Singer

His music transcends opera stages and into pop culture. His stories transport audiences to immersive worlds where music and drama intertwine. Richard Wagner revolutionized opera with his innovative orchestrations and unparalleled theatrical visions. Now, join a special one-night-only celebration of the composer who harnessed the potent power of music.

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Gods & Mortals: A Celebration of Wagner

John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts

Experience the grandeur of Arnold Schoenberg's "Gurrelieder" under the baton of Zubin Mehta, a maestro with a profound connection to this epic masterpiece. This special performance is part of the "Schoenberg at 150 Festival," celebrating the 150th anniversary of the composer's birth. Join us at the Walt Disney Concert Hall for two exclusive performances on Friday, December 13, 2024, at 8:00 PM, and Sunday, December 15, 2024, at 2:00 PM.

"Gurrelieder" is Schoenberg's monumental cantata that stands as a testament to the late Romantic era, evoking the lush, emotional landscapes reminiscent of Wagner and Mahler. Its massive scale requires an extraordinary ensemble of five soloists, multiple choirs, a narrator, and a gargantuan orchestra, making it a rare and cherished piece in the classical music repertoire. Zubin Mehta, LA Phil Conductor Emeritus, brings his unparalleled expertise to this work, having conducted its LA Phil premiere and recorded it multiple times. This performance marks a poignant return to one of Mehta's signature pieces, offering audiences a unique opportunity to witness his masterful interpretation of the operatic emotion and architectural grandeur of "Gurrelieder."

The Los Angeles Philharmonic, along with a stellar lineup of soloists including Christine Goerke (soprano Tove), Brandon Jovanovich (tenor Waldemar), Violeta Urmana (mezzo Waldtaube), Gerhard Siegel (tenor Klaus-Narr), and Dietrich Henschel (speaker), will bring this masterpiece to life. The Los Angeles Master Chorale, led by Artistic Director Grant Gershon and Associate Artistic Director Jenny Wong, will add to the splendor of this performance.

Enhance your experience by arriving early at 6:30 PM to enjoy "Drinks in the Garden." Revel in the lush ambiance of Walt Disney Concert Hall's rooftop garden with a complimentary drink, setting the perfect tone for an unforgettable evening of music.

Don't miss this rare opportunity to experience the epic and poetic "Gurrelieder" conducted by Zubin Mehta, a true highlight of the "Schoenberg at 150 Festival." Reserve your tickets now for a musical journey that promises to be both monumental and deeply moving.

Zubin Mehta Conducts Gurrelieder

Walt Disney Concert Hall

Erich Korngold’s Die tote Stadt (“The Dead City”) is an incredibly tender work, embodying the twilight of the Romantic era. Korngold, a remarkable prodigy who later became one of Hollywood’s most important composers, began the opera when he was only 19 and completed it at age 23. It opened simultaneously in December 1920 in Cologne and Hamburg and became one of the biggest operatic successes of the era. The opera’s theme of struggling with the memory of a lost loved one undoubtedly resonated with audiences still traumatized by the recent catastrophe of World War I.

Andris Nelsons conducts Korngold Die tote Stadt

Boston Symphony Orchestra

Following the haunting Met premiere of his first opera, Dead Man Walking, composer Jake Heggie returns to the company with his 2010 adaptation of Herman Melville’s sea-drenched, heaven-storming epic. A cast of standouts comes together on the decks of the Pequod, with tenor Brandon Jovanovich starring as the monomaniacal Captain Ahab, implacable in his pursuit of the white whale; tenor Stephen Costello as Greenhorn, the opera’s version of Ishmael; baritone Peter Mattei as the even-keeled first mate Starbuck; and bass-baritone Ryan Speedo Green as the Polynesian harpooneer Queequeg. The cast also features soprano Janai Brugger as Pip, tenor William Burden as Flask, and baritone Malcolm MacKenzie as Stubb. Maestro Karen Kamensek takes the podium for a stunning staging by Leonard Foglia that arrives at the Met newly enlarged and refined following acclaimed runs in Dallas, San Francisco, Los Angeles, and Washington, D.C.

Brandon Jovanovich

Tenor

Events

Oct 26, 2024

Gods & Mortals: A Celebration of Wagner · Washington National Opera

13 - 15 Dec, 2024

Zubin Mehta Conducts Gurrelieder · Los Angeles Philharmonic

Jan 30 - Feb 1, 2025

Andris Nelsons conducts Korngold Die tote Stadt · Boston Symphony Orchestr

3 - 29 Mar, 2025

Moby-Dick · The Metropolitan Opera

Future and recently performed repertoire

Singer in Gurrelieder by Schoenberg

Los Angeles Philharmonic

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