Also appearing on the program are Michael Bublé, Cynthia Erivo, Dave Koz and members of the Youth Orchestra Los Angeles (YOLA). They will all be accompanied by Thomas Wilkins leading the Hollywood Bowl Orchestra.

Six years ago I spoke with Monica Mancini about her father, what he’d think of her career and more. With this Sunday’s concert fast-approaching, I’ve expanded the previous post to include new material not previously published before.

I recently spoke with Mancini, or Monica as she insisted, a couple days in advance of the concert. We talked about her father, his work and what she learns from his music.

You broke out from the world of back-up singing into a soloist after your father passed away. Does that seems like an odd way to launch a solo career?

It’s true. It’s what happened. In a heartbeat I’d give it all up if he was sill around. I would. It’s just kind of the way life rolled in this case. It is a gift. Our music, this generation of music, the Mancini generation, they aren’t making them like that so much. I enjoy continuing a legacy and reminding people how great this music is.

We live in a culture where if it didn’t happen ten minutes ago you hear the refrain, “that was before my time.” What are the challenges in reaching out to younger audiences who may have no idea who Henry Mancini was?

It isn’t even that young anymore. It blows my mind when someone is 40 and I say “Do you know who Henry Mancini is?” and they shrug. If I say “Do you know the theme to The Pink Panther?” they respond with “I love that song.” His name isn’t a household word anymore. I don’t know what to say or do anymore. I think singers like Lady Gaga and her artistry would appreciate being able to sing a really good song.

Michael Bublé gave the Mancini’s a boost when he did Call Me Irresponsible. We try to always get Dad’s songs when an album was coming up. Gregg Field, my producer and husband, played on Barbra Streisand’s The Movie Album. He brought dad up to James Brolin and she added Moon River.

Though you sing a wide range of songs, you’ve spent a good amount of time celebrating your father’s work. How much work does it take you as a singer to find your own personal way into his songs?

This is still a work in progress. I’ve been singing his music since he passed away [in 1994]. The following year I was given an opportunity to do some tribute concerts. I was a studio singer. Id din’t have designs on being a solo singer. But given the opportunity, it’s been really nice.

I’ve been honing that all these years. I’m still wanting it to be the perfect interpretation. It’s not like I’m flailing, waiting for this inspiration. I’m very happy with my performances of his music. He wrote such beautiful melodies to sing and worked with these awesome lyricists. It’s fun to sing and it’s worth exploring the lyrics a little bit more because some of them are so deep and wonderful.

Does Henry Mancini the film composer take a back seat to Henry Mancini the songwriter?

No because truly when he went to score a film, he went to score a film. Let’s use Moon River. He didn’t set out to write a hit song. He didn’t set out to write Moon River. That was part of the score and part of the job – finding a theme and finding something for Audrey Hepburn to sing. It was a bonus he could write hit songs. I think the process and his whole joy of scoring films kind of was equal to the charge of having a hit song.

I think the process and whole joy obscuring films was equal to the charge of having a hit song. He never talked about it, but I can only surmise. But I don’t think one took a back seat to the other.

One of the films he did was Victor, Victoria. That film took risks when it was released in 1982 in depicting gender and sexuality issues. Why do you think that film still resonates and is still funny and moving?

It’s a perfect movie. It’s brilliant and it’s Blake Edwards at his finest. I was a huge James Garner fan. I could watch him sit and breathe. And Robert Preston. These people are little gifts and you don’t see the likes of Garner or Preston anymore. Their era is gone. Obviously the music is cool. During the film dad was very healthy. But when he was writing the show for Broadway, that’s when he got sick. I was doing demos for Julie Andrews so she could hear the songs. I was close to that experience back then. I don’t know why, but it is just the little perfect movie.

You once told the New York Times that when you asked your father if you could join his shows as a singer he told you, “I work alone, kid.” What do you think he’d say about the career you’ve created for yourself?

He’d say “Never mind.” He would just be a blubbering puddle in the audience. He was always very proud of me. I’ve come a long way from my demo days and It think he would be extremely proud. He was never one of those guys who insisted that any of us go into the business. It wasn’t anything he thought, “I hope my children live up to…”

If he was around he’d be doing it himself. The fact that I’m so at home with his music and I sing it so often – he’s never that far away. I’m not a big believer in heaven and “daddy’s looking down on you.” I’m not there. I hold him. I know where he is in me.

This story was originally published in October of 2018 and has been updated with additional material.

The post Monica Mancini Celebrates the Music of Her Father, Henry appeared first on Cultural Attaché.

One reason for this is our Top Pick this week actually happens on Monday. It’s a reunion of the original off-Broadway cast of Stephen Sondheim and John Weidman’s musical Assassins.

There’s literally something for everyone this week with options for jazz, classical music, opera, dance, ballet and two top Broadway stars perform as well.

Here are the Best Bets: March 5th – March 8th:

*TOP PICK* – Assassins Reunion – Studio Tenn Theatre Company – March 8th – 8:00 EST/5:00 PM PST

On Monday, Studio Tenn Theatre in Franklin, Tennesse will be streaming a reunion of eleven of the original cast members of the Playwrights Horizon production of Assassins including: Victor Garber, Greg Germann, Annie Golden, Lyn Greene, Jonathan Hadary, Eddie Korbich, Terrence Mann, Debra Monk, William Parry and Lee Wilkof.

If you’re wondering why a theatre in Tennessee is holding this event, Studio Tenn Theatre’s Artistic Director is Patrick Cassidy who originated the role of The Balladeer in that production. He’s participating, of course.

If you aren’t familiar with the Stephen Sondheim and John Weidman musical Assassins, you should be. The show opened in December of 1990 at Playwrights Horizon in New York. It’s a musical that features successful and would-be presidential assassins as its subject matter. Yes, the likes of John Wilkes Booth, Lee Harvey Oswald and Lynette “Squeaky” Fromme had their stories musicalized.

Sondheim and Weidman along with director Jerry Zaks, music director Paul Gemignani and orchestrator Michael Starobin will also participate.

The following clip is from Sondheim: A Celebration at Carnegie Hall and features Patrick Cassidy and Victor Garber.

As Frank Rich explained in his New York Times review, “In Assassins, a daring work even by his lights, Mr. Sondheim and his collaborator, the writer John Weidman, say the unthinkable, though they sometimes do so in a deceptively peppy musical-comedy tone. Without exactly asking that the audience sympathize with some of the nation’s most notorious criminals, this show insists on reclaiming them as products, however defective, of the same values and traditions as the men they tried to murder.”

The timing of Assassins‘ opening wasn’t terrific. With the first Gulf War raging, producers didn’t believe audiences would be so interested in the show – even though the off-Broadway performances sold out.

Many consider the addition of the song, Something Just Broke, as a key to the musical’s emotional core. That song was added by Sondheim for the 1992 Donmar Warehouse Production. In a 1994 production in Toronto the characters of Lee Harvey Oswald and The Balladeer began to be played by the same actor.

Theatergoers did finally embrace the show, as did many critics, when the Roundabout Theatre staged the first Broadway production in 2004. That production would go on to win five Tony Awards including Best Revival of a Musical.

Given recent events in the past year, particularly the riot in Washington, D.C. on January 6th, this musical will be more topical than ever.

There is no charge to watch this reunion, however donations are certainly encouraged.

DANCE: ‘kwirē/ – REDCAT – Now – March 6th

This solo work by dancer/choreographer Jessica Emmanuel finds the dancer seeking details about her past from her ancestors. ‘kwirē/ takes place in a dystopian world. Most information about public and personal history along with ancestral information has long ago been destroyed. Very few human beings are still alive. Through dance and sound, Emmanuel utilizes natural resources to reconnect with her own memories and her DNA.

Emmanuel is Los Angeles-based and has worked with Poor Dog Group, Heidi Duckler Dance Theatre and countless other companies.

There are two performances this weekend available for streaming: Friday at 11:30 PM EST/8:30 PM PST and Saturday at 8:00 PM EST/5:00 PM PST. Tickets are $15 for general admission; $12 for REDCAT members and students and $8 for CalArts students, faculty and staff.

BALLET: Wooden Dimes World Premiere – San Francisco Ballet – Now – March 24th

As part of their digital programming, San Francisco Ballet is presenting the world premiere of choreographer/director Danielle Rowe’s Wooden Dimes. Joining this work are two archived works: Symphony #9 by Alexei Ratmansky and Swimmer by Yuri Possokhov.

Symphony #9 had its world premiere by American Ballet Theatre in 2012. It is set to composer Dmitri Shostakovich’s 9th Symphony.

Ratmansky is a former dancer who went on to be the artistic director of the Bolshoi Ballet in 2004. He joined ABT in 2009 as Artist in Residence.

Symphony #9 features a cast of 21 dancers with two couples in the lead and a solo male. Can you dance to Shostakovich?

Wooden Dimes by Rowe features the music of composer James M. Stephenson. Not much is officially known about Wooden Dimes except that it takes place in the roaring 20s, is a backstage story and that it title comes from the expression “Don’t take any wooden nickels.”

On Stephenson’s website, he says the ballet is about Fanny Brice (the actress brought to life by Barbra Streisand in the stage and film musical Funny Girl).

Swimmer as 1960s pop culture in its sightline. Posskhov, is a former dancer with both the Bolshoi Ballet and the San Francisco Ballet. He’s a very popular choreographer with SF Ballet and this work, which dates to 2015, is immensely popular.

His work is set to music by Shinji Eshima, Kathleen Brennan, Gavin Bryars and Tom Waits.

Tickets are $29 and allow for 72 hours of access.

PLAY: Jericho – New Normal Rep – Now – April 4th

In Jack Canfora’s play, Jericho, a family gathers for Thanksgiving in the aftermath of the September 11th tragedy. While that sounds like heavy material, Canfora infuses the play with generous amounts of humor and compassion. The play had its world premiere at the New Jersey Repertory Theatre in 2011.

Appearing in this reading of Jericho are C. K. Allen, Jill Eikenberry, Eleanor Handley, Jason O’Connel, Michael Satow and Carol Todd. Directing is Marsha Mason.

Anita Gates, in her New York Times review of the play said, “Mr. Canfora has delivered a smart, hard-hitting drama filled with biting wit. One character says: ‘It’s an oxymoron. Like jumbo shrimp or Fox News.’ The best jokes consist of wordplay with expletives that are not printable here. But to give you a sense of the tone, one character, Jessica, complains in Act I that her husband considers her occasional viewing of the celebrity-gossip show Access Hollywood ‘the moral equivalent of sodomizing kittens.’

Tickets are $25 and can be purchased here.

OPERA: The Marriage of Figaro – Royal Opera House – March 5th – April 4th

Conducted by Ivor Bolton; starring Erwin Schrott, Sophie Bevan, Stéphane Degout, Ellie Dehn, Kate Lindsey and Carlo Lepore. This revival of David McVicar’s 2006 production is from the 2015-2016 season.

Mozart’s Le Nozze di Figaro is based on the 1784 play La folle journée, ou le Mariage de Figaro (translated: “The Mad Day, or The Marriage of Figaro”) by Pierre Beaumarchais.

Lorenzo da Ponte wrote the libretto. La Nozze di Figaro had its world premiere in Vienna in 1786.

Figaro and Susanna are getting married. They are in a room made available to them by the Count who plans to seduce the bride-to-be based on an old law that gave permission to lords to have sex with servant girls on their wedding night. When Figaro gets wind of this plan he enlists several people to outwit the Count using disguises, altered identities and more.

Tim Ashley, in his review for The Guardian, said, “At the centre of it all, however, lies a grand confrontation between Erwin Schrott’s Figaro, and Stéphane Degout’s Count. Schrott’s interpretation has also changed somewhat since he last sang the role here. There’s less political anger, more manipulative wit: he sings Se Vuol Ballare with bemused irony rather than scorn, not so much as a manifesto, but as a prelude to a game that turns increasingly dangerous. Degout, a wonderfully patrician singer with a handsome, ringing tone, has an innate charm that can turn to menace in a flash: it’s a superbly accomplished characterisation.

Tickets are £3 which equates to approximately $4.20.

JAZZ/EXPERIMENTAL: Laurie Anderson and Tammy L. Hall – SFJAZZ – March 5th – 8:00 PM EST/5:00 PM PST

In 2018 Laurie Anderson served as Resident Artistic Director for SFJAZZ. Over the course of one week in late November she performed and curated a series of concerts. Amongst them was Songs for Women.

Anderson was inspired to create Songs for Women after hearing Tammy L. Hall’s song For Miss Jones.

From there a musical collaboration was born with songs written for and about women by both artists.

Laurie Anderson is known for her innovative films and recordings including Big Science, Strange Angels and Home of the Brave.

SFJAZZ will stream this concert as part of their Fridays at Five series. You must have either monthly digital membership ($5) or an annual digital membership ($60) to stream this and all other Fridays at Five concerts.

BROADWAY/VOCALS: Leslie Odom Jr. in Concert – PBS – March 5th (Check local listings)

Tony Award winner Leslie Odom Jr. (Hamilton) performs Live From Lincoln Center in this concert which originally aired in 2018. But don’t expect to hear all of his songs from Lin-Manuel Miranda’s juggernaut of a musical. This performance showcases Odom’s jazz and soul chops.

As with all PBS programming, best to check your local listings. For instance, in Los Angeles this show is not scheduled to run until March 11th and 12th.

OPERA: Das Rheingold – San Francisco Opera – March 6th – March 7th

San Francisco Opera streams their 2018 production of Richard Wagner’s Ring Cycle with each of the four operas available in successive weeks. The first opera is, of course, Das Rheingold.

Conducted by Sir Donald Runnicles; starring Greer Grimsley, Jamie Barton, Falk Struckmann, Ronnita Miller and Stefan Margita.

This revival of Francesca Zambello’s 2011 production is from the 2017-2018 season.

This is the first in Wagner’s Der Ring des Nibelungen (also known as The Ring Cycle). As with all four of these operas, Wagner wrote the music and the libretto. Das Rheingold had its world premiere in 1869 in Munich. It was premiered as a stand-alone opera. The first performance of the entire cycle was at Bayreuth in 1876.

Alberich is a dwarf who renounces love in his successful effort to take gold from the Rhinemaidens and have possession of a ring bestowing power to the wearer. With this one action, he sets in motion the storyline that runs through all four operas in the Ring Cycle. Fafner and Fasolt are the giants who built Valhalla. The long-suffering Wotan is introduced here as are the challenges the gods face in repaying the architects of Valhalla. When the ring is stolen from Alberich he puts a curse on it and on anyone who takes possession of it.

Zambello sets this production in the American west beginning with the Gold Rush and ending with the tech age.

All four operas in the Ring Cycle will be presented in order on consecutive weekends. There is also a Ring Festival with additional programs. You can find details about that here.

DANCE/CLASSICAL MUSIC: Sasha Waltz & Guests in C – Bang on a Can Website – March 6th – 2:00 PM EST/11:00 AM PST

If you thought dancing to Shostakovich was intriguing, how about dancing to Terry Riley’s In C? It’s a work that has an undefined length. Riley wrote 53 different musical phrases. They are all numbered. It is up to the musicians performing the work to figure out exactly how long they want to play each phrase, in what order and when they start.

Choreographer Sasha Waltz, Co-Director of the Staatsballett Berlin with Johannes Öhman for the 2019-2020 season, is using a recording of In C by Bang on a Can for this live-streaming performance from Berlin. Here’s how she explains what this project is:

“The score of In C consists of fifty-three musical phrases and reads like stage directions for musicians. The thought of translating these detailed instructions into dance through a choreographic exploration of the music appealed to me. The result is an experimental system of fifty-three movement phrases for a structured improvisation with clear rules and laws. The length of the piece remains variable, as does the number of musicians and dancers.”

There is no charge to watch the performance, but donations are encouraged.

DANCE: Israel Galván/Maestro de Barra, Servir el Baile – CapUCLA – March 6th – 10:00 PM EST/7:00 PM PST

To get a sense of flamenco dancer/choreographer Israel Galván, let’s turn to an interview he gave Dance Magazine in 2019 where he told them:

“I know it sounds odd, but I think I dance because I don’t like to dance. It’s not logical, but there is something freeing in accepting that. I literally cannot remember a time in my life when I didn’t dance. I’ve danced since I’ve had consciousness. It’s simply in my DNA. And you can’t escape what you are.

“I was always going to be a dancer, but my saving grace as an adult is that I don’t feel any pressure. I feel total freedom when it comes to how I choose to dance. As long as people continue asking me to perform, I will, but it has to be on my terms.”

His terms will be on full display on Saturday when CAP UCLA offers up Maestro de Barra Servir el Baile which roughly translated means Master of the Bar, Serving the Dance. This is Galván’s way of keeping dance alive during the pandemic. He utilizes the concept of music and dance as played out in cafes and bars around the world for this work.

There is no charge to stream this performance, however donations are encouraged.

BROADWAY/VOCALS: Eva Noblezada – Seth Concert Series – March 7th – 3:00 PM EST/12:00 PM PST with an encore at 8:00 PM EST/5:00 PM PST $25

If you were lucky enough to see Hadestown on Broadway before theatres closed in New York, you got to experience the wonderfully talented Eva Noblezada. She received her second Tony Award nomination for her performance as Eurydice in the musical.

Her first nomination came for her performance as Kim in the 2017 revival of Miss Saigon.

Noblezada is Seth Rudetsky’s guest for this weekend’s conversation and performance program.

Tickets are $25. Note that the schedule has changed a little for these performances (at least through the month of March.) The live show is in the afternoon on Sunday and the encore stream of the performance is Sunday evening.

JAZZ: Alan Broadbent Trio – Smalls Live – March 7th – 5:00 PM EST/2:00 PM PST and 7:00 PM EST/4:00 PM PST

For nearly 50 years, pianist Alan Broadbent has been making great music. He’s worked as a bandleader and has collaborated with some of the biggest names in multiple genres of music. That list would include David Byrne, Kristin Chenoweth, Natalie Cole, Charlie Haden, Shirley Horn, Diana Krall, Linda Ronstadt and Barbra Streisand.

If you haven’t heard his solo recording, Heart to Heart from 2013, I suggest you do so. It’s beautiful.

For these two sets at New York’s Smalls Broadbent will be joined by Billy Mintz on drums and Harvie S on bass.

You can make reservations for either streaming show (which includes a donation), or you can wait for the show to just go live at the link above.

That does it for Best Bets: March 5th – March 8th. But I want to remind you of a few other options I’ve already covered this week:

The Los Angeles Philharmonic begins the second season of Sound/Stage on Friday, March 5th with a performance of Camille Saint-Saëns’ The Carnival of the Animals. Yuja Wang and David Fung join Gustavo Dudamel and the Los Angeles Philharmonic for this performance filmed on the stage at the Hollywood Bowl.

CaltechLive! has begun streaming Herbert Sigüenza’s A Weekend with Pablo Picasso. You can read our full preview here and my interview with Sigüenza here.

The 25th anniversary celebration of Rent will remain available through 8:00 PM EST/5:00 PM PST on Saturday, March 6th.

This weekend’s offerings from the Metropolitan Opera where they are celebrating Women’s History Month are Benjamin Britten’s Peter Grimes from the 2007-2008 season on Friday; Antonín Dvořák’s Rusalka from the 2013-2014 season on Saturday and Giuseppe Verdi’s La Forza del Destino from the 1983-1984 season on Sunday.

With our new line-up extending to Monday, here’s a preview of next week at the Metropolitan Opera: Monday’s production is Giacomo Puccini’s Manon Lescaut from the 1979-1980 season and kicks off Week 52 at the Met with the theme Verismo Passions.

I hope you enjoy your weekend and enjoy whichever of my Best Bets: March 5th – March 8th interest you the most! Have fun!

Main photo: The cast of the Playwright’s Horizon production of Assassins (Photo courtesy Studio Tenn Theatre Company)

The post Best Bets: March 5th – March 8th appeared first on Cultural Attaché.

We have fifteen different options for you this week. Attention Margaret Cho fans, we will tell you how to start and end your weekend with her.

Here are your Best Bets at Home: November 6th – November 8th:

Solitude – LA Philharmonic’s Sound/Stage – November 6th

This week’s filmed performance from the Hollywood Bowl finds Gustavo Dudamel leading the Los Angeles Philharmonic in a program entitled Solitude. There are two works being performed and they both look at the idea of being alone in very different ways.

First up is the American premiere of Dawn by Thomas Adés. The work had its world premiere earlier this year in a performance by the London Symphony Orchestra conduced by Simon Rattle. It’s designed for our socially distant times and for an orchestra of indeterminate size.

Dawn will be followed by Duke Ellington’s Solitude as arranged by Morton Gould. It’s one of Ellington’s finest.

Both of these works are less than ten minutes. This will be a shorter Sound/Stage, but who wants to spend more time than that alone?

As a reminder, previous episodes of Sound/Stage are also available for viewing.

Virtual Halston – November 6th – 5:00 PM EST/2:00 PM PST

After a couple weeks off to shoot a film, Julie Halston returns with Virtual Halston. Her guest this week is Margaret Cho.

For the uninitiated, Halston holds an on-line salon where pithy conversation and witty repartee are the main ingredients. (Of course, I’d suggest having a martini in hand, too.)

Whether you know Cho for her music, her stand-up comedy, her film and television appearances or her activism, you know she’s smart, funny and guaranteed to put a smile on your face.

There’s no charge to watch Virtual Halston. However, donations are encouraged and proceeds will go to the Pulmonary Fibrosis Foundation.

Midori and Ieva Jokubaviciute – 92 Street Y – November 6th – 7:30 PM EST/4:30 PM PST

Violinist Midori and pianist Ieva Jokubaviciute perform works by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, César Franck and Edvard Grieg in this recital.

Midori and Jokubaviciute have been collaborating since 2016. What began as a handful of recitals in Canada, Columbia, Germany and Austria has turned into worldwide performances together.

Grieg is first with his Sonata No. 2 in G Major, Op. 13. This three-movement sonata was written in what is now called Oslo in 1867.

Mozart follows with Sonata in E-flat Major, K. 302. This two-movement sonata was composed in 1778.

Franck closes the program with his Sonata in A Major. This four-movement sonata was written in 1886 as a wedding gift from the composer. It’s first public performance was in December of the same year.

Tickets are $15.

Alan Broadbent and Don Falzone – Mezzrow – November 6th – November 7th

Pianist Alan Broadbent and bassist Don Falzone will be performing four sets between Friday and Saturday night live from Mezzrow in New York City. There are sets each night at 7:00 PM EST/4:00 PM PST and 9:00 PM EST/6:00 PM PST.

If your first introduction to Broadbent was his Grammy Award-winning arrangement for Natalie Cole’s When I Fall In Love, you might be surprised to learn he’s been closely involved with some of the most celebrated music of all-time. Sometimes as a pianist, other times as an arranger.

A diverse list of his collaborators would include David Byrne, Charlie Haden, Woody Herman, Diana Kroll, Linda Ronstadt, Rod Stewart and Barbra Streisand. He’s also recorded 26 records as a leader.

In addition to working with Broadbent, Falzone has worked with David Lindley, Eric Person and Rufus Wainwright.

There is no cost to watch the performance, though donations are encouraged. Sponsorship tickets are also available at $40.

The link in the heading is for Friday night’s shows. To access Saturday night’s shows, please go here.

José James Celebrates Bill Withers – SFJAZZ – November 6th – 8:00 PM EST/5:00 PM PST

When this 2019 concert took place at SFJAZZ, James was supporting his 2018 album Lean on Me which celebrated Bill Withers. This concert, part of SFJAZZ’s Fridays at Five series, will be a bit more melancholy than it was originally as we lost Withers earlier this year.

The album found James performing classic Withers songs like Ain’t No Sunshine, Lovely Day, Just the Two of Us and the title track.

I enjoy James and his music, whether he’s performing jazz or soul or hip-hop influenced material. I’m looking forward to this concert.

SFJAZZ asks that you become a member to enjoy their Fridays at Five concerts. Membership is $5 for one month of shows or $60 for a full year. It’s a bargain in my book.

Fred Hersch – Village Vanguard – November 6th – November 7th

Jazz pianist Fred Hersch is offering two different performances this weekend from New York’s Village Vanguard. On Friday night he’ll be performing solo on the piano.

His latest album, Songs from Home, was released on Friday. The project finds him recording in quarantine from his home. Songs by Jimmy Webb, Joni Mitchell, Cole Porter, The Beatles and Duke Ellington’s Solitude are included on the record.

On Saturday night he’ll be performing with saxophonist Miguel Zenón.

Zenón has released twelve albums as a leader – the most recent being 2019’s Sonero: The Music of Ismael Rivera. He’s toured and recorded with numerous artists including David Gilmore, Charlie Haden, Danilo Pérez, Antonio Sánchez, Kenny Werner and Fred Hersch. He was named Jazz Artist of the Year on the 2014 Jazz Times Critics Poll.

Tickets for each concert are $10 and include the ability to stream the performance for 24 hours.

One Man, Two Guvnors – PBS Great Performances – November 6th – check local listings

I’ve written about this hilarious play starring James Corden before. I’m including it again because if you just want to laugh yourself silly for a couple hours, you should watch One Man, Two Guvnors.

The filmed performance is airing on Great Performances on PBS. As with all PBS programming, best to check your local listings for start time and exact airdate.

Border Crossings Part 1 – Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra – November 6th – 9:30 PM EST/6:30 PM PST

Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra is launching an ambitious new program entitled Close Quarters. The series, which will have multiple episodes between now and June 4, 2021, will combine performances by select LACO members paired with images and art created by James Darrah.

This first concert features Baroque works and Baroque-inspired composers originating from Bolivia, Mexico and Spain. On the program is Diferencias sobre la gayta by Anónimo and Martín Y Coll; Sonata Chiquitana IV by anonymous, Concierto barroco by José Enrique González Medina and Gallardas by Santiago de Murcia.

Patricia Mabee, who curated the program, leads from the harpsichord. She will be joined by Josefina Vergara and Susan Rishik on violin, Armen Ksajikian on cello, Ben Smolen on flute, Jason Yoshida on theorbo/baroque guitar and Petri Korpela on percussion.

There is no charge to watch the performance which will be available on the LACO website, their YouTube channel and Facebook Live.

Verdi’s Un Ballo in Maschera – San Francisco Opera – November 7th – November 8th

Nicola Luisotti conducts; starring Julianna Di Giacomo, Thomas Hampson, Ramón Vargas, Heidi Stober, Dolor Zajick, Efraín Solís, Christian Van Horn and Scott Conner. This Jose Maria Condemi production is from the 2014-2015 season.

Verdi’s opera, translated A Masked Ball, had its premiere in Rome in 1859. Librettist Antonio Somma used the libretto written by Eugène Scribe for the opera, Gustave III, ou Le Ballo masqué, written by Daniel Auber in 1833. 

The opera is based on the real life assassination of King Gustav III of Sweden who was killed while attending a masquerade ball in Stockholm. 

Verdi takes some dramatic liberties which certainly enhances the drama. Riccardo is in love with Amelia. She, however, is the wife of his good friend and confidante, Renato. Riccardo is warned by his friend that there is a plot to kill him at the ball. Paying no attention to the warning, Riccardo instead seeks out Ulrica, a woman accused of being a witch. In disguise he visits Ulrica to have his fortune read. She tells him he will be killed by the next man who shakes his hand. That next man turns out to be Renato. What follows is a story of intrigue, deception, questions of fidelity and, of course, the assassination.

Di Giacomo made both her company debut and role debut as Amelia in this production. Lisa Hirsch, in her review for the San Francisco Gate, said of her performance, “Di Giacomo has the ideal voice for this role, beautiful, fresh and easily produced, from glowing top to bottom. She lacks for nothing technically, singing with a gorgeous legato and noble, long-breathed phrasing, not to mention exquisite dynamic control, whether pleading for a last view of her child in Morrò, ma prima in grazia or contemplating the gallows at midnight in Ma dall’arido stelo divulsa.”

Marcus Strickland Trio – Smalls – November 7th – 5:00 PM EST/2:00 PM PST

This is the same trio about which I wrote when they played in September at Blue Note. The difference here is you don’t have to pay to see the performance, though donations are encouraged for both the artist and the venue.

Strickland was named “Best New Artist” in the 2006 JazzTimes Reader’s Poll.

In Critic’s Polls for DownBeat he was named the 2008 “Rising Star on Soprano Saxophone” and the 2010 “Rising Star on Tenor Saxophone.”

He’s been releasing albums since 2001’s At Last. His most recent recording was 2018’s People of the Sun. 

Joining Strickland again will be Ben Williams on bass and E.J. Strickland (his twin brother) on drums.

There is a second set at 7:00 PM EST/4:00 PM PST. Sponsorship seats are available for $40 per set.

Amor y Odio – Verdi Chorus – November 8th – November 22nd

Los Angeles-based Verdi Chorus has put together their first pandemic-era concert. It is called Amor y Odio and the concert will celebrate Songs of Spain and the New World.

A subset of the Verdi Chorus known as The Fox Singers make up the singers for the first of several virtual concerts they are producing. The singers for Amor y Odio are sopranos Tiffany Ho and Sarah Salazar; mezzo-soprano Judy Tran; tenors Joseph Gárate and Elias Berezin; and bass Esteban Rivas.

Anne Marie Ketchum, Artistic Director, leads the performance. Laraine Ann Madden is the accompanist.

The premiere of the concert will take place at 1:00 PM EST/10:00 AM PST on Sunday, November 8th. The concert will remain available through November 22nd.

Be sure to read our interview with Sarah Salazar who has quite a story of determination against the odds.

Johnny O’Neal and Mark Lewandowski – Mezzrow – November 8th – 5:00 PM EST/2:00 PM PST

Jazz pianist and vocalist Johnny O’Neal will be joined by bassist Mark Lewandowski for these performances from Mezzrow in New York.

Perhaps you caught the October 14th performance by Johnny O’Neal I wrote about. If not, you are in for a treat. That preview tells you a bit about O’Neal and his incredible story.

Lewandowski is a bassist and composer who, like most jazz musicians, works as a sideman in addition to his own work. He’s toured and recorded with such artists as Sheila Jordan, Wynton Marsalis, Zoe Rahman, Jean Toussaint, Bobby Wellins and with these shows, O’Neal.

There is a second set at 7:00 PM EST/4:00 PM PST. Sponsorship seats are available for $40 per set. Regular viewing is free, but donations are encouraged.

Modern Beauty Part 2 – Pittance Chamber Orchestra – November 8th – 6:00 PM EST/3:00 PM PST

In last week’s Best Bets, I included Pittance Chamber Orchestra’s three-part performance series entitled Modern Beauty. The series, featuring pianist Gloria Cheng, continues this week with clarinetist Donald Foster joining her.

The program features Garlands for Steven Stucky. Four works for solo piano will pay tribute to the Pulitzer Prize-winning composer who passed away in 2016. Cheng will perform Iscrizione by Esa-Pekka Salonen, Green Trees Are Bending by Stephen Andrew Taylor, Waltz by John Harbison and Interlude by Kay Rhie.

Foster will join her for a performance of Stucky’s Meditation and Dance.

There is no charge to watch the performance, but donations are encouraged. By the way, if you missed last week’s performance, you can still watch it on Pittance Chamber Orchestra’s website.

Jessie Mueller with Seth Rudetsky – November 8th – 8:00 PM EST/5:00 PM EST

Tony Award-winner Jessie Mueller (Beautiful: The Carole King Musical) is Seth Rudetsky’s guest for his concert series this weekend.

In addition to her role as King, Mueller has appeared on Broadway in the 2011 revival of On a Clear Day You Can See Forever, the 2012 revival of The Mystery of Edwin Drood, she originated the role of “Jenna” in Waitress and appeared as “Julie Jordan” in the 20128 revival of Carousel.

Mueller was in previews in The Minutes, a play by Tracy Letts, when the pandemic hit.

If this live performance does not work for your schedule, there will be a re-streaming of the concert on November 9th at 3:00 PM EST/12:00 PM PST. Tickets for either date are $25. Uber fans who purchase a ticket for the live performance can also purchase (for an additional $25) a VIP Upgrade allowing access to the sound check taking place at 5:00 PM EST/2:00 PM PST.

Beth Lapides’ Uncabaret – November 8th – 10:30 PM EST/7:30 PM PST

If any week in recent memory has called for a thought-provoking but gentle way to end the weekend, this might just be that weekend. So I offer you Uncabaret. Joining for Zoom #16 of the long-running comedy show are Jamie Bridgers, Margaret Cho, Alex Edelman, Judy Gold, Alec Mapa, Apart Nancherla and Julia Sweeney. As usual, Mitch Kaplan is the music director.

If you are unfamiliar with Uncabaret, check out my interview with Beth Lapides as she started the second quarter century of the show in 2019.

Tickets range from free to $100 with perks along the way the more you are able to pay to see the show.

Those are my fifteen Best Bets at Home: November 6th – November 8th. However, you know that I’ll always give you some reminders just in case you want more. And what’s wrong with wanting a little more?

This weekend’s offerings from the Metropolitan Opera are La Forza del Destino by Verdi on Friday; Gounod’s Roméo et Juliette on Saturday and Wagner’s Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg on Sunday.

This is the penultimate weekend for Table Top Shakespeare: At Home. This weekend’s shows are Troilus and Cressida on Friday; As You Like It on Saturday and Othello on Sunday.

Atlantic Theater Company’s Fall Reunion Reading Series has performances remaining on Friday and Saturday of Rajiv Joseph’s Guards at the Taj.

That officially ends all my selections for you this weekend. I hope you will relax and enjoy these Best Bets at Home: November 6th – November 8th.

Photo: James Corden in One Man, Two Guvnors (Photo by Johan Persson/Courtesy PBS)

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If you’ve ever dealt with someone losing their battle to serious disease, you know that you can only prepare yourself so much for their passing. You tell yourself that the end is coming and you’ll be fine. But when it happens, suddenly you are adrift.

This feels very much the same. I knew it was only a matter of time before this pandemic forced the Los Angeles Philharmonic to pull the plug. After all, how can they make social distancing work in a venue that seats 17,500 people? There isn’t a practical way to do it physically and there is certainly no economic way to make it work in order to pay the artists scheduled to perform or the hundreds of employees who work each and every concert.

Many of the artists scheduled to perform this summer were probably canceling or rescheduling tours. That would have impacted the Bowl schedule even if a reduced version or later-starting season was possible. But for the most part, those artists will survive.

What about the orchestra members? The security staff? The food service personnel? The ushers? The parking lot attendants? Losing the Hollywood Bowl season is a bigger blow for them than perhaps anyone else.

No doubt all of this was part of the discussions that lead to our having a summer without the Bowl. I’m certain these were extraordinarily difficult decisions to make. But as much as we are all going to miss our nights under the stars in the Cahuenga Pass, it was the right decision.

It is looking more and more like 2020 will be the year when we realized how much we missed. How much was lost. How much will be gone forever.

The Hollywood Bowl will not be gone forever. But forgive me for feeling like it is…at least for now.

Note: The season at the Ford Amphitheatre, also run by the Los Angeles Philharmonic, has also been canceled.

Photo of The Hollywood Bowl courtesy of the Los Angeles Philharmonic.

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On tonight’s program is Beethoven’s Egmont Overture. Nicola Benedetti will perform the Bruch Violin Concerto. (Benedetti, by the way, just recorded Wynton Marsalis’s Violin Concerto which she played at the Hollywood Bowl in 2016.)

The second half of the program will feature Brahms’ Symphony Number 1.

The Budapest Festival Orchestra returns on Thursday, August 1st to perform Haydn’s Symphony Number 88.  Soprano Jeanine De Bique will join the orchestra for a selection of arias by Handel.

The second half of this program will find the orchestra playing Dvořák’s Symphony Number 8.

On August 6th my favorite of the three programs is being performed. The evening opens with Mozart’s Jupiter Symphony (Number 41 – his last.) After intermission the composer’s Requiem will be performed. Joining the Budapest Festival Orchestra for the Requiem will be Jeanine De Bique, soprano; Kelley O’Connor, mezzo-soprano; Michael Schade, tenor; Adam Plachetka, bass and the Los Angeles Master Chorale.

Mozart’s Requiem is one of my favorite works and the opportunity to hear it outdoors makes this concert the highlight of all three performances by the Budapest Festival Orchestra.

For those in New York, the orchestra will make its way to the Mostly Mozart Festival at Lincoln Center for a performance on August 4th. That program will feature the Haydn Symphony Number 88; the arias by Handel and Mozart’s Jupiter Symphony.

For tickets on July 30th at the Bowl go here.

For tickets on August 1st at the Bowl go here.

For tickets on August 4th at Lincoln Center go here.

For tickets on August 6th at the Bowl go here.

Photos of the Budapest Festival Orchestra and conductor Iván Fischer courtesy of the Budapest Festival Orchestra.

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July 23rd: Dudamel Conducts Mahler’s 2nd

If there was any doubt that Gustavo Dudamel was a master of Gustav Mahler’s music, his final appearances of the 2018/2019 season at the Walt Disney Concert Hall erased all that. The performances of the composer’s Symphony of a Thousand in late May and early June were transcendent. Though he previously lead this massive work at the Shrine Auditorium with a much larger group of musicians, the smaller ensemble combined with the more intimate space (and significantly better acoustics) at Walt Disney Concert Hall made these concerts infinitely more emotional.

On Tuesday, July 23rd, Dudamel will lead the Los Angeles Philharmonic in a performance of Mahler’s Symphony No. 2 – also know as Resurrection. Mahler wrote this symphony over a period of six years. It had its world premiere in 1895.  Like much of his work, this symphony examines afterlife and resurrection – thus the title.

The symphony typical runs about 85 minutes. Joining the LA philharmonic will be the Los Angeles Master Chorale and soloists Miah Persson and Anna Larsson. It should be noted that Larsson made her professional debut in 1997 with this work.

July 25th: Dudamel and Yuja Wang

You don’t have to wait very long for my second selection. This concert opens with Barber’s Adagio for Strings. If the name isn’t familiar, it’s the piece of music used by director Oliver Stone in Platoon. The concert concludes with Tchaikovsky’s Symphony No. 4. But the main attraction here is the return of pianist Yuja Wang to play Must the Devil Have All the Good Tunes? This is the piano concerto by John Adams that had its world premiere at Walt Disney Concert Hall this season on March 7th. (In a rather ironic note, it was paired with Mahler’s Symphony No. 1)

Since the four performances in March, Wang and the LA Philharmonic have toured with this work. No doubt the multiple performances now completed will have created a greater familiarity with this very complicated work. Must the Devil Have All the Good Tunes? was amazing on first listen. I’m looking forward to hearing a more seasoned performance at the Bowl.

August 6th: Mozart Masterworks

In May of this year, the LA Philharmonic performed Mozart’s Jupiter Symphony (No. 41). Now conductor Iván Fischer and the Budapest Festival Orchestra have their turn with the piece. This was the last symphony Mozart completed.

What was uncompleted at the time of his death is the work that many consider to be his true masterwork: Requiem. There remain multiple questions about who ultimately commissioned this work and who completed it. But what isn’t in question is how absolutely powerful and moving it is. If you’ve seen the film Amadeus, it is the work Mozart is trying to finish on his deathbed.

Hearing the Requiem outdoors at the Hollywood Bowl, particularly on a warm night with no planes overhead (if we’re lucky), will be a transcendent experience.

August 20th: Peter and the Wolf

I know what you’re thinking – really? Peter and the Wolf? This all-Russian evening features two works by Tchaikovsky: Waltz from Sleeping Beauty  and Orchestral Suite No. 4 “Mozartiana.” Also on the program is Borodin’s In the Steppes of Central Asia.

But the highlight is certain to be Prokofiev’s very familiar Peter and the Wolf. What makes this performance so appealing is the inclusion of Blind Summit Theatre, a London-based puppet-centric theatre.

Rather than paraphrase their approach to Peter and the Wolf, let me quote directly from their website. “A Socialist-Realist Puppet-Peter leads a cast of masked dancers in a semi-staging of one of the world’s most popular pieces of classical music. This simple, charming tale of a boy who captures a wolf, introduces young audiences to the instruments of the orchestra and teaches them how to be a good communist.”

In other words, this is not going to be Peter and the Wolf as you’ve known it. This will be a unique and challenging presentation of a work that is perhaps too familiar to us all.

Bramwell Tovey will be leading the LA Philharmonic in this concert.

August 27th and 29th: Beethoven’s Ninth

Now you’re probably asking yourself, why is he picking so many familiar works? As much as I love Beethoven’s majestic Symphony No. 9, that isn’t the reason I’ve picked this concert. Like Mozart’s Requiem, hearing this symphony outdoors at the Bowl should be a real treat.

However, I chose the concert because also on the program is the world premiere of a new work by composer Caroline Shaw.  In 2013 Shaw became the youngest person to win the Pulitzer Prize for Music (for her work, Partita for 8 Voices). She recently appeared with composer Nico Muhly as part of his evening at the Theatre at the Ace Hotel.

Little information is available about this new composition except that it was commissioned by the LA Philharmonic. I don’t have a title, a run time, or any details. But it doesn’t matter. Shaw is so compelling a composer that I’d like to believe there are two performances of this program because of the overwhelming desire to hear her new work. But I know it’s the Beethoven. Though he never got to hear Shaw’s work, I’m sure he’d be thrilled to be her closing act.

Xian Zhang will conduct the LA Philharmonic. Soloists for the Beethoven include Anita Hartig – soprano; Jennifer Johnson Cano – mezzo-soprano; Toby Spencer – tenor and Michael Sumuel – bass. The LA Master Chorale will also join this performance.

For tickets to any of these concerts go here.

Main photograph: Gustavo Dudamel conducts at the Hollywood Bowl. (Photo by Adam Latham)

All images courtesy of the LA Philharmonic Association unless otherwise noted.

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The three-movement concerto is played straight through without pause. Must the Devil…, according to early reports, follows the fast-slow-fast structure commonly found in concerti.  It is also reported that the concerto has been written to include bass guitar and a detuned honky tonk piano.

Adams, who holds the title of Creative Chair with the LA Phil, is a prolific composer who was just awarded the 2019 Erasmus Prize for his contributions to the arts. Amongst his compositions are El Niño, The Death of Klinghoffer, a violin concerto and two other piano concerti. Must the Devil…is his third.

On June 1st Adams will lead the LA Philharmonic New Music Group in an evening of five world premieres at Walt Disney Concert Hall.

The LA Philharmonic has an upcoming tour that will showcase Must the Devil… with Wang again at the piano. Wang has been widely acclaimed for her dramatic playing style. She will return to the LA Phil for a performance of this work in July at the Hollywood Bowl. It will be interesting to see how her performance evolves with repeated performances.

The Walt Disney Concert Hall performances pair the concerto with Mahler’s 1st Symphony. Last week Dudamel lead the LA Phil in amazing performances of the composer’s 9th Symphony. He has proven himself to be a deeply passionate conductor of Mahler’s work.

But it is the Adams world premiere with Wang at the piano that makes these four performances Cultural Attaché’s Highlight of the Week.

Photo of Yuja Wang by Norbert Kniat/Courtesy of Kanzen Arts

Photo fo John Adams by Deborah O’Grady/Courtesy of Earbox.com

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The LA Philharmonic has teamed up with CicLAvia and CARS (Community Arts Resources) to throw the biggest party this city has ever seen. The concept is simple:  close down streets on a path that connects Walt Disney Concert Hall and the Hollywood Bowl. Along the path will be musicians and artists in six hubs. There will be pop-up performances and food available throughout the route. The event starts at 9:00 AM and continues at all but one venue until 4:00 PM. The hub at Walt Disney will be going until 8:30 PM.  And hopefully you entered into the lottery for free tickets to Sunday night’s big concert at The Hollywood Bowl featuring Herbie Hancock, Katy Perry and the Los Angeles Philharmonic lead by Gustavo Dudamel. (If you haven’t, tickets have already been distributed.)

No one person can throw this big a party, but Meghan Martineau, Vice President of Artistic Planning for the orchestra, knows first-hand what it takes to put on a party this big as she revealed when we spoke yesterday.

What was the overall strategy for putting together the events for the LA Philharmonic’s 100th Anniversary Season?

We started planing quite a few years in advance. What do we want it to feel like? What do we want it to be? We had conversations with Gustavo Dudamel about the over-arching vision. At the end of the day we shouldn’t just throw a big birthday party, we should look forward instead. What would an orchestra look like for the next 100 years. What could we dream up. One of these things is Celebrate LA! This is a big thank you to the City of Los Angeles and hopefully engaging with the city and giving the residents an opportunity to engage.

How important is it to bring music to people who cannot necessarily afford tickets to see performances at either the Hollywood Bowl or the Walt Disney Concert Hall?

That’s a huge part of the discussion with us. That’s one of the reasons for us that we are doing this big open street festival day because it is completely free for everyone and we have a superstar list of artists.

From your perspective how has the LA Philharmonic’s influence and relationship within the community been defined in the 14 years you’ve been with the organization?

That’s a big question. I think things have really changed since Walt Disney Concert Hall opened. I wasn’t here before. It feels that the hall has become the living room for the city as [architect] Frank Gehry hoped. LA has really embraced this building and the LA Phil with it. I think you see another big shift when Gustavo Dudamel joined and with the addition of YOLA [Youth Orchestra Los Angeles]. This has been such a tectonic shift for us internally. It feels to me that YOLA deepens and created new relationships for us all across the city.

Getting someone like Katy Perry to participate in Sunday’s concert seems to be an outreach to people who might not think of going to an LA Phil concert otherwise. Is that a fair assessment?

Gustavo knows Katy Perry – they had met and discussed “wouldn’t it be great do something in the future.” I love her willingness to do something different with us. We want a big celebration – a party. Katy Perry is such a fantastic pop artist. She reaches a different demographic than those who come for Herbie Hancock. I’m fascinated to see what the mix will be. You’ll get a mixture of things: YOLA is playing, the LA Philharmonic is playing, Herbie Hancock is playing jazz and then there’s Katy Perry.

With an 8-mile street party, people can choose their own routes. But if you were walking the event what route would you take?

Start at Grand Avenue. That’s where we’re kicking off the earliest and we will have Gustavo Dudamel with the LA Philharmonic Brass, YOLA and the Centennial High School Marching Band. Then you could wait and do yoga there first and then you could continue your day and walk to Hollywood. The whole beauty of this is you can go either direction. The overwhelming part is there are too many good ways to experience this.

With such a big season already put into motion, what are the challenges so that season 101 isn’t a letdown?

We’re working on that now. It is taking all the aspirational thinking for the centennial and continuing forward and not allowing us to go back to business as usual.

Picasso said, “Art washes from the soul the dust of everyday life.” Given the turbulent times in which we live, do the arts have a more vital role in our daily lives?

I think absolutely yes. For everyone here that’s working on this project and the LA Philharmonic in particular, we feel that making music and creating opportunities for communities to come together and interact is an important part of what we do for our community in Los Angeles. I can’t imagine anything better in these troubling times than to engage in an event like this or in one of our concerts at Walt Disney Concert Hall.

Photo of Gustavo Dudamel by Dustin Downing.

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Seriously, this is a jazz suite inspired by the way animals move. The dancers for this performance are Lil Buck and Jared Grimes. Buck’s speciality is Jookin’, a street dance style that originated in Memphis.

Jared Grimes specializes in tap dance.

Wynton Marsalis, of course, should need no introduction. When you combine the three talents, the result is Spaces.

Opening the concert is the Southland premiere of Stories of a Groove performed by Gerald Clayton and his Trio accompanied by the Clayton-Hamilton Jazz Orchestra.

Photo of Wynton Marsalis by Danny Clinch.

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With a three-day weekend, it’s good that the LA Philharmonic and the Hollywood Bowl are offering up three opportunities to celebrate the 40th Anniversary of John Williams at the venue. The concerts begin tonight and run through Sunday.

Williams, who is 86, will be conducing the second half of the program. David Newman, who has conducted Williams’ scores for Jaws, and two Star Wars movies earlier this season, will be on the podium for the first half. Steven Spielberg will be joining for all three nights as well.

That is fitting as Williams has scored countless movies for him. Their collaboration goes back to 1974’s The Sugarland Express and includes such films as 1941, Always, Hook, A.I.: Artificial Intelligence, War Horse and Lincoln. (You know the big movies, why list them again?)

Amongst the other directors for whom Williams has written scores are Mark Rydell, Robert Altman, Alfred Hitchcock, Brian De Palma, George Miller, Oliver Stone and some guy named Lucas.

If you attend any one of these concerts and are so-inclined, you might want to bring a light saber. I assure you that when the inevitable piece or pieces from any of the Star Wars films get performed, there will be hundreds of light sabres lighting up the Bowl.

Today it was announced that Williams and his wife, Samantha, have made a contribution to the LA Philharmonic’s Centennial Campaign. So as he celebrates his 40th anniversary, he’s also giving back.

Congratulations Mr. Williams on 40 years at the Hollywood Bowl.

Photo courtesy of the LA Philharmonic

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