Sharon is best known to local audiences for his unique opera productions of Christopher Cerrone’s Invisible Cities at Union Station and Hopscotch, an opera experienced while driving in cars around Los Angeles. There was also War of the Worlds, a collaboration with the LA Philharmonic in 2017. With Atlas he concludes, in a very major way, his three-year residency with the Los Angeles Philharmonic.

Monk was commissioned by the Houston Opera to write Atlas. The work had its world premiere there in 1991. The following year it toured the world and played New York at the Brooklyn Academy of Music.

This is not traditional opera. Nor is Monk is traditionalist. The opera is mostly wordless and is minimalist in design. With this production Monk is giving the reins over to another director to interpret her work; though she is on board as an artistic advisor to the production. Having seen much of Sharon’s work in Los Angeles, it is safe to say that this will be theatrical in the extreme – and that is meant as a compliment.

Atlas is not a work that has been embraced whole-heartedly. There are those who love it and those who hate it. Given Sharon’s aesthetic, it’s safe to say you won’t see a production of Monk’s opera anywhere else that looks like this one. Visual artist Es Devlin is collaborating with Sharon on these concerts.

Paolo Bartolameolli leads the LA Phil in these performances. Atlas calls for a small chamber ensemble and there are 19 vocalists.

The LA Philharmonic closes out its centennial season this weekend. Rest assured, love it or hate it, people will be talking about Atlas well into next season. It’s a bold and spectacular way to conclude this anniversary season.

For tickets for Tuesday’s performance go here.

For tickets for Wednesday’s performance go here.

For tickets for Friday’s performance go here.

Main artwork and video courtesy of the LA Philharmonic Association.

Photo of Yuval Sharon by Sam Comen/Courtesy of the LA Philharmonic Association.

Collage of images of Meredith Monk courtesy of MeredithMonk.org

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Between Riverside and Crazy – LA Theatre Works at James Bridges Theatre/UCLA

November 17-19

In 2015, playwright Stephen Adly Guirgis won the Pulitzer Prize for Drama for this play. The Pulitzer committee called this play “a nuanced, beautifully written play about a retired police offer faced with eviction that uses dark comedy to confront questions of life and death.” This weekend that acclaimed work will be performed by LA Theatre Works at UCLA. These performances of this play will serve as recording sessions for radio broadcasts that will be distributed later. LATW performances, which do not include sets or costumes, celebrate the written word. Between Riverside and Crazy is directed by Diane Rodriguez.

THE UNAUTHORIZED MUSICAL PARODY OF BRIDESMAIDS – Rockwell Table and Stage

November 17-18

This weekend marks the final performances of this parody of the hit comedy Bridesmaids. The Unauthorized Musical Parody series is a regular and popular part of the programming at Rockwell Table and Stage. The show’s creators take the original script for the film, twist and turn it a bit and add popular songs to help tell the same story told in the film – all designed to make you crack up. Right after Thanksgiving will be their parody of Home Alone.

STEVE TYRELL – Catalina Bar & Grill

November 17-19

If you listen to KJZZ 88.1 FM, you known Steve Tyrell not just as a singer, but also the DJ who makes your evening commutes a little easier to manage. He is a regular fixture at the Café Carlyle in New York. This weekend he brings his song stylings to Catalina Bar & Grill for three performances of standards sung his way.

Photo Credit:  Julie Soefer

NOON TO MIDNIGHT: A DAY OF NEW MUSIC – Walt Disney Concert Hall

November 18

Paired with the final two performances of War of the Worlds at Walt Disney Concert Hall, this all-day music festival takes full advantage of the many rooms and spaces at Frank Gehry’s building to showcase new music. The list of performers is extensive and includes LA Signal Lab, wild UP, USC Percussion Group, red fish blue fish, Jacaranda Music and more. There are 16 world premieres and also music by composers Steve Reich, John Adams, Andrew Norman and David Lang. The best part of this 12-hour event is that it is only $10 for as many hours as you can handle. Ticketholders for War of the Worlds can join for free.

VERDI CHORUS – First United Methodist Church, Santa Monica

November 18-19

If you are a fan of opera you are well aware of Verdi’s choruses. But are you also aware that this year marks the 35th anniversary season of The Verdi Chorus? The Santa Monica-based group hones in on dramatic and diverse music for opera chorus. This concert, “Love’s Passions and Potions,” features music from Verdi’s Giovanna d’Arco and Un Ballo in Maschera, Donizetti’s Lucia di Lammermoor, Massenet’s Manon and more. This unique combination of amateur and professional singers began in 1983 at the Verdi Restaurant in Santa Monica.

LAST CHANCE: This weekend marks your last chance to see Bright Star at the Ahmanson Theatre. You might think that a blue-grass musical isn’t your thing (frankly, I wasn’t sure it was mine), but if you love watching someone give a thoroughly convincing and moving performance, I urge you to see Carmen Cusack in her Tony-nominated role as Alice Murphy. Bright Star was written by Steve Martin and Edie Brickell.

The post This Weekend in LA (Nov 17-19) appeared first on Cultural Attaché.

Leave it to recent MacArthur Genius grant recipient Yuval Sharon (Invisible Cities, Hopscotch) to come up with a unique way of presenting this work. His partner for this project is composer Annie Gosfield who will not only be taking advantage of the LA Philharmonic’s New Music Group, but will use vintage WWII sirens placed around town. Communications amongst those sirens and the concert hall will allow people to experience the show comfortably ensconced in the Walt Disney Concert Hall or in the locations of these three sirens.

The first performance is on November 12th. Additional performances take place on November 18th. Christopher Rountree of wild Up will be conducting.

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CDMX: NEW MUSIC FROM MEXICO (CONTEMPORARY MEXICO)

Date: October 17

As part of the Green Umbrella series, the LA Phil New Music Group will present an evening of music by contemporary Mexican composers. All five scheduled pieces are both world premieres and LA Philharmonic commissions. The entire CDMX series looks fascinating.

SHAHAM IN RECITAL

Date: October 18^th

No one radiates as much joy in performance as violinist Gil Shaham. In this concert Shaham will be joined by Akira Eguchi on piano. The program includes Prokofiev’s Five Melodies and Bach’s Partita No. 3 for solo violin.

WAR OF THE WORLDS

Date: November 12

Innovative director Yuval Sharon (Invisible Cities, Hopscotch) teams up with conductor Christopher Rountree (Wild Up!) for this world premiere of a new work by Annie Gosfield. This is inspired by the 1938 Orson Welles’ radio broadcast that had millions convinced that aliens were invading the United States.

BERNSTEIN’S MASS WITH DUDAMEL

Dates: Feb 1-Feb 4

As part of worldwide celebrations of the 100^th anniversary of Leonard Bernstein’s birth, Gustavo Dudamel will be leading the LA Philharmonic in Bernstein’s MASS. Long considered to be a fascinating but messy composition, look for Dudamel to bring some order and understanding to this over 90-minute composition.

COMPOSER SALONEN SERIES

Dates: Feb 8-Feb 18

Former LA Philharmonic conductor Esa-Pekka Salonen returns to the podium for a celebration of his work. Including in this series are three concerti: The Cello Concerto with Yo-Yo Ma, his piano concert with Yefim Bronfman and his violin concerto with Leila Josefowicz. He’ll also be conducting his Wing on Wing, originally written for the opening of Walt Disney Concert Hall. In April, Gustavo Dudamel will be conducting a world premiere of a new work by Salonen.

MUHLY & MUSSORGSKY

Dates: Feb 23-Feb 25

LA Opera conductor James Conlon will be at the podium for the world premiere of a new Organ Concerto by Nico Muhly. If Muhly’s name sounds familiar, he’s written film scores, collaborated with Björk and Grizzly Bear. The combination of his unique compositions with the mighty organ at Walt Disney Concert Hall makes this a high priority. The Mussorgsky composition is Pictures at an Exhibition.

A TRIP TO THE MOON

Dates: Mar 2-3

If you saw Martin Scorsese’s film Hugo, you are familiar with the 1902 silent film by Georges Mélies. That’s the inspiration for this new work by Andrew Norman making its US Premiere. Appropriately it is being paired with The Planets by Holst. Joining the LA Phil is the LA Master Chorale and the Los Angeles Children’s Chorus. Once again, Yuval Sharon is directing this concert.

PERLMAN & ARGERICH

Dates: Mar 13-14

Any opportunity to see the legendary Martha Argerich at the piano is a gift. Teaming with violinist Itzhak Perlman, this concert showcases Bach’s Sonata for Keyboard and Violin and Franck’s Violin Sonata in A.

MAHLER’S SONG OF THE EARTH

Dates: April 5-7

Gustavo Dudamel has proven himself to be a master interpreter of Mahler. For this concert, the LA Philharmonic is teaming with Chilean theater company Teatrocinema. Coming after a period of great loss for Mahler, this emotional work should find Dudamel and the Phil at their best.

SCHUMANN CYCLE

Dates: May 17-June 3

To close out the 99^th LA Philharmonic Season Gustavo Dudamel will lead the orchestra in a cycle of all four of Schumann’s symphonies. Also included will be the composer’s cello concerto, his piano concerto (performed by Mitsuko Uchida) an evening of chamber music and the rarely performed Das Paradies und die Peri (with Peter Sellars as director.)

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