On Saturday, November 5, we’re throwing open the doors of the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion for a full day of fun, free activities for the whole family. Our first Open House will pack tons of performances and activities into just one day, from 9:30am to 5pm. For starters: two free concerts featuring Plácido Domingo! Here’s our schedule for the day…hope to see you there!
Classical KUSC 91.5fm Live Broadcast of “The Opera Show”
9am to noon, Main Lobby (Grand Avenue side)
Meet host Duff Murphy as he broadcasts his entertaining weekly program for the first-time live from the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion. Stop by and say hello to Duff and several other KUSC on-air personalities as he plays music and interviews LA Opera artists and other guests.
The Prospector
10am and 3pm, Eva and Marc Stern Grand Hall
Two performances of the 30-minute children’s opera by composer Lee Holdridge and librettist Richard Sparks, inspired by Puccini’s The Girl of the Golden West. The opera is geared toward children aged 4 to 10 and their families.
Art Workshops for Children
10:30am to 2:45pm, Eva and Marc Stern Grand Hall (Hope Street side)
Two different hands-on art workshops will be offered throughout the day to children ages 4 to 10. Using opera as inspiration, children can make their own opera-themed finger puppets or decorate a postcard to send to a loved one.
Costume Presentations
10:30am and 3:30pm, 3rd Floor Lobby (Hope Street side)
Get a 20-minute, up-close look at the elaborate costumes seen on our stage. During the morning presentation, Head of Wardrobe Janine Allen will dress a mannequin in the Infanta’s costume from Zemlinsky’s The Dwarf (designed by Linda Cho), explaining all the underpinnings needed to create the look: corset, pantaloons, petticoats and, finally, the elaborate gown. Wigmaster Darren K. Jinks will also demonstrate how elaborate hair effects are created for the stage. The afternoon demonstration will be given by Senior Draper John Bishop, using a mannequin and muslin to illustrate how fabric is draped on a form to create costume shapes, and by Senior Craft Artisan Hallie Dufresne, who will demonstrate how special costume elements are constructed.
Scenic, Prop and Sound Presentations
10:30am and 3:30pm, 3rd Floor Lobby (Grand Avenue side)
Join Technical Director Jeff Kleeman and his staff for a 20-minute demonstration of the numerous complex scenic elements that transform the stage into a magical world. Our behind-the-scenes experts will explain how sets are built and reveal the secrets behind special effects like the steaming spaghetti pot
from The Turk in Italy, Musetta’s breakaway pottery from La Bohème, the “light sabers” from the Ring cycle, and the wind machine from The Barber of Seville and Rigoletto.
Young Artist Concerts Featuring Plácido Domingo and James Conlon
11am and 12:45pm, Main Auditorium, advance tickets available
Conductors Plácido Domingo and James Conlon share the podium for two concerts with the LA Opera Orchestra, featuring soloists from the Domingo-Thornton Young Artist Program in excerpts from favorite operas. Mr. Domingo will also perform as a singer at both concerts. Seating is available on a first-come, first-served basis; free tickets can be reserved in advance at www.LAOpera.com to insure admission. There will be a live simulcast in the downstairs Green Room for overflow audiences.
Post-Concert Q&A with Plácido Domingo and James Conlon
11:45am and 1:30pm, Main Auditorium
What is it like to perform in the world’s great opera houses? Find out in two post-concert roundtable discussions with Plácido Domingo and James Conlon.
Sing Out Loud
11:45am and 1:30pm, Founders Room, ticket required (limited availability)
Sing Out Loud is a 30-minute, interactive introduction to opera for children and their families, featuring some of opera’s “greatest hits.” The performance is geared toward children aged 4 to 10 and their families. The Founders Room is located on the Hope Street side of the theater, one floor above the main level. Free tickets should be reserved in advance at www.LAOpera.com. (There will be a standby line for any available spots.)
Screening: La Damnation de Faust
1:30pm, Downstairs Green Room
LA Opera’s 2003 production of Berlioz’s grand-scaled masterpiece, featuring Paul Groves, Samuel Ramey and Denyce Graves, in a one-of-a-kind staging conducted by Kent Nagano and staged by director/designer Achim Freyer.
Meet the Artists: Plácido Domingo and James Conlon
2pm, East Lobby (Grand Avenue side)
Plácido Domingo and James Conlon will be available to autograph programs, CDs and DVDs. Items will be available for purchase in the main lobby’s Opera Shop, and attendees are also invited to bring their own favorite items for signing.
Backstage Tours
2pm and 3:30pm, ticket required (limited availability)
Take a closer look at the sets and costumes for Roméo et Juliette with 45-minute guided backstage tours. Tours will begin in the lobby near Doors 1 and 2 into the auditorium (Hope Street side). (There will be a standby line for any available spots.)
Screening: La Traviata
4pm, Downstairs Green Room
LA Opera’s 2006 production of Verdi’s beloved tragedy, starring Renée Fleming and Rolando Villazón, in a sumptuous production conducted by James Conlon and directed by Marta Domingo.
Scenery and Prop Display
All day, 3rd Floor Lobby (Grand Avenue side)
See how the designer’s vision makes it to the stage through set models and designers’ renderings for productions of Il Postino (designed by Riccardo Hernandez), Il Trittico (designed by Santo Loquasto) and The Broken Jug and The Dwarf (designed by Ralph Funicello). Attendees can also handle actual props used onstage during performances.
Costume and Wig Displays
All day, 3rd Floor Lobby (Hope Street side)
Clothes may make the man, but highly detailed costumes and wigs help singers make magic. Some of our best will be on display throughout the day, including several costumes from LA Opera’s 2008 production of Zemlinsky’s The Dwarf, designed by Linda Cho, as well as costumes designed by Constance Hoffman for LA Opera’s 2006 world premiere of Goldenthal’s Grendel, including the massive Dragon attire worn by Denyce Graves. Additionally, attendees can watch a highly skilled artisan from the wig department creating a hairpiece from scratch.
LA Opera History Video Project
All day, 4th Floor Lobby (Hope Street side)
Step into our video booth and share your LA Opera story. What was your first opera? What is the one performance you will never forget? Who are your favorite performers? Your reminiscences will become part of LA Opera’s permanent history.
Historic Photo Gallery
All day, 4th Floor Lobby (Grand Avenue side)
A display of photos from the early years of the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion and LA Opera to the present day, including many behind-the-scenes photos.
Welcome Booths
All day, Main Lobby
Hosted by the Opera League of Los Angeles and Hispanics for Los Angeles Opera