Behind The La Opera Curtain

In this episode, LA Opera Connects is looking forward to the 4th annual LA County Arts and Health Week Summit on June 13. Listen in to this panel conversation recorded at last year's Summit, featuring Renée Fleming leading a discussion about the future of embedding the arts into healthcare with Dr. Daniel Levitin, Sarah Lyding, Dr. Indre Viskontas, and Stacie Aamon Yeldell. Join us here at the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion on June 13 for conversations and participatory experiences highlighting creative ways to approach wellness. RSVP now at LAOpera.org/Summit.

In this episode, scholar Dr. Luis Martin-Cabrera provides context for Ainadamar with an introduction to the Spanish Civil War, the Franco dictatorship, and the fate of poet Federico García Lorca. This conversation was recorded as part of Connects' professional development series Opera for Educators. Playing now through May 18, tickets for Ainadamar are available now at LAOpera.org.

In this pre-recorded pre-performance lecture, Dr. Tiffany Kuo guides you through Osvaldo Golijov's Ainadamar: the plot, the history, and, of course, the music. Tickets to Ainadamar are available now at LAOpera.org.

What does trauma-informed mean? How can the opera be a place of catharsis? In this episode, composer, performer, and mental health professional Danielle Birrittella explores the links between opera, mental health, and the operatic imagination. Hear more conversations like this at the 4th annual Los Angeles County Arts and Health Week Summit, hosted by LA Opera. Visit LAOpera.org/Summit to register now.

In this episode, soprano and Grammy Award winner Ana María Martínez sits down with LA Opera Chorus Director Jeremy Frank to discuss transitioning from the comedic and crafty Despina in Così fan tutte to the reverent keeper of Federico García Lorca's legacy, Margarita Xirgu, in Ainadamar. Playing April 26-May 18, tickets to Ainadamar are available now at LAOpera.org.

In this episode, LA Opera Chorus Director Jeremy Frank provides a musical overview of Ainadamar. Playing April 26 through May 18 - don't miss the opera LA Times calls "one of the most moving and meaningful" of our time. Tickets are on sale now. This lecture was recorded in partnership with the Opera League of Los Angeles at the historic Ebell of Los Angeles. To learn more about the Opera League and view upcoming events, visit OperaLeague.org. Don't miss LA Opera's Celebracion de las Artes on Sunday, May 4th. Immerse yourself in artistry and culture, shop our mercado featuring local artists and small businesses, and enjoy live musical performances from Mariachi Las Colibri, Mariachi Divas, LA Opera Connects Zarzuela Project, and Rumba Flamenca. Visit LAOpera.org/Celebracion for more details, and we'll see you on the Jerry Moss Plaza on May 4th.

In this episode, Vinícius Costa, member of the LA Opera Domingo-Colburn-Stein Young Artist Program, shares the synopsis for Ainadamar with annotated musical notes from musicologist Dr. Tiffany Kuo. Playing April 26 through May 18, tickets are available now at LAOpera.org.

In this episode, Connects affiliated scholar Dr. Tiffany Kuo sits down with Ainadamar composer Osvaldo Golijov and librettist David Henry Hwang to discuss the evolution of this contemporary opera and the themes of loss, legacy, and liberation. Join Dr. Tiffany Kuo for additional historical and musical context at free community lectures on April 1 at the Los Angeles Central Library and on April 3 at LA Plaza de Cultura y Artes; learn more at LAOpera.org/Lectures, then don't miss Ainadamar playing April 26-May 18.

In this episode, Connects affiliated scholar Dr. Kristi Brown-Montesano provides an introduction to the women of Così fan tutte and the gender roles and expectations of Mozart's time. This conversation was recorded as part of Connects' professional development series Opera for Educators. Playing now through March 30, tickets for Così fan tutte are available now at LAOpera.org.

LA Opera Connects' annual Community Opera invites hundreds of performers to join LA Opera professionals on stage, no experience necessary. After weeks of rehearsals with Connects teaching artists, performers share that they feel more confident, a sense of belonging, and excited to perform again. Listen in as Dr. Nita Baxani, Chair of Early Childhood Music at the Colburn School, interviews composer and librettist of this year's Community Opera Carla Lucero, and assistant conductor Mercedes Juan Musotto on their experiences with communal music-making and their role in breaking down barriers to opera. Come see The Three Women of Jerusalem, playing March 14 and 15. Tickets are available now at LAOpera.org/CommunityOpera.

In this episode, Richard Seaver Music Director James Conlon walks us through the history, the plot, and, of course, the music of Mozart's Così fan tutte. Don't miss this razor-sharp comedy playing March 8-30. Tickets are on sale now at LAOpera.org.

In this episode, Jonathan Lacayo, LA Opera Connects teaching artist shares the synopsis for Cosi fan tutte, with annotated musical notes from musicologist, Dr. Tiffany Kuo. Playing March 8-30, tickets are available now at LA Opera.org

In this episode, an installment of our Music and Wellness series, Arts and Healing Initiative Founder and Director, Ping Ho shares the power of music in helping you to free your voice, reduce stress, and heal through drumming and thought exercises she uses in her everyday practice. Learn more about how LA Opera Connects is exploring the connections between music, wellness, and recovery at LAOpera.org/ArtsandHealth and be sure to save the date for our Arts and Health Week Summit on June 13, 2025.

From the embroidery on a single gown, to the hair in every wig, LA Opera's costume shop creates gorgeous looks and magical moments with every show. Go Behind the Curtain with LA Opera Costume Director Jeannique Prospere as she sits down with Xochi Hernandez to discuss how her team spends months sourcing materials and putting each look together by hand. Experience the magic LA Opera's costume shop creates during Mozart's Cosi fan tutte. Tickets are available now at LAOpera.org.

Pablo Larrain's biopic, Maria, featuring Angelina Jolie as the illustrious Maria Callas has the opera world abuzz. Listen in as long-time LA Opera chorus member and vocal coach to Angelina Jolie for the film, Lori Stinson, sits down with Chorus Director Jeremy Frank to discuss her process in preparing Jolie for the role. 351105

In this special episode of Behind the Curtain, join LA Opera staff and affiliated scholars as they share their favorite songs and recordings to listen to during the holidays.

Kathleen O'Mara didn't expect to win Operalia when she travelled to Mumbai for the renowned competition, but since winning first place, she's been offered roles around the world. Listen in as she discusses her journey to the competition, her experience as a member of LA Opera's Domingo-Colburn-Stein Young Artist Program, and her upcoming roles with Senior Director of Artistic Planning, Paul Hopper.

In this episode, Chorus Director Jeremy Frank sits down with conductor Domingo Hindoyan to discuss his musical background and how he brings his artistic passion for creativity and emotional expression to Romeo and Juliet. Tickets to Romeo and Juliet are available now at LAOpera.org.

In this episode LA Opera Chorus Director, Jeremy Frank, provides additional context for Romeo and Juliet by diving deep into the music of Gounod and the history of French opera. This lecture was recorded as part of LA Opera Connects, professional development series for teachers, Opera for Educators. Tickets to Romeo and Juliet are available now at LAOpera.org.

In this pre-recorded, pre-performance lecture, Dr. Kristi Brown-Montesano guides you through Gounod's Romeo and Juliet, the plot, the history, and of course the music. Tickets to Romeo and Juliet are available now at LAOpera.org.