It’s a large-scale work that, in addition to the chorale and the symphony, employs animation and other film elements that bring to life entries from da Vinci’s notebooks. Hagen calls it a Multimedia Symphony.

Hagen’s work was given its world premiere in 2019 by the Metropolitan Symphony Orchestra and Minnesota Chorale to celebrate the 500th anniversary of da Vinci’s death. I saw a film of that performance and was immediately taken with it. Obviously that meant I wanted to talk to Hagen about the work, da Vinci himself and specifically a few things da Vinci said that make their way into her work.

What follows are excerpts from that conversation that have been edited for length and clarity. To see the entire conversation (and there’s much more there than can be put in one print interview), please go to our YouTube channel.

Something that Da Vinci wrote which you know because it’s part of the libretto of your piece is “A painting is a poem seen but not heard. A poem is a painting heard but not seen”. Do we know what Da Vinci’s thoughts were on music?

The only thing that I really remember from my research is that, as you know, not many of his paintings survived. But there is one painting of a musician and some experts believe that is [Franchino] Gaffurio, who is a composer, a contemporary of Da Vinci’s and who I actually quote in the third movement of The Notebooks of Leonardo da Vinci. That was partially the reason why people think that they may have known each other. I think he would have been very interested in the intersection of the art and music, but I don’t remember anything specifically that he said about music. 

Over 7,200 pages of his notebooks have survived. What was the process of selecting what most intrigued you and what was going to work best for you musically? 

When I write these big, larger works I tend to think of an arc. What story am I telling throughout this entire piece? I knew right away what I wanted for the opening. I knew what I wanted for the ending. Those two things kind of came to me pretty quickly, although for a long time I thought the Vitruvian Man movement might be last. Instead he’s kind of the centerpiece right in the middle of the work.

There were probably four or five different versions of this libretto that I kept whittling down to try and make it a manageable amount of text to set. What ended up making the cut is the text that I not only could tell or had inspiration for what I thought the music was going to sound like, but also I could picture something visually that would go well with it. Those are the things that that won out in the end.

Do you think there’s a poetry to the way he wrote?

Yeah. I think artistic people like him everything they do is art. His handwriting is beautiful. The way he thinks is big ideas and very artistic.

About that writing. da Vinci wrote right to left, which I think is really interesting. That’s the antithesis of how we write today. You start with the visual in the video of writing out exactly as he did. Did that way of writing in any way influence how you wrote the music? 

I don’t really think so. I knew the visual of seeing it going across the screen was very interesting to me. The handwriting has its own little loops and this motion which I tried to mimic in the flute. But I think it would have been the same either way the handwriting works. One of my favorite parts about that opening is that it’s the beginning of a creative idea in which he starts and stops and then crosses something out right away. I love that this whole piece starts with a mistake. It’s very human and relatable; oh, yes, he was a person.

Walter Isaacson, who I’m sure you’re familiar with, the author, professor of history at Tulane, said of Da Vinci, “He could not afford to waste paper. So he crammed every inch of his pages with entries that seemed random, but provide intimations of his mental leaps.” There are far more technologically advanced ways of writing music today than there was in the Italian renaissance. But does your compositional process have any similarities to how Da Vinci wrote out of his various ideas? 

Yes. In terms of the fact that it’s messy, that two different pieces can share the same manuscript paper. That happens a lot. I also have my own system where I have six different composition notebooks. Instead of having it go from one page to the next they’re all lined up. So if anyone were ever to study my work later they’d have to find all six of them and put them in order. And of course, they don’t make any sense. There’s something really beautiful about the messiness of that. As creative people I think we have to be willing to be messy with it. To cross things out, to scribble, too. Sometimes I draw pictures of what I want texture to look like or even would draw a picture of what I imagined it would look like on the screen. So, yeah, I think it’s relatable.

What inspired you most musically, the drawings or the words?

I think part of the magic is that it all gets thrown in there. One of the ways I love to think about composition is it’s like I’m a witch with a big cauldron and all these things that I love and that influence me get tossed into this big pot. And then I stir it around and then what comes out of it is what’s me, is the confluence of all those different elements and what inspires me that makes it out of there. You never know what those things are going to be until until you’re doing the work. 

These notebooks have inspired many other artists before you. For example, Mary Zimmermann created a play based on these same notebooks. Why do you they are so inspirational for creative artists? What is it that he put into these 7200 pages that survive that inspires you as a composer, that inspires her as a playwright, that has inspired countless other people?

I think we’re fascinated and curious about the idea of genius and what it means to be extremely intelligent and diverse in the way that we think about things. If you list all the things that he kind of figured out before everyone else did, it’s an amazing list. In fact, one of the books that I was reading might have been the Walter Isaacson. It had a chart and it said this is when Leonardo thought of this idea and this is when it actually came to fruition. That’s an amazing thing.

I think creative people especially just want to know how he did that. And the truth is that I think throughout his life he remained exceedingly curious. Another thing that I think people love is the fact that he was known as much for his failures as his successes. That’s inspiring, too, to those of us who fail at things before we succeed.

da Vinci contemplated how two paintings have exchanged the senses by which they pierced the intellect. As a composer how do you think this work pierces not the intellect, but the emotion at the core of Da Vinci’s perspective on life?

I think some of my favorite lines are in the ending. “Wisdom is the daughter of experience” and also where knowledge comes from and how it’s based on our own experience. Everything is through that lens; who we are. He saw the importance of the individual and how we see things. Then also how we’re part of something huge and we’re really small.

I love that he refers to the earth as our sun in the last movement, which is also wrong. I love the fact that it was bookended, that he made mistakes at the beginning and the end of this piece.

I think he was deeply philosophical in all of his work and I think that comes across in the piece as well.

In the Italian Renaissance women were at least second-class citizens at best. I love the idea that wisdom is the daughter of experience as opposed to the son. Clearly daughter works better rhythmically for a composer than son because son just lays there as a flat one-syllable word. Have you ever thought about why he chose to make wisdom the daughter? That seems like a radical idea for the time.

I never really thought about it in that way exactly before. I don’t know why. I think he thought very differently from a lot of the people of his time. He must have felt like an outlier. You know that is a really wonderful question that I don’t think I’ve ever been asked before. But as a woman and as someone who’s very much a feminist, I’m sure that’s another reason why I was really drawn to that statement. I always knew that it needed to be the ending.

So it, too, shall be ours.

To see the full interview with composer Jocelyn Hagen, please go here.

Photo: Composer Jocelyn Hagen (Courtesy Pacific Chorale)

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London-born O’Regan was a composer-in-residence with the Pacific Chorale and The Quickening is his third commission from the ensemble. He’s currently serving as composer-in-residence for Philharmonia Baroque Orchestra. Earlier this year he was named by The Washington Post as one of the 22 classical composers and performers to watch in 2022.

Two weeks ago I spoke via Zoom with O’Regan about The Quickening and its themes, the ambitious project he’s doing with Philharmonia Baroque Orchestra and we bookended our conversation with a discussion of British composer Ralph Vaughan Williams whose Dona Nobis Pacem anchors Saturday’s concert. What follows are excerpts from our conversation that have been edited for length and clarity.

If you want to see and hear the complete interview with Tarik O’Regan, please go here.

I want to talk to you about Ralph Vaughan Williams because you’re sharing the program at Pacific Chorale with his music. It also happens to be the 150th anniversary of his birth. I’m wondering what thoughts you have about Vaughan Williams music and if he, as a composer, has influenced you in any way? 

I think over the years I’ve had a reckoning, I suppose. I used to hate his music. I thought it was interminable. Over the years I’ve come to actually see his trajectory as a composer very differently. I think what’s interesting about Vaughan Williams is he develops over time, and I think he’s created the one thing in a way, it’s always the easiest thing to dismiss. Which is he creates an identifiable sound and you can always tell a Vaughan Williams work through his orchestration and the way that he handles these modal harmonies.

But I think part of the reckoning in my mind is about what it means to be a composer with a unique voice. How do you create a sort of sound identified with your own heritage in the nation in which you live, that is somehow different to the dominant Eurocentric movements of that time, namely out of Germany. It’s a very strong romantic tradition and you just have to give him credit.

The Quickening is described as a choral fanfare which is not a term that I was accustomed to seeing. Is that an apt description and is that exactly what you intended to write?

It’s what we intended to write and it was there right at the very beginning. Thinking about this came about at the height of the pandemic when it was at its worst. It was always really about bringing the full forces of the Pacific Chorale and the Pacific Symphony together after this two year hiatus. So right from the beginning it was meant to be a celebratory opening; the largest forces being together on stage and making music again. It is for a large chorus and it’s for a large orchestra more or less matching the the Vaughan Williams.

The fanfare aspect of it is a welcoming, I suppose, both to the performers, but also to the audience in the community. We wanted to make a sort of slightly nuanced take on what a fanfare is. The context of it coming out of this very, very difficult period for so many people. There’s certainly a nuance to it that I think Marcus definitely gets and has created in the poem that there is not just light, but some darkness in both the poem and the piece.

Was this a poem that Marcus Omari had already written or was this written exclusively for this? And if so, what made him the person that was going to give language to what you wanted to address in this acknowledgment of the past two years? 

It was a collaboration with Marcus right from the beginning. We definitely wanted someone that was in the Orange County community and who worked not just, I guess, as a poet, but also as an activist and an animator and a thinker. And that is Marcus. He, I felt, was just a really good person to talk to about how you try and create something truthful. As he puts it, how do we think about these huge topics which are of lasting significance. Yet how do you make the piece not so tied to any one issue that it speaks narrowly. So it’s not just about looking over the last two years. It’s really about looking forward to this idea of lasting significance not bound to one incident – which are Marcus’s words, by the way.

The Washington Post referenced a new opera. Knowing that Joseph Conrad’s Heart of Darkness was an inspiration for one of your operas, what other light, happy-go-lucky, easy-reading fare have you’ve chosen for this next opera? 

Oh, I wish I could tell you. I’m not allowed to tell you anything about it. What can I say is it’s based on a novel by a very well-known living author. And it’s just for period instruments, so it’s going to be for Philharmonia Baroque Orchestra. It’s about taking a contemporary novel and placing it in the context of these historically-informed instruments and performance and creating an interesting space for new work. It is part of a much bigger scheme of my role there as composer-in-residence to commission much more work for historically-informed instruments and singers. My plan is hopefully next year we’ll be announcing the commissioning scheme to just start getting lots of exciting new pieces by exciting composers written for these instruments and players.

Ending where we began, I’m going to ask you to respond to a quote by Ralph Vaughan Williams. He said “The art of music, above all other arts, is the expression of the soul of a nation.” Do you agree with him and what would you like your music to say about the soul of perhaps not just one nation, but ultimately all of us as humans?

I get where he’s coming from with that quote. Do I fundamentally agree with that? No, I don’t. I don’t think music embodies the soul of a nation. This legacy is certainly a sort of 19th century legacy of music being the art of all art. I think that it has been potentially quite damaging over the years. The idea of the composer being, you know, a sort of genius figure and untouchable in a way. So I feel I feel very different to that and I feel I partly feel different to that because I feel something rather nice that’s happened to composing, which is it’s got it’s gone back to being a craft.

The great thing about being about a craft is that is that linked much further back to sort of earlier music. I think Bach very much a crafts person linking in improvisation with performing, with composing and composing being brought much more in line with greater music making and communication.

So for me? The thing that I find most powerful about music and what I enjoy as a composer is that something magical happens between the page and the air. That is mostly to do, but not entirely to do, with the people performing the work. That’s why it’s so important to have two or three performances, because nothing changes on the page with the second performance or the third performance or the fourth performance, but something is changing in the ether. Something is changing in the performances.

A composer is, in a way, a bit like being an architect. I suppose all I can do is create the blueprints for this living art form that is temporary. It takes time to breathe and I’m relying on these wonderful performers to build the work from the blueprints. I feel like all I can do is like light the touch paper. There’s a lot of magic in music that I am not in control of, but that I love being a part of. Maybe just triggering it and then sitting back and watching and listening.

Main photo: Tarik O’Regan (Photo by Marion Ettlinger/Courtesy Tarik O’Regan)

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Goldenthal won his Oscar for the score to Julie Taymor’s film Frida. (Taymor, it should be noted, is also his partner). Amongst his other film credits are Drugstore Cowboy, Interview with the Vampire, Heat, The Butcher Boy, Titus (a particular favorite), Collateral and most recently The Glorias.

On stage he has written scores for Juan Darién (and received a Tony Award nomination), The Green Bird and the 2017 revival of M. Butterfly.

In 2006 Los Angeles Opera gave the world premiere production of his opera Grendel, which look at the Beowulf story from the point-of-view of the monster. I was lucky enough to attend opening night of that production.

[As a side note, I wish more companies would be as excited about giving third, fourth or fifth productions of new operas as they are about offering up premieres. Let’s see another production of Grendel!]

Amongst other important compositions of Goldenthal’s is Fire Water Paper: A Vietnam Oratorio which was commissioned by the Pacific Symphony in 1993.

If you need more details about Goldenthal, he studied with Aaron Copland and John Corigliano.

With all this information, it is no wonder that on Tuesday, April 27th, this massively talented composer will be joining Salastina for their weekly Happy Hour. The Zoom event will take place at 6:00 PM PDT and last approximately one hour.

There’s no charge to join in the conversation. I’ll be there…will you?

Photo of Elliot Goldenthal/Courtesy Salastina

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Your options this weekend have something for everyone. Classical music fans have four different concerts to watch. Opera fans have two different productions available. Fans of plays have a couple options. Three different Broadway stars have concerts this weekend. You can attend a high-end karaoke with music and stage stars in your pajamas. Jazz fans have an all-star concert. Finally, Broadway says goodbye to one of the most public victims of the Covid-19 pandemic.

Here are your Best Bets at Home: September 4th – September 7th:

Pacific Symphony’s Summer Replay – Pacific Symphony – Various Dates through October 24th

Orange County’s Pacific Symphony has a series of filmed concerts available on their website for free viewing. You have to sign up to watch them, but classical music fans have three concerts available now with a forth becoming available on Thursday, September 10th. They are:

Beethoven’s Symphony No. 5 performed on September 16, 2017 conducted by Carl. St. Clair (available through September 12th)

Mozart’s Piano Concerto No. 17 performed on May 20, 2017 by pianist Orli Shaham. Conducted by Carl St. Clair (available through September 26th)

Berlioz’s Symphonie Fantastique performed on February 7, 2020 conducted by Carl. St. Clair (available through October 10th)

On September 10th the Virtual Tchaikovsky Spectacular will become available through October 24th. The program features works by Rimsky-Korsakov, Borodin and Tchaikovsky’s 1812 Overture complete with live cannons and fireworks.

The Last Angry Brown Hat – Latino Theater Company – September 4th – September 13th

Los Angeles-based Latino Theater Company will offer a reading of the play The Last Angry Brown Hat by Alfredo Ramos. The play depicts the reunion of four friends who, in the 1960s, were members of a Chicago civil rights organization named the Brown Berets. When they come together for a friend’s funeral, they try to reconcile the angry young men they once were with the more mature men they have become.

The cast features Robert Beltran, Mike Gomez, Sal Lopez and Geoffrey Rivas. The Last Angry Brown Man is directed by Jose Luis Valenzuela.

While you are at the LATC website, you might notice that two other plays are available for streaming: an online reading of Alberto Barboza’s August 29th (through September 6th) and an archival film of Jose Luis Valenzuela’s La Olla (through September 10th).

Eleanor – Barrington Stage Company – September 4th – September 5th – 7:30 PM EDT/4:30 PM PDT

Tony Award-winning actress Harriet Harris, who won the award for her performance in the musical Thoroughly Modern Millie, will take on legendary first lady Eleanor Roosevelt in this new play by Mark St. Germain (Freud’s Last Session).

In this one-person show, Roosevelt offers her perspective on her unlikely journey from her relatively mundane upbringing to becoming the wife of Franklin Delano Roosevelt. Her life has been subject to endless speculation on multiple levels.

How St. Germain distills this fascinating woman into his play should be quite interesting.

This production was originally meant to be performed live at Barrington Stage Company this weekend. Director Henry Stram filmed the play without an audience. Barrington Stage Company is making the play available for streaming for the price of $15.

Kate Baldwin in Concert – Broadway Relief Project – September 5th – 8:00 PM EDT/5:00 PM PDT

New York’s Broadway Relief Project offers three great things in our current pandemic. The first is a live performance with a socially-distanced audience and artist; the second is a fundraiser for worthy causes and the last is the ability to livestream the performance. The concerts take place at Open Jar Studios.

On Saturday, Kate Baldwin will perform as a fundraiser for Active Minds, a non-profit addressing the issue of mental health.

Baldwin is a two-time Tony Award nominee for her delightful performances in the 2009 revival of Finian’s Rainbow and the 2017 revival of Hello, Dolly! with Bette Midler.

Not all livestream concerts in this series are free, but Kate Baldwin’s does appear to be without a fee to watch. Of course, donations are encouraged.

Rossini’s Sonatas – Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra – September 5th – 8:00 PM EDT/5:00 PM PDT

The fifth and final concert in Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra’s Summerfest series features the works of composer Gioachino Rossini. The works being performed are his String Sonata No. 3 in C Major and the String Sonata No. 6 in D Major.

Spearheading this concert is Principal Bass player David Grossman. He is joined for the Rossini by Carrie Kennedy and Joel Pargman on violin and Andrew Shulman on cello.

The concert will conclude with Grossman performing improvisations on the Fats Waller song Honeysuckle Rose.

If you are unable to watch the stream of this performance at it scheduled time, the performance will be available for later viewing on LACO’s website.

Jazz Musicians UNITE Against Racism Concert – Just Jazz Television Network – September 5th – 10:00 PM EDT/7:00 PM PDT

Eleven very different jazz artists have come together for the second Jazz Musicians UNITE Against Racism livestream concert on Saturday night. Singer Dwight Trible and producer/journalist LeRoy Downs will host the three-hour event.

The artists participating are pianist/composer Billy Childs, singer Carmen Lundy, percussionist Munyungo Jackson, singer Tierney Sutton, saxophonist Bob Sheppard, percussionist/drummer Jonathan Pinson, drummer/composer Christian Euman, pianist Jamael Dean, bass player Dave Robaire, pianist Tamir Hendelman and bassist/composer Jonathan Richards.

Donizetti’s Maria Stuarda – Great Performances at the Met on PBS – September 6th (check local listings)

Conducted by Maurizio Benini; starring Elza van den Heever, Joyce DiDonato and Matthew Polenzani. This David McVicar production is from the 2012-2013 season.

If you follow our weekly updates of the Metropolitan Opera streaming schedule, this is the same production the Met streamed on April 28th

Mary, Queen of Scots, is the central figure in this opera written by Gaetano Donizetti that had its world premiere in 1835 at La Scala in Milan. The libretto by Guiseppe Bardari, was based on Friedrich von Schiller’s play, Mary Stuart, from 1800. The opera is part of the composer’s Tudor Trilogy along with Anna Bolena and Roberto Devereux.

The opera depicts the bitter rivalry that existed between Mary, Queen of Scots and Queen Elizabeth I.

Of DiDonato’s performance in the title role, Anthony Tommasini of the New York Times said, “Ms. DiDonato’s performance will be pointed to as a model of singing in which all components of the art form — technique, sound, color, nuance, diction — come together in service to expression and eloquence.”

Nick Cordero Memorial – BroadwayonDemand.com – September 6th – 7:00 PM EDT/4:00 PM PDT

We all followed the horrible story of Broadway performer Nick Cordero and his battle with Covid. Through Instagram updates from his wife, Amanda Kloots, we were all rooting for him to pull through. Sadly he passed away on July 5th.

Friends, family and fellow performers are coming together on Sunday to celebrate Cordero’s life with a memorial that will be streamed for free. The tribute will include performances by some of the many people with whom he shared the stage in such musicals as A Bronx Tale, Bullets Over Broadway, Waitress, and Rock of Ages. Expect photos, videos and memories as part of the memorial.

Thee is no charge to watch Nick Cordero’s memorial. You do need to create an account on Broadway on Demand. The event also serves as a fundraiser for the Save the Music Foundation. Donations can be made by texting CORDERO to 41444.

Brandon Victor Dixon in Concert – Broadway Relief Project – September 6th – 8:00 PM EDT/5:00 PM PDT

As part of the same series as Kate Baldwin’s concert, Brandon Victor Dixon, perhaps best known for his portrayal of Judas in 2018’s Jesus Christ Superstar Live on Concert, will take to the Open Jar Studios stage in support of WeAre.Org. They are an organization that utilizes artists and the arts to further awareness of our shared humanity and responsibilities.

As anyone who saw Jesus Christ Superstar knows, Dixon is a powerful performer. His Broadway credits include The Color Purple, Motown: The Musical; Hamilton and Shuffle Along, Or the Making of a Musical Sensation and All that Followed. He also appeared off-Broadway in the enormously moving Kander and Ebb musical, The Scottsboro Boys.

There is a $5 fee for watching this livestream.

Karen Olivo with Seth Rudetsky – September 6th – 8:00 PM EDT/5:00 PM PDT

Karen Olivo made her Broadway debut in the musical Rent. She then originated the roles of Faith in the musical Brooklyn and Vanessa in the musical In the Heights. She won a Tony Award for her portrayal of Anita in the 2009 revival of West Side Story. She was on Broadway in the role of Satine in the musical Moulin Rouge! when Broadway closed due to the pandemic.

She is Seth Rudetsky’s guest this week for his conversation/concert series. Sunday’s show will be live. If you cannot watch it then there will be an encore showing of the concert on September 7th at 3:00 PM EDT/12:00 PM PDT. Tickets to either showing are $25.

Massenet’s Manon – Metropolitan Opera – September 7th – 7:30 PM EDT/4:30 PM PDT

Since we’re including Monday due to the holiday, here is the first reveal of one of the operas to be found in this week’s celebration of French operas. (For the full line-up, check back on Monday.)

Conducted by Fabio Luisi, starring Anna Netrebko, Piotr Beczała, and Paulo Szot. This is the Laurent Pelly production from the 2011-2012 season. This is an encore presentation of the production that previously streamed on May 24th.

A young woman from a small town has an intense desire to lavish herself with all the riches and pleasures life has to offer her. Sounds like a story that could be written today.

Massenet’s opera was composed in 1883 and had its world premiere in January of 1884 in Paris. The libretto is by  Henri Meilhac and Philippe Gille. They based the opera on the 1731 Abbé Prévost novel, L’histoire du chevalier des Grieux et de Manon Lescaut.

There is always one main reason why this opera gets produced and the same reason that audiences love it. The soprano title role. In this production, Anna Netrebko sings Manon.

Anthony Tommasini, writing in the New York Times, made all of this abundantly clear in his review of this production and singled Netrebko out for praise. 

“The best parts of Massenet’s score are its inspired arias, especially for Manon. In places Ms. Netrebko’s low-range singing had an earthy, almost breathy quality that seemed Russian in character. But when she needed to, she sang melting phrases with silken legato and shimmering beauty, especially her poignant performance of ‘Adieu, notre petite table’ in Act II. Though she does not have perfect coloratura technique, she ably dispatches the roulades and runs, folding them deftly into extended melodic phrases. And she can send top notes soaring.”

Jim Caruso’s Pajama Cast Party – September 7th – 8:00 PM EDT/5:00 PM PDT

We’ve written several times about Jim Caruso’s Cast Party. The show is an institution in New York and takes place at Birdland. Like many a show, Cast Party is now online and the dress code is truly comfortable: pajamas.

If you aren’t familiar, Cast Party finds performers from Broadway, jazz, popular song and more showing up to talk and perform.

This Monday’s guests include Pulitzer Prize and Tony-winning composer Tom Kitt (Next to Normal) who will be joined by his Michael to offer the world premiere of a new song; Derek Klena (Jagged Little Pill); Australian musical theatre star Stephen Mahy (Jekyll and Hyde) and Broadway veteran Terry Burell (The Threepenny Opera).

There is no charge to watch Jim Caruso’s Pajama Cast Party.

That’s it for your Best Bets at Home: September 4th – September 7th. But as always, we have some reminders for you:

Los Angeles area audiences can catch In Concert at the Hollywood Bowl on September 4th on PBS SoCal at 8:00 PM PDT. This week’s concert celebrates jazz performances.

Speaking of jazz, here are reminders from this week’s Jazz Stream:

Detroit Jazz Festival streams all weekend from September 4th – September 7th

Kenny Werner Trio Live at Smalls on September 4th

Dee Dee Bridgewater’s SFJazz Concert from 2017 is featured on September 4 as part of their Fridays at Five series

Christian Scott aTunde Adjuah’s 2020 concert from New York’s Blue Note is streaming on September 4th

Melissa Aldana Quartet performs Live at Smalls on September 5th.

Reminders from this week’s Metropolitan Opera productions:

The Gershwin’s Porgy and Bess streams on Friday and Saturday, September 4th and 5th.

Thomas Adés’s The Tempest streams on Sunday, September 6th.

That is our complete list of Best Bets at Home: September 4th – September 7th.

I hope you have a safe, happy and wonderful holiday weekend.

Photo: Nick Cordero (Courtesy of Broadway on Demand)

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We’ve got quite the list for you. There are 14 Best Bets at Home: May 29th – May 31st. Plus a few reminders, of course!

This House – National Theatre Live – Now – June 4th

James Graham wrote this play that sold out two runs at the National Theatre and transferred to the Garrick Theatre in 2017.

The setting is Parliament in Britain in 1974. The Labour and Tory parties are battling one another over the direction England should go. It’s a herculean task and one that requires cunning maneuvers, compromise and finding a way to bend the rules just to the point before breaking.

Michael Billington, writing in The Guardian, gave the show a five-star review. He said, “It has taken four years for James Graham’s enthralling play to make it from the National to the West End. It has been worth the wait because it enables us to see the work from a fresh perspective. In recording the struggle of the Labour government of 1974-79 to simply survive, the play offers a fascinating slice of history. Yet as we enter a new age of fractured opposition, the play raises serious questions about whether our current parliamentary system is fit for purpose.”

Jeremy Herrin directed This House.

Love’s Labour’s Lost – Stratford Festival – Now – June 18th

In Aristophanes’s Lysistrata women withhold sex from their husbands in an attempt to end war. It’s a dramatic play. Shakespeare took a similar premise for Love’s Labour’s Lost, but he was interested in making people laugh.

Four men, including the King of Navarre (Sanjay Talware), have vowed not to be in the company of women for three years. They are more interested in study than in females. Just as they have embarked on this plan, the Princess of France (Ruby Joy) and three female companions arrive testing each man’s resolve. Add a Spanish nobleman and his infatuation with a woman to the mix just to make things more frantic.

Shakespeare employs his usual tricks of disguises and mix-ups for this comedic play.

John Caird (Nicholas Nickelby, Les Misérables) directed this 2015 production.

Snowblind – San Francisco Ballet – May 29th – June 5th

Edith Wharton’s Ethan Frome is the inspiration for this one-act ballet by Cathy Marston. In the ballet, Ethan Frome is married to his wife, Zeena. She is a difficult woman and also a hypochondriac. Mattie, Zeena’s cousin, joins the couple to help them in their home. But Ethan soon finds himself drawn to the woman. You know this won’t end well.

The music used in the ballet comes from a variety of composers including Amy Beach and Arthur Foote. Philip Feeney arranged the music. Scenery and costumes are by Patrick Kinmonth and the lighting was designed by James F. Ingalls.

Dancing the principal roles are Mathilde Froustey (Mattie), Sarah Van Patten (Zeena) and Ulrik Birkkjaer (Ethan). This performance took place in 2018.

The Broadhurst At 100! 54 Celebrates the Broadhurst Theatre – Feinstein’s/54 Below – May 29th 6:30 PM EDT/3:30 PM PDT

When New York’s Broadhurst Theatre opened in 1917, George Bernard Shaw’s Misalliance was the first production. Amongst the musicals to have appeared there are Fiorello!, Cabaret, Godspell, The Tap Dance Kid, Kiss of the Spider Woman, Fosse and Anastasia.

100 years after The Broadhurst first opened, Feinstein’s/54 Below celebrated the centennial with a concert featuring cast members from many of the shows that have appeared on that stage. (This show took place in 2017.)

The performers include Jerry Adler (Oh What a Lovely War), Jim Brochu (Zero Hour), Carole Demas (Grease), Wayne Cilento (Dancin’), Josh Franklin (Grease), Marcy Harriell (Lennon), Sarah Charles Lewis (Tuck Everlasting), Howard McGillin (Kiss of the Spider Woman), Bonnie Milligan (Head Over Heels), Christiane Noll (Ragtime), Alice Ripley (Next To Normal), Don Scardino (Godspell), Rebecca Spigelman (Hairspray), and a Trivia Contest Video with Tony Award winner Jason Alexander (Broadway Bound).

Due to rights issues, these performances are only available at the set time and are not repeated.

The Cellist – The Royal Ballet – May 29th – June 12th

If you want to get another look at the work of choreographer Cathy Marston, you can check out the latest offering from The Royal Ballet. The Cellist is a ballet by Marston inspired by the life of cellist Jacqueline du Pré. She was at the pinnacle of her career when she passed away at the age of 28 after suffering from multiple sclerosis. (You might remember the film Hilary and Jackie with Rachel Griffiths and Emily Watson told her story.)

Lauren Cuthbertson dances the role of The Cellist. Marcelino Sambé dances The Instrument and Matthew Ball dances the role of The Conductor. The music includes Schubert’s Trout Quintet along with cello sonatas by Faure and Elgar. The cello solos are performed by Hetty Snell.

The world premiere of The Cellist was just this past February.

Irving Berlin’s Holiday Inn – Broadway HD – May 29th – June 1st

The 1942 movie that introduced the world to the song White Christmas was turned into a stage musical that opened on Broadway in 2016. The movie was called Holiday Inn, but the musical includes the composer’s name: Irving Berlin.

Broadway HD is making this film of the 2016 production available for free this weekend.

The story remains pretty much the same: two men vie for the attention of a young rising star. In the film those roles were played by Bing Crosby, Fred Astaire and Marjorie Reynolds. In the musical they are played by Bryce Pinkham, Corbin Bleu and Lora Lee Gayer.

The musical, directed by Gordon Greenberg (who co-wrote the book with Chad Hodge), includes the classic Berlin songs, “Blue Skies,” “Steppin’ Out With My Baby,” “Cheek to Cheek” and “Easter Parade.”

I guess with everything that’s going on they think we need a little Christmas. (Wait, that’s in Mame.)

Daniil Trifonov Recital – Carnegie Hall – May 29th – May 31st

In February of 2019 pianist Daniil Trifonov gave a solo piano recital at Carnegie Hall. Medicitv.com, in association with Carnegie Hall, is making that performance available for free beginning on Friday, May 29th and continuing through the weekend.

Anthony Tommasini, in his New York Times review of this concert raved, “By this point, it’s no surprise that Daniil Trifonov, one of the most awesome pianists of our time, can sell out Carnegie Hall. Still, that the hall was packed for the unusual recital program he played on Saturday was a testimony to the trust his admirers place in him. At 27, he is also an adventurer intent on exploring overlooked realms of the repertory. On Saturday it was thrilling to go along on his journey.”

The program of which he was so enamored included: Beethoven’s Andante in F Major, WoO 57 (“Andante favori”) and Piano Sonata No. 18 in E-flat Major, Op. 31, No. 3; Schumann’s Bunte Blätter and Presto passionato and Prokofiev’s Piano Sonata No. 8 in B-flat Major. The encores featured Prokofiev’s Allegro rubato and Allegro precipitato from Sarcasms, Op. 17, Nos. 2 and 3 and Chopin’s Largo from Cello Sonata in G Minor, Op. 65 (arr. Alfred Cortot).

How are you doing so far? You’re halfway through the list of Best Bets at Home: May 29th – May 31st!

Allegiance – Broadway on Demand – May 29th – June 7th

Lea Salonga, George Takei and Telly Leung star in this musical set during World War II that tells a story of family, duty, customs and betrayal set during the forced incarceration of Japanese Americans after the bombing of Pearl Harbor. The story is based on Takei’s own experiences.

The book was written by Marc Acito, Jay Kuo and Lorenzo Thione. Kuo wrote the music and lyrics.

Allegiance was directed by Stafford Arima.

This is not a free streaming event. Broadway on Demand is charging $14.99 for the initial viewing on May 29th at 8 PM EDT/5 PM PDT. That fee includes a download of the cast album, exclusive content and the ability to watch the show over a 24-hour period. From May 30th – June 7th, the streaming fee, minus those extras, will be $8.99.

30 minutes before the May 29th event Playbill.com will host Toast to Allegiance which will include interviews with the cast. This event is free and open to everyone.

Igor Levit: Vexations – The Gilmore – May 30th – 8 AM EDT/5 AM PDT

If you want to catch this recital you’ll have to get up early and stay up late. Pianist Igor Levit is going to live-stream a performance of Erik Satie’s Vexations. If you are unfamiliar with the work, it lasts 20 hours. There is one theme, two variations and they get repeated 840 times over the course of the 20 hours.

What propels someone to tackle so challenging a work? Levit says in press materials, “The sheer duration of over 20 hours of Vexations doesn’t feel like a ‘nuisance’ or ‘torture’ to me, as the title would suggest, but rather a retreat of silence and humility. It reflects a feeling of resistance.

“That’s why it feels right to play the Vexations right now. My world and that of my colleagues has been a different one for many weeks now and will probably remain so for a long time. Vexations represent for me a silent scream.”

John Williams: Maestro of the Movies – Pacific Symphony – May 30th – August 13th

The Pacific Symphony Orchestra had planned on having a May 30th Family Musical Morning performance. Having to cancel an in-person event, they are holding their first virtual concert and the program is a celebration of the music of composer John Williams.

During this 45-minute online concert, music from Star Wars, Jurassic Park, Raiders of the Lost Ark, Harry Potter and E.T., The Extra-Terrestrial will be performed by the Pacific Symphony which is being conducted by Richard Kaufman. Interspersed amongst the selections will be Ask the Composer with John Williams along with personal stories and anecdotes about playing at recording sessions with Williams.

Viewing the show requires signing up with an e-mail address, but there is no fee. The program will then be available for streaming for 45 days.

Lucrezia Borgia – San Francisco Opera – May 30th – May 31st

Victor Hugo’s play Lucrèce Borgia served as the inspiration for this opera by Gaetano Donizetti and his librettist Felice Romani.

The scandals and the intrigue in the house of Borgia have fascinated people for centuries. In Donizetti’s opera a young orphan named Gennaro (Michael Fabiano) finds himself in the company of Lucrezia Borgia (Renée Fleming). Though he and his friends were warned about her and her husband, he is enraptured by her beauty and sees in her the mother he never knew. Lucrezia’s husband believes Gennaro to be her lover and plots his murder. What happens over the course of the opera is tragedy at its most dramatic.

This San Francisco Opera production from 2011 marked the first time Lucrezia Borgia had been performed by the company. John Pascoe directed the production and the orchestra was lead by conductor Riccardo Frizza.

The [title of show] Vineyard Theatre Virtual Variety Show Show – May 30th – 8 PM EDT/5 PM PDT

In 2006, the Vineyard Theatre in New York presented a unique musical entitled [title of show]. The musical was written by Hunter Bell and Jeff Bowen. They starred in their own musical along with Susan Blackwell and Heidi Blickenstaff. Two years later [title of show] was on Broadway.

To celebrate this musical-within-a-musical that could (and the theatre that gave it life), the Vineyard Theatre is hosting a live-streaming fundraiser event. The evening, which costs a minimum of $25 (after which you are given a link to the show), is billed as “new material from the cast and creators of [title of show] and over 40 starry guest artists from theatre, film, and television sharing performances, sketches, reflections, special quarantine talents, and more.”

You have to secure your “ticket” prior to 12 PM EDT/9 AM PDT on May 30th in order to view the show. The show itself, which Christopher Isherwood of the New York Times called “a zesty, sweet, Broadway-trivia-riddled musical about the anxiety and excitement of creating a zesty, sweet, Broadway-trivia-riddled musical about the anxiety and excitement of creating a. …” has a cult following. Fans of musical theatre have loved it. So have Broadway stars as is indicated by the guests they have lined up for Saturday’s event.

A partial list includes: Laura Benanti, Victoria Clark, Billy Crudup, Christopher J. Hanke, Bill Irwin, Cheyenne Jackson, John Kander, Judy Kuhn, Linda Lavin, The Lopez Family Singers (Lindsay Anderson, Kristen Anderson-Lopez, Annie Lopez, Bobby Lopez, and Katie Lopez), Bob Mackie, Audra McDonald, Lin-Manuel Miranda, Alex Newell, Leslie Odom, Jr., Kelli O’Hara, Steven Pasquale, Zachary Quinto, Brooke Shields, Douglas Sills, Phillipa Soo and Michael Urie.

Spotlight Virtual Grand Finale – Music Center – May 30th – 10 PM EDT/7 PM PDT

Each year the Music Center in Los Angeles hosts a competition to find the best high school performers from San Diego up to Santa Barbara. They have several categories from which to choose: acting, dance, music and vocals. Usually the event is a big gala at the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion. This year Spotlight goes online.

There are fourteen students competing in this year’s finals. This Grand Finale will be hosted by an alumnus of the Spotlight program: Tony Award-winner Lindsay Mendez (Carousel). Special guests include Matthew Rushing from the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, ballet star Misty Copeland and singer Josh Groban.

Don Giovanni – Glyndebourne – May 31st – June 7th

Mozart’s masterpiece opera about Don Juan is Glyndebourne’s featured opera this week. This 2010 production was directed by Jonathan Kent.

Starring in Don Giovanni are Gerald Finley as Don Giovanni; Luca Pisaroni as Leporello; Anna Samuil as Donna Anna; Brindley Sherratt as Commendatore; William Burden as Don Ottavio; Kate Royal as Donna Elvira; Anna Virovlansky as Zerlina and Guido Loconsolo as Masetto. Vladimir Jurowski conducts the orchestra.

Kent set this production in Southern Europe in the 1970s/1980s. Critics were very divided about how successful this Don Giovanni was. Which seems to make this must-see viewing so we can decide for ourselves.

Don’t forget that this weekend’s operas from the Metropolitan Opera are Bellini’s La Sonnambula (Friday); Donizetti’s L’Elisir d’Amore (Saturday) and R. Strauss’s Salome (Sunday).

Fridays at Five from SFJazz this week features Cuban pianist Chucho Valdés at 8 PM EDT/5 PM PDT on Friday only.

Stratford Festival has two additional Shakespeare plays available this week: The Tempest and Timon of Athens.

I hope that gives you enough Best Bets at Home: May 29th – May 31st for your weekend entertainment.

Main photo: Lauren Cuthbertson and Marcelino Sambé in The Cellist (Photo by Bill Cooper/©2020 ROH)

The post Culture Best Bets at Home: May 29th – May 31st appeared first on Cultural Attaché.

BREAKING NEWS: Disney’s musical Frozen has closed on Broadway.

American Ballet Theatre has canceled their 2020 Season at the Metropolitan Opera. The shows included are ABT Then and Now, the New York premiere of Of Love and Rage, as well as productions of La Bayadère, Romeo and Juliet, Giselle, The Sleeping Beauty, Jane Eyre and Swan Lake.

Antaeus Theatre Company has canceled all remaining performances of Measure for Measure and their Classic Sundays reading of The Roaring Girl. 

Bob Baker Marionette Theatre has announced postponement of all scheduled performances and events. No tentative re-opening date has been provided.

Boston Court Pasadena has postponed all performances through May 27th.

Their production of Assassins been rescheduled for September 10th – October 18th

The Broad Stage has announced the suspension of all remaining performances in their 2019-2020 season.

Mnozil Brass on March 26th.

Hiromi: Solo on March 28th

Red Hen Press: New Traditions on March 29th

National Geographic Live: Hidden Wild: Secrets of the Everglades on April 9th and 10th

Dee Dee Bridgewater and Bill Charlap on April 11th.

Dance for All on April 13th

USC Glorya Kaufman School of Dance April 17th – April 19th

Beethoven, Bagels & Banter on April 19th

Angel’s Bone (co-presented with LA Opera Off Grand) May 1st – May 3rd

Diana Damrau & Nicolas Testé on May 16th

Lynn Harrell, cellist on May 17th

*Broadway in Hollywood has announced the cancellation of SpongeBob Musical at The Dolby Theatre.

The Illusionists, scheduled to play April 14th – April 19th at the Dolby Theatre has been rescheduled for January 12th – January 17th.

The tour of Mean Girls, scheduled to play the Dolby Theatre April 28th – June 7th, 2020 will be rescheduled.

The tour of My Fair Lady, scheduled to play the Dolby Theatre June 12th – July 5th will be rescheduled.

The tour of The Band’s Visit, scheduled to play at the Dolby Theatre July 7th – July 26th, has been suspended.

*The Cher Show is postponing its tour until 2021. Not official announcement yet, but this may impact the Spring 2021 booking at the Dolby Theatre.

*All Broadway Shows in New York have been suspended through September 6th.

Hangmen, which had gone into previews, will not re-open. A revival of Edward Albee’s Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf will not re-open.

Beetlejuice, which was set to close at the Winter Garden on June 6th, is now officially closed. Though a 2021 tour is planned, there are still discussions of moving the show to another theatre.

*Disney’s musical Frozen has officially closed. It is the first long-running show to close as a result of the pandemic. The official closing day is March 11th, the last day of performances before Broadway suspended all performances. The show had 26 previews and 825 performances.

CAP UCLA has announced the suspension of the remainder of the 2019-2020 season.

Center Theatre Group has announced that all remaining shows in the 2019-2020 season have been postponed. This includes 1776 scheduled at the Ahmanson Theatre, King James at the Mark Taper Forum and Sakina’s Restaurant at the Kirk Douglas Theatre.

They join the previously announced postponements of Once on This Island, The Antipodes and the annual Block party.

As it relates to Once on This Island, CTG is working on rescheduling the show. Producers have canceled this show’s tour, but the possibility of a reduced tour post-Coronavirus is being explored.

Cirque du Soleil has announced the cancellation of all performances of Volta scheduled at the Orange County Fair and Events Center in Costa Mesa.

Colburn School has canceled all performances and events through April 12.

East West Players has announced a postponement of the entire run of Assassins. They have also announced postponement of the 54th Anniversary Visionary Awards Gala.

The Echo Theater Company is canceling performances of Poor Clare, scheduled to open March 14, through the end of March. Performances resume April 3. 

*The Ford Theatres summer 2020 season has been canceled.

The Fountain Theatre has suspended the world premiere of Human Interest Story. The April 25 Los Angeles premiere of If I Forget has been postponed to later date yet to be determined. 

Geffen Playhouse has announced the following:

Bernhardt/Hamlet, scheduled to begin previews on April 7th, has been canceled.

Glorya Kaufman Presents Dance at the Music Center has announced the cancellation of the Pina Bausch’s Palermo Palermo as Tantztheater Wuppertal Pina Bausch canceled their tour.

Malpaso Dance Company has canceled its spring tour of the United States. Therefore the engagement at the Ahmanson Theatre on May 15th – May 17th has been canceled.

Goodspeed Musicals has postponed their April production of South Pacific. Their fall production of Candide has been canceled.

*The Hollywood Bowl 2020 season has been canceled.

The Industry’s Sweet Land has canceled all remaining performances. They will be offering a filmed version being streamed starting March 23rd.

Laguna Playhouse has made the following announcements:

Hershey Felder’s Monsieur Chopin, originally scheduled for April, has been moved to October of this year.

Rocky Mountain High, a Tribute to John Denver has been rescheduled to January 7th – January 10th of 2021.

They are trying to reschedule Ann sometime in the coming year.

The world premiere of To Sir, With Love, has been canceled.

The La Jolla Playhouse has announced that all performances by or at La Jolla Music Society, La Jolla Playhouse, San Diego Opera and San Diego Symphony will be canceled and/or postponed through the end of March 2020

La Mirada Theatre has announced postponement of all shows through May 10th.

The following shows have been rescheduled:

The Sound of Music will play May 15th to June 7th.

Mamma Mia will play June 12th to July 5th.

They will be rescheduling the following shows:

Bossa Nova Wave (originally scheduled for April 3)

Classic Albums Live – Fleetwood Mac’s Rumours (originally scheduled for April 4)

Circus Science Spectacular (originally scheduled for April 5)

The Center of the Universe (originally scheduled for April 9)

The Brubeck Brothers (originally scheduled for May 12)

La Mirada Symphony (originally scheduled for May 17)

Dance, Dance, Dance! (originally scheduled for May 22)

Sol de Mexico (originally scheduled for June 27)

*LA Opera has canceled the final performance of Roberto Devereux scheduled for March 14th.

Angel’s Bone, scheduled to be performed May 1st – May 3rd, has been canceled as The Broad Stage canceled their remaining events for the 2019-2020 season.

Pelléas and Mélisande, scheduled for May 2nd – May 23rd, has been canceled.

Rodelinda, scheduled for May 8th, has been canceled.

*The Marriage of Figaro, scheduled for May 6th – May 28th, has been canceled.

*Saturday Mornings at the Opera, scheduled for June 6th, has been canceled.

*Great Opera Choruses, scheduled for June 7th at The Soraya, has been canceled.

Lincoln Center in New York has announced that the musical Flying Over Sunset has been moved to the fall as has the opera Intimate Apparel. Both were previously scheduled to open this spring.

Long Beach Opera has postponed until next season its production of The Lighthouse.

*Their planned productions of Billy the Kid (scheduled for May 3rd – May 10th) and Frida (scheduled for June 20th – June 28th) have been canceled.

Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra has announced postponement of this weekend’s concert, Border Crossings, scheduled for March 12th at the First Presbyterian Church of Santa Monica and on March 13th at The Huntington.

They have also announced cancellation of the Ravel, Strauss + Contreras concerts on March 28th and 29th.

Beethoven + Mendelssohn scheduled for April 30th and May 1st has been canceled.

Sheku plus Eroica scheduled at multiple venues for May 15th – May 18th, has been canceled.

The Los Angeles LGBT Center is postponing its production of Hair that was scheduled to open on March 27th.

Los Angeles Master Chorale has announced the following cancellations:

The Fauré Requiem performances at Walt Disney Concert Hall on March 28th and 29th have been canceled.

The performance of Lagrime di San Pietro at the Musco Center for the Arts at Chapman University on March 19th has been canceled.

Come Away to the Skies: A Celebration of Alice Parker, scheduled for May 17th, has been canceled.

Los Angeles Philharmonic has announced the cancellation of all performances for the rest of the season at Walt Disney Concert Hall. (All concerts through June 6th.)

Manhattan Theatre Club has postponed their planned revival of How I Learned to Drive until next season.

MCC Theatre in New York has announced the All The Natalie Portmans played its final performance yesterday. Hollywood Dreams, which was to have begun previews next week, will be rescheduled.

They also announced that their Miscast 20 gala has been rescheduled from April 6th to June 15th

The Metropolitan Opera has canceled all performances for the rest of this season. This includes all scheduled Live in HD presentations

The McKittrick Hotel in New York, home to Sleep No More, The Woman in Black and Speakeasy Magick, has suspended all performances through April 12th.

Musco Center for the Arts has canceled all performances through early May.

The Music Center has announced that all venues (The Ahmanson Theatre, Dorothy Chandler Pavilion, Mark Taper Forum and Walt Disney Concert Hall) will be closed until further notice. This impacts the Los Angeles Philharmonic, LA Opera, Center Theatre Group, the Los Angeles Master Chorale and Glorya Kaufman Presents Dance at the Music Center.

A Noise Within has announced the following cancellations:

The remaining performances of The Winter’s Tale, Alice in Wonderland, and all other public events have been canceled through the end of April.

Alice in Wonderland will now open their 2020-2021 season August 22nd – September 13th.

Sweeney Todd, has been rescheduled for September 27th – November 15th.

The Odyssey Theatre is canceling performances of The Serpent through March 29 with performances resuming April 3.

The Old Globe has announced that their productions of Little Women and Faceless will be postponed.

The Open Fist, currently in residence at the Atwater Village Theatre, has suspended all performances of Rorschach Fest.

The Outer Critics Circle Awards, scheduled for May 21st, have been postponed.

The Pacific Symphony has announced the following in relation to their schedule:

Pink Martini on March 13th and 14th has been postponed. They have been rescheduled for June 17th and 18th.

Nowruz on March 28th has been postponed.

The Texas Tenors on April 3rd and 4th has been cancelled.

Verdi’s Otello on April 23rd, 25th and 28th has been cancelled.

Windborne’s the Music of the Rolling Stones: Mick Jagger and Keith Richards 1969, originally scheduled for May 1sts and 2nd, has been rescheduled to June 19th and 20th.

Yang Plays Rachmaninoff, scheduled for May 7th – May 9th has been canceled.

Beethoven’s Razumovsky Quartet, scheduled for May 10th has been canceled.

The Hunchback of Notre Dame with live accompaniment by organist Dennis James, scheduled for May 10th, has been canceled.

Pacific Symphony Youth Ensemble concerts scheduled for May 9th, 11th and 12th has all been canceled.

*The Pantages Theatre has announced suspension of performances of Hamilton through September 6th.

The Pasadena Playhouse has announced that all performances through May 31st.

Ann, scheduled for May 27th – July 28th has been postponed.

Their production of Annie Get Your Gun, scheduled for July 28th – August 23rd has been canceled.

*The Pasadena Pops has canceled their 2020 summer season and will reschedule the following concerts for their 2021 summer season:

Sway with Me: Latin Rhythm and Swing scheduled for June 19
Road to Motown scheduled for July 10
Fleetwood Mac: A Tribute scheduled for July 24
Michael Feinstein Sings Sinatra’s Songbook scheduled for August 14
100 Years of Broadway scheduled for August 28 

The Pasadena Symphony has rescheduled their March 21st Mozart & McGegan concert to May 23rd.

The Public Theatre in New York (and the adjoining Joe’s Pub) has canceled all performances through April 12th.

*Chicago’s Ravinia Festival has canceled their 2020 season.

Roundabout Theatre in New York announced that their productions of Birthday Candles with Debra Messing and Caroline, Or Change will open in the fall. Both shows were on the cusp of starting previews when Broadway theatres shut down.

San Francisco Opera has canceled their summer season scheduled to run June 7th to July 3rd.

*The Segerstrom Center has announced the following postponements, rescheduling and cancellations:

Orange County Millennial Choirs and Orchestras on April 1st has been rescheduled to June 2nd

Shen Yun from April 3rd – April 12th has been postponed

Ailey II on April 11th has been postponed

Chicago from April 14th – April 19th has been canceled

Sibelius Piano Trio on April 17th has been canceled

Clayton Brothers Quintet on April 18th has been canceled

Earth Day Celebration on April 18th has been canceled

Distinguished Speakers Series: President George W. Bush on April 20th has been postponed

Tuesday Night Dance Lessons on April 21st and 28th has been canceled

Laura Benanti from April 23rd – April 25th has been postponed

Best of Dance on April 25th has been canceled

Beckman Arts and Science Family Festival on May 2nd has been postponed.

Paper Planet on May 2nd and 3rd has been canceled.

Celtic Woman on May 2nd has been canceled.

*Les Misérables, scheduled for May 5th – May 17th and rescheduled for October 6th – October 18th has been canceled.

Emerson String Quartet on May 7th has been postponed.

Silent Disco on May 8th has been postponed.

Rock, Paper, Scissors: CUMBIA! on May 15th has been postponed.

Swing Under the Stars on May 29th has been canceled.

*Mean Girls, scheduled for June 16th – June 28th, has been postponed. The venue is hoping to reschedule.

*The Band’s Visit, originally scheduled for August 12th – August 23rd has been rescheduled for April 13th – April 25th, 2021.

*The Lion King, originally scheduled for September 2nd – September 27th, has been canceled.

*Ain’t Too Proud to Beg – The Life and Times of The Temptations, scheduled for November 17th – 29th has been rescheduled for September 14th – 26th, 2021.

*The Donna Summer Musical, originally scheduled for January 12th – 17th, has been cancelled due to a rescheduling of the show’s tour.

*The Cher Show, originally scheduled for April 13th – April 25th has been canceled due to a rescheduling of the show’s tour.

Shakespeare in the Park in New York has canceled this summer’s season.

Soka Performing Arts Center has announced the postponement of the remainder of its 2019-2020 season.

The Soraya has announced the following cancellations and postponements:

The Jerusalem Quartet on April 5th has been canceled.

The Count Basie Orchestra on April 9th has been postponed.

Amir El Saffar on April 16th has been canceled.

Bollywood Boulevard on April 19th has been canceled.

Randy Newman’s Faust on May 9th has been canceled.

Violins of Hope, which was postponed, will have an opening night concert by the Los Angeles Jewish Symphony on January 14th.

South Coast Rep has announced the cancellation of all performances of Outside Mullingar beginning March 13th. (They are “working to make the performance available online. More details will be announced in the coming days.”)

*San Francisco’s Stern Grove Festival has canceled their 2020 season.

Tonality has postponed their A Call to Restore concert that was set to take place on March 15th. Another date will be announced shortly.

The Tony Awards, scheduled for June 7th, have been postponed.

The Verdi Chorus has canceled their Opera Gets Real performances scheduled for April 18th and 19th.

*The Wallis has announced the cancellation of all performances through June 30th.

If you have an event that has been postponed or canceled and would like it included in this list, please send the details to contact@Culturalattache.co

Photo “Comedy/Tragedy on Keys” by Craig L. Byrd

The post Coronavirus Cancellations & Postponements – Updated 5/14/20 appeared first on Cultural Attaché.

The novel tells the story of the beautiful Callirhoe with whom Chaereas has fallen deeply in love. This doesn’t go over too well with others who had their eyes on her so they conspire to fill Chaereas with doubt about her fidelity to him. An abusive encounter with Chaereas leads to what many presume to be her death, but in reality was just a coma. Other suitors pursue her even though her death did not end her marriage. Like many women of that time, she was granted no particular power over her own destiny. But she had one thing that still holds power over people today, beauty combined with brains.

Of Love and Rage was choreographed by Alexei Ratmansky. He’s a Russian born dancer-turned-choreographer who has worked with the Bolshoi Ballet, San Francisco Ballet, New York City Ballet and multiple other companies.

With Of Love and Rage he has choreographed his 17th ballet for American Ballet Theatre. He says in the press release for this world premiere that, “I am fascinated by the topic of forgiveness. This is a story about how anger and jealousy tear two people apart – two people who are madly in love. Forgiveness is the only way they can reunite, and forgiveness requires strength.”

Ratmansky has selected the music of Aram Khachaturian, as arranged by Philip Feeney, for the ballet. That music will be played live at these performances by the Pacific Symphony.

The announced casting for Of Love and Rage is as follows:

Thursday, March 5th and the matinee on Saturday, March 7th:

Callirhoe – Catherine Hurlin
Chaereas – Aran Bell
Dionysius – James Whiteside
Mithridates – Cory Stearns
King of Babylon – Roman Zhurbin
Queen of Babylon – Devon Teuscher

Friday, March 6th and Sunday, March 8th

Callirhoe – Christine Shevchenko
Chaereas – Thomas Forster
Dionysius – Blaine Hoven
Mithridates – Alexandre Hammoudi
King of Babylon – Keith Roberts
Queen of Babylon – Katherine Williams

Saturday, March 7th evening performance:

Callirhoe – Hee Seo
Chaereas – Calvin Royal III
Dionysius – Joo Won Ahn
Mithridates – Cory Stearns
King of Babylon – Roman Zhurbin
Queen of Babylon – Devon Teuscher

Of Love and Rage will have its New York Premiere June 2nd – June 6th during the company’s 2020 Metropolitan Opera House season.

The ballet runs approximately 2 hours and 15 minutes.

For tickets go here.

Photo: Catherine Hurlin and Aran Bell in Of Love and Rage (Photo by Erin Baiano/Courtesy of American Ballet Theatre)

The post ABT’s “Of Love and Rage” appeared first on Cultural Attaché.

The concerts open with Brahms’s Piano Concerto #2. The soloist is Markus Groh. Opening the second half of the concert is Ralph Vaughan Williams’s often heard in movies by rarely performed Variations on a Theme by Thomas Tallis.

The program closes, under Carl St. Clair’s direction, with Ellington’s arrangements of Tchaikovsky’s music for the ballet everyone performs around the holidays.

As with many of Duke Ellington’s most beloved compositions, the unsung hero is his co-arranger Billy Strayhorn. “Take the A Train” was written by Strayhorn and it was the signature theme of the Duke Ellington Orchestra. He also wrote such songs as “Chelsea Bridge” and collaborated with the Duke on longer form pieces such as Such Sweet Thunder and The Nutcracker arrangements performed this weekend.

Photo of Duke Ellington and His Orchestra Courtesy of the NY Public Library Digital Collections

The post Nutcracker Sweet appeared first on Cultural Attaché.

Dudamel Conducts Salonen & Shostakovich – Walt Disney Concert Hall

April 13-15

During this LA Philharmonic season we’ve had the pleasure of hearing former music director Esa-Pekka Salonen conduct, amongst other things, his three concerti: one for piano, one for violin and one for cello. Now it is Gustavo Dudamel’s chance to conduct Salonen and he has the privilege of introducing a world premiere composition to the world with Pollux, a piece written specifically for the LA Phil.  Also on the program is Varése’s Amériques. Closing out the program is Shostakovich’s 5th Symphony in D Minor. If this isn’t a perfect program for Dudamel, I don’t know what is. Also, Friday’s performance is a rare morning concert at 11 AM. The concerts on Saturday and Sunday are also matinees – they begin at 2 PM.

South Pacific – The Soraya (Valley Performing Arts Center)

April 13-15

It seems like Rodgers & Hammerstein are busting out all over. And as we discussed earlier this week with author Todd S. Purdum (Something Wonderful: Rodgers & Hammerstein’s Broadway Revolution), the most famous Broadway composers of all time are enjoying a renaissance with new productions that mine the topicality that, sadly, still resonates today. No better example can be found than in their musical South Pacific. The show won the Pulitzer for Drama in 1950 and is based on James Michener’s Tales of the South Pacific. This production, from McCoy Rigby Entertainment, stars Stephane Renee Wall as Nellie Forbush, John Cudia as Emile de Becque and Jodi Kimura as Bloody Mary. The show is directed by Glenn Casale. Next week it will move to the La Mirada Center for the Performing Arts.

Glass & Shankar – Pacific Symphony at Renée & Henry Segerstrom Concert Hall

April 13

The Pacific Symphony will be making its Carnegie Hall debut with this unique program of works by Philip Glass and Ravi Shankar. Before they travel to New York for that concert, local audiences will get a chance to hear them perform Glass’s Meeting along the Edge from Passages (based on a theme by Ravi Shankar), Shankar’s Sitar Concerto No. 3 (which will be performed by the legend’s daughter, Anoushka) and another work by Glass called The Passion of Ramakrishna. The latter piece involves vocal soloists, a chorus and a large orchestral configuration. None of these pieces are commonly played, so this is a great opportunity to hear work outside the usual programming. This is a must for fans of either Glass or Shankar.

Little Black Shadows – South Coast Rep

April 13-29

This is a world premiere production of a new play by Kemp Powers. Set in Georgia before the outbreak of the Civil War, two slaves (Toy & Collis) tend to a set of twins during the day. At night, they can live out their fantasies by sharing stories with one another (albeit from beneath their master’s beds and through a vent in the wall.) The twins’ father announces he has plans to move the family to Louisiana. How will Toy and Collis respond to this news and how will it change their lives? May Adrales directs. The cast features Giovanni Adams, Daniel Bellusci, Mark Doerr, Elyse Mirto, Chauntae Pink and Emily Yetter.

50th Anniversary Concert – Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra at The Mark Taper Forum

April 14th

To celebrate their golden anniversary, the Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra is holding an intimate concert where it all began – at the Mark Taper Forum in 1968. On the program are Derek Bermel’s Tag Rag, Mozart’s Clarinet Concerto in A major (featuring soloist Andrew Marriner), songs from Hollywood’s Golden Age (featuring Rumer Willis) and Prokofiev’s Symphony #1. Black tie is encouraged for this concert. You can also purchase tickets for the gala cocktail party and dinner. For information on how LACO began, check out our interview with co-founder James Arkatov who, at 98, is thrilled to be attending this celebration. In his own words, “I wouldn’t miss it.”

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