James Conlon has been named “Commendatore della Repubblica Italiana” by Italy’s president. The honor is one of the highest granted directly by the President through the Order of Merit, established in 1951, and the highest Order of the Italian Republic. The title was granted to acknowledge “merits achieved for the nation in the fields of literature, arts, economics, and in the fulfillment {…}
The central drama in “Billy Budd” unambiguously rotates around the relationships between Seaman Billy Budd, Captain Vere, and the Master-at-Arms, John Claggart. However, the exact nature of the relationships and the psychological motivations upon which they are founded are shrouded in a white mist, opening up the possibility for directors to pursue a variety of valid interpretations. Many recent productions {…}
The Music Academy of the West has announced its 71st season which is set for June 11, 2018. The festival will run through August 11, 2018, and will star some of the greatest artists in the world of opera and classical music. As has been the case for these season announcements, the focus will be solely on opera and vocal {…}
Due to popular demand, the LA Opera has scheduled an additional matinee performance of Leonard Bernstein’s “Candide.” The added performance will take place on Saturday, February 17, at 2 p.m. and will star Kelsey Grammer as Voltaire/Pangloss, Christine Ebersole as the Old Lady, Erin Morley as Cunegonde, and Jack Swanson in the title role. LA Opera Music Director James Conlon conducts the {…}
LA Opera has announced the productions that will make up its 2018-19 season, undoubtedly making for an exciting few months for audiences in the Los Angeles region. Highlights include not only new productions of beloved works, but the world premiere of several projects through LA Opera’s Off Grand initiative. Mainstage Productions Giuseppe Verdi’s “Don Carlo” – This revival production will {…}
The Los Angeles Opera will continue to have James Conlon as its music director through 2020-21. The announcement was made on Friday according to General Director Plácido Domingo. Conlon joined the company in 2006 and has conducted a whopping 314 performances with the company and 50 operas overall. His first was Verdi’s “La Traviata” and his latest will be Mozart’s {…}