October 5 at 7:00 p.m.
LOS ANGELES MASTER CHORALE: LA SINGS! WHAT A BEAUTIFUL CITY (Walt Disney Concert Hall)
The citywide sing-along will return Sunday, November 9 at 7:00 p.m.
LOS ANGELES MASTER CHORALE: David Lang’S BEFORE AND AFTER NATURE (Walt Disney Concert Hall)
Grant Gershon will lead Master Chorale singers with Bang on a Can All-Stars in David Lang’s meditation on the natural world on Sunday, November 16 at 7:30 p.m.
GRAND AVE ARTS: ALL ACCESS (Grand Avenue, Temple to 6th Street)
The free, ninth annual open-house celebration will take place Saturday, October 25, 2025, from 11:00 a.m.–4:00 p.m., with workshops, performances, tours, and interactive events along DTLA’s cultural corridor.
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