Due to ongoing concerns regarding COVID-19, we’ve determined it's in the best interests of the safety of our artists, crew, and you to extend our mainstage and Off Grand intermission through our spring season. Trust us, we know this isn't good news for anyone—especially when that means we'll have to make some cast changes, date changes, or unfortunately, postpone some productions. But if we've learned anything from La Bohème (or Carmen, or La Traviata or, well, so many others), there's always thunderous applause once we've wiped away our tears. And we’re confident thunderous applause will fill the walls of the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion next September. Why? There’s promising news of viable vaccine options on multiple fronts (plus 2020 will be long gone).
In the meantime, we still have a whole repertoire of online opera, and even more coming your way (like a digital company premiere of Breaking the Waves), that you can enjoy through our LA Opera On Now program until we’re back inside the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion. Trust us, we’ve built a season worthy of celebration for our return. Take a look at highlights from our newly announced, and completely reimagined, 2021/22 season below.
Il Trovatore will still open our 2021/2022 season on September 18th and run through October 10th. Guanqun Yu will take the stage as Leonora, with Gregory Kunde as Manrico, Raehann Bryce-Davis as Azucena, Vladimir Stoyanov as Count di Luna and Morris Robinson as Ferrando. Maestro Conlon is still set to conduct, and Francisco Negrin will direct.
A scene from "Il Trovatore" (Photo: Alain Hanel | Opera de Monte Carlo)
Wagner’sTannhäuser takesthe Dorothy Chandler Pavilion stage from October 16 through November 6, 2021. The talented Louisa Muller will direct a cast that includesIssachahSavage as Tannhäuser, SaraJakubiakas Elisabeth,YuliaMatochkinaas Venus, LucasMeachemas Wolfram and Morris Robinson as Hermann, with James Conlon in the pit.
Rossini’sCinderella(LaCenerentola)will be performed from November 20 through December 12, 2021, conducted by RobertoAbbadoand led by SerenaMalfias Angelina/Cinderella, LevySekgapaneas Don Ramiro, AlessandroCorbellias Don Magnifico,RodionPogossovasDandiniandIldebrandoD’Arcangelo as Alidoro. In his LA Opera debut, director Laurent Pelly will stage his colorful production from the Dutch National Opera.
A scene from "Aida" (Photo: Cory Weaver | San Francisco Opera)
Verdi’sAidawill be performed from May 21 through June 12, 2022, conducted by James Conlon and directed by FrancescaZambello, with Latonia Moore in the title role,Russell Thomas as Radamesand Morris Robinson asRamfis. Sound amazing already? Wait until the full cast list is announced.
While we unfortunately had to cancel our run of Don Giovannifor the spring of 2021(though we'll bring it back in a future season), we’re making it up to you with the return of John Neumeier and the LA Opera debut of the Hamburg Ballet.
A scene from "St. Matthew Passion" (Photo: Kiran West)
Bach’s St. Matthew Passion will take the stage for six performances from March 12 through 27, 2022. Considered by many to be the single greatest masterpiece of western sacred music, this ethereal oratoriois not one to miss.Legendary choreographer John Neumeier, who made his company debut withOrpheus and Eurydicein 2018, returns with one of his signature creations in March of 2022, melding music and narrative with dance in complete harmony. Filling the stage with unforgettable movement and images, the extraordinary dancers of the Hamburg Ballet join forces with Music Director James Conlon and LA Opera's formidable orchestra, chorus and vocal soloists—including soprano Tamara Wilson, tenor Ben Bliss and bass-baritone Craig Colclough—for a spellbinding, deeply meaningful performance.
All of this opera magic goes beyond just our mainstage offerings. From concerts and recitals to our Off Grand series, there’s a lot of opera to be experienced.
riveting recitals, CAPTIVATING CONCERTS, AND ORIGINAL OFF GRAND Events
You’ll get to celebrate Halloween with usonce again at the Theatre at Ace Hotel in DTLA. Get Out in Concert with composer Michael Abels conducting the LA Opera Orchestra and the DC6 Singers in live performances of the "gospel horror" soundtrack, while Jordan Peele’s iconic thriller plays on the big screen,on October 30 and 31, 2021.
The DC6 Singers
Though he won’t be conducting Tamerlano, which is canceled, Harry Bicket will conduct The English Concert Orchestrafor two performances of another Handel masterpiece,Alcina, on November 2 and 5, 2021 at the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion.
Tenor Javier Camarena, who delighted LA audiences in a marvelous recital last fall, will return to the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion for a pair of recitals on March 31 and April 2, 2022 that will have you on your feet, calling for an encore yet again.
Pulitzer-Prize-winning composer Du Yun
Another Off Grand production, In Our Daughter’s Eyes, a one-man opera by Pulitzer Prize-winning composer Du Yun, will be presented at REDCAT for four performances from April 14 through 17, 2022. Starring Nathan Gunn, the project is part of the company’s longstanding collaboration with the groundbreaking Beth Morrison Projects.
An iconic duo if there ever was one, Renée Fleming and Rod Gilfry return for The Brightness of Light, an orchestral song cycle by Kevin Puts about artist Georgia O’Keefe and her mentor Alfred Stieglitz, on June 18, 2022, with James Conlon conducting the LA Opera Orchestra.
A HANDY SUMMARY OF WHAT'S CHANGED
An entire season’s worth of changes might be a lot to keep track of (we get it), so we’veoutlinedevery alteration herein one convenient list.
- Missy Mazzoli’s Breaking the Waves will now be presented digitally through LA Opera On Now, in the spring of 2021.
- Don Giovanni, originally scheduled to open in January of 2021, has been canceled, but the company will bring it back in a future season.
- The LA Opera Off Grand chamber concert Veils for Desire, planned for March 2021, has been canceled.
- The English Concert’s presentation of Handel’s Tamerlano, which was scheduled for April 2021, has been replaced with two performances of Alcina, also by Handel.
- The LA Opera Off Grand presentation of Du Yun’s In Our Daughter’s Eyes has been postponed to April of 2022.
- Aida, originally scheduled to open in May 2021, has been postponed to May of 2022, and will now feature Latonia Moore in the title role, with Russell Thomas as Radames and Morris Robinson as Ramfis.
- The Brightness of Light, the orchestral song cycle by Kevin Puts featuring Renée Fleming and Rod Gilfry, has been postponed from May of 2021 to June of 2022.
We genuinely cannot thank you all enough for your steadfast support of LA Opera as we navigate these ever-changing and uncertain times. While this coming spring is looking a little different than expected, we truly can’t wait to show you all the mind-blowing projects we have in the works. And if you’re as excited as we are for the newly announced 2021/22 season, grab a ticket (or two) hereand save yourself a seat.
