Fans of Los Angeles Opera are not just accustomed to seeing Music Director James Conlon on the podium leading the LA Opera orchestra, but also in pre-performance conversations and reading his notes about the various productions in the program. Sometimes opera-goers even have conversations with him in the restaurant underneath the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion – home of LA Opera.
Whether or not you are familiar with Conlon’s vast knowledge of opera (and for that matter classical music), if you’re a fan of either or both you will want to consider tuning in to a live conversation he will be having on Viking.Tv.
What is Viking.TV? It’s the digital platform of cruise line Viking.
Every Wednesday they program conversations with artists from multiple aspects of the performing arts. Sometimes it might be a composer, or a performer. In this week’s episode of Art and Music Wednesdays, Conlon is the guest.
Conlon is more than just a fan favorite. He’s conducted over 375 performances at LA Opera and nearly 300 performances with the Metropolitan Opera in New York. In his spare time he is Principal Conductor of the National Symphony Orchestra of the RAI in Torino.
He is the recipient of three Grammy Awards. One for Best Opera Recording for LA Opera’s production of John Corigliano’s The Ghosts of Versailles (a recording LA Opera will soon be streaming) and a second Grammy for Best Opera Recording for Kurt Weill’s Rise and Fall of the City of Mahagonny. That recording also won the Grammy for Best Classical Recording. That 2007 LA Opera production starred Audra McDonald and Patti LuPone.
When I last interviewed Conlon in 2018, he talked about his desire to be known as much for concert conducting in Los Angeles as he is conducting operas.
“I’ve always tried to split my professional activities 50/50 between symphony and opera. In Los Angeles I’ve been predominantly exposed as an opera conductor. I did conduct the LA Philharmonic for a certain amount of time. But I do not have an orchestra here with which I can do that. We don’t give concerts. I would love us to give concerts. I think the musicians of LA Opera would love to give concerts. Someday if there is the money, we will do it. If Los Angeles residents want to know me as a symphonic conductor, they have to dig around for recordings or come and travel with me. We haven’t done Shostakovich operas. I conduct Shostakovich all the time. I’m obsessed with Shostakovich. That’s also true for Mozart. The fact is it is half my life.”
Wednesday’s conversation should be quite interesting. I know from personal experience how fascinating and intelligent James Conlon is. Since we won’t have an opera productions for some time, I, for one, am looking forward to hearing him share his passion.
Arts and Music Wednesdays will stream live at 2:00 PM EDT and 11:00 AM PDT here. If you missed this as it was happening, it will become available on Viking.Tv on July 9th for viewing at your leisure.
Photo of James Conlon courtesy of Los Angeles Opera and Viking.