Southern California Vocal Events
LAURI D. GOLDENHERSH's Weekly Highlights
Classical music is undergoing tremendous change: artists all over the world are working to redefine the genre, even rename it. By blending styles, working with other art forms and programming way outside the box, musicians are effecting a transformation that will be anything but boring, and being in Southern California gives us a front-row seat. Friday's lunchtime concert at Occidental revisits the music of our country's early history, exploring what makes American music different and unique. This fascinating program of 19th century songs, conceived by soprano KAREN BENJAMIN, also features bass-baritone CEDRIC BERRY, KUSC radio host ALAN CHAPMAN on vocals and bass, with pianist VICTORIA KIRSCH. Admission is free. For concert information, click http://www.musicofthepeople.org/welcome.html Later that evening, opera superstar ROD GILFRY and pianist MITSUKO MORIKAWA perform a faculty recital at USC. The repertoire leans modern, with selections from Barber, Britten, Bernstein, Dalbavie, Ives, and Ravel. Admission for this extraordinary concert is free, and you can get more information by clicking http://web-app.usc.edu/ws/eo2/calendar/69/event/892035 Saturday offers a tough choice between opera and ballet, but they'll both surprise you: LONG BEACH OPERA, has long been a local symbol of adventurous production and original artistic presentation. This mini-maverick company brings revives Cherubini's 'Medea' with a new version staged in a former furniture warehouse. The opera will take you into another time and space, retelling the classic mythological tale of a mind driven to unspeakable crimes. The 1/29 performance is listed as sold out, but there may be tickets to other performances available. The company also continues their LBOpera Cinema series Sunday morning, with MARIA CALLAS in her only film role: playing Medea without singing, but no less stunning. Learn more about both events by calling (562) 432-5934, or click http://www.longbeachopera.org/ The other option for Saturday date night is all about collaboration: When Schubert set Mueller's poetry for his now-famous 'Winterreise', he made the pianist just as important as the singer, requiring a new level of partnership in art song. Now, LE SALON DE MUSIQUES and LUMINARIO BALLET join forces in a ballet adaptation of these beloved and deeply emotional songs, performed by pianist FRANCOIS CHOUCHAN, baritone CHRISTOPHER HERBERT and dancers SEASON WINQUEST and AJ ABRAMS. For information and to order tickets online, click http://lesalondemusiques.com/ballet.asp Sunday offers the next installment in composer "salons" from the LA COMPOSERS FORUM, the always-entertaining ALBERT MCNEIL JUBILEE SINGERS, and the LA MASTER CHORALE's 'London Bridges', as well as other events: check the calendar for details. COMING UP: Next week, the CALDER QUARTET joins the LA Children's Chorus in one of two local appearances; REPERTORY OPERA COMPANY channels Shakespeare with 'Roméo et Juliette'; BRIAN ASAWA offers a house concert to benefit the BACH COLLEGIUM OF SAN DIEGO; and a gala concert from the new PACIFIC COAST OPERA. Many more events are coming in all the time. Please take a look at the calendar linked below, and Thank you for supporting live singing! Lauri D. Goldenhersh lauri@laurislist.com For full information about these and other vocal events, see the Calendar at LaurisList.com, the online community for professional classical singers in SoCal. NEW: Subscribe to 'Next 7', the free newsletter from Lauri's List, to keep up with vocal-related events like these are more. All are welcome! Click here to sign up: http://tinyurl.com/ListerNews _________________________________
This weekly column has been cross-posted from the Clickable Chamber Music Newsletter, the indispensable email periodical serving more than 5000 readers in Southern California.
To view the latest issue, click here. To subscribe, send email to editor Jim Eninger.
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