Natalie Mann 
by Natalie Mann, Lister reviewer Opera has a long and storied history of exposing society’s darkest secrets and turning the artistic forces of music to recount tales that many fear to whisper. The eye-opening opera Fallujah tells a brilliant story based on the life of US Marine Christian Ellis. The libretto and music blur the … Read more
by Natalie Mann, Lister reviewer As the pop song lyrics say, “Ain’t nothin’ like the real thing,” and it seems to apply doubly when hearing classical ensembles live. The King’s Singers have built an amazing oeuvre of gorgeous recordings throughout the years, ranging from high art to Beatles arrangements. But nothing prepared me for the experience … Read more
Long Beach Opera strives to make their seasons accessible and engaging, and the recent production of Leonard Bernstein’s Candide is a shining example of that commitment. Staged in the cozy Center Theater in Long Beach, the show brought out the best of Bernstein’s music and comedic farce. Updating productions can be a tricky proposal. Many shows … Read more
by Carol Winston, guest reviewer Pacific Opera Project’s production of Mozart’s The Abduction From the Seraglio opened this week, and was performed at the historic El Portal Theater in North Hollywood to a sold-out audience on Saturday night. The 360-seat house was a terrific venue for the opera, the small Art Deco space creating an … Read more
by Jenna Friedman, guest reviewer Independent Opera Company, an exciting local company that started in the spring of 2012, put on a wonderful production of Enrique Granados’s Goyescas and accompanying opera scenes on Saturday, February 28th. Galina Barskaya, the company’s talented music director, chose a program that focused on the theme of love and served as … Read more
by Bryan Dahl, Guest Contributor ¡Figaro! (90210) was on many levels a glorious and incomparable triumph. Though it sold out each of its four shows, and the fourth a late addition, don’t fret too much if you couldn’t get tickets in time. There will very likely be an opportunity to see it again. Superbly conceived … Read more
By Bryan Dahl, Guest Reviewer Why do hipsters always burn their mouths when they eat? Because they have to chew their food before it’s cool…right? Before you go see Pacific Opera Project‘s (POP) production of La bohème, forget what you think you know about both hipsters and opera. Picture an intimate crowd of about two … Read more
By Yayra Sanchez, Guest Contributor It’s easy to imagine that neither Mozart nor Da Ponte would have thought of outer space as the setting for their opera Le Nozze di Figaro, but a couple of hundred years later, that’s exactly where Independent Opera Company decided to take it. Opening the show with a clever, Star … Read more
by Grant Yosenick, Guest Contributor It’s the most wonderful time of the year once again, and there’s no better way to ring in the holiday season than to take in some good old-fashioned Christmas caroling. In the bustling suburbs of Beverly Hills, one can do just that – with an exciting twist, of course! On … Read more
The Renaissance age saw an explosion of new harmonic sounds, as well as new compositional forms. The LA Master Chorale brought this music to life on Sunday, November 16, with their program Renaissance: Reawakened. While the compositions may be from the 15th and 16th centuries, the singers made the music sound as if it was … Read more
