In Los Angeles, we have a fantabulous new orchestra conductor, Gustavo Dudamel, from Venezuela, of the Los Angeles Philharmonic Orchestra which performs in the glorious Walt Disney Hall designed by Frank Gehry. He is about 28 years old but started conducting when he was 13 as part of Venezuela's youth musical program.
There is a wonderful cultural happening that started about 2 years ago when the Metropolitan Opera of New York started presenting "Live At The Met" - a Saturday matinee performance in New York is presented live via satellite feed to movie theaters around the world. It is unbelievable. You are front seat, center at the Opera, you are interviewing the singers, you are touring backstage and you are getting to see world class opera for $20.00. An incredible steal of a deal.
The Philharmonic Orchestra, which is where I was going with this, decided to make Dudamel more available to the public, ergo: Dudamel Live With the Philharmonic. Today I was lucky enough to attend Dudamel playing Tchaikovsky's suites from Romeo and Juliet, Hamlet and The Tempest, Shakespearean plays. Besides the beautiful music we were treated to 5 professional actors who acted out the well known soliloquies from these plays. Absolutely stunning.
I think we are so darn lucky to have these incredible performances available to us and not everyone has heard about them. The next Dudamel is Sunday, June 5 with an all Brahms program. You have to get to the HD Movie theaters early in order to get a good seat, and in many cases to get a seat at all. Some of the operas are so sold out that the theaters are opening up a second theater to handle the overflow. It's only $20. A heck of a deal!!
Type in Philharmonic Live in a google search and find a theater in your city. You won't be sorry!
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