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The Program: Mark your calendar for these May SoCal performances.
Note: Though hours and formats are updated regularly, they can change without notice; best to confirm at venue websites.
LA OPERA
Rigoletto
May 31- June 21. When the decadent Duke of Mantua sets his sights on Rigoletto’s young daughter, it’s enough to send the carefree court jester into a deadly rage. But revenge comes at a price. Verdi master James Conlon conducts one of the most heartbreaking operas of them all. Dorothy Chandler Pavilion, 135 N Grand Ave, Los Angeles. laopera.org
PHILHARMONIC SOCIETY OF OC
Los Angeles Philharmonic Tchaikovsky’s Fifth Symphony
May 30. Gustavo Gimeno leads the LA Philharmonic in Tchaikovsky’s Fifth Symphony which opens with a fate motif in the woodwinds and low strings, making its way through the orchestra only to be interrupted by a rich and tender horn solo. Renée and Henry Segerstrom Concert Hall, 600 Town Center Dr., Costa Mesa. philharmonicsociety.org
SAN DIEGO SYMPHONY
Difficult Grace
May 31. Difficult Grace is a multimedia concert tour de force conceived by and featuring Seth Parker Woodsin the triple role of cellist, narrator/guide and movement artist. Jacobs Music Center, 1245 Seventh Ave., San Diego. sandiegosymphony.org
LA PHILHARMONIC
Tchaikovsky & Pereira
May 29-June 1. Percussionist-turned-conductor Gustavo Gimeno leads the symphony after guiding the orchestra through the suspenseful brass-filled suite of love and obsession from Alfred Hitchcock’s Vertigobefore a world premiere spotlighting two of the LA Phil’s own when Principal Percussionist Matthew Howard performs the new concerto by Principal Timpanist and composer Joseph Pereira. Walt Disney Concert Hall, 111 S. Grand Ave., Los Angeles. laphil.com
CENTER THEATRE GROUP
Hamlet
May 28-July 6. It’s been half a century since Hamlet was produced at the Taper. Tony Award® nominated visionary, Robert O’Hara, who directed the landmark box office hit Slave Play, returns to stage one of the most famous tales ever told in a new, Hitchcockian noir adaptation. Mark Taper Forum, 135 N. Grand Ave., Los Angeles. centertheatregroup.org
LA PHILHARMONIC
Sheku Kanneh-Mason & Isata Kanneh-Mason
May 28. Two siblings from one of Britain’s most talented musical families performs cello sonatas by Mendelssohn, Poulenc, and Fauré as well as a new work by British composer and violinist Natalie Klouda. Walt Disney Concert Hall, 111 S. Grand Ave., Los Angeles. laphil.com
THE OLD GLOBE
One of the Good Ones
May 24-June 22. When Yoli brings her new boyfriend home to meet her Latino American parents, he’s not exactly what they were expecting. Everyone tries to be on their best behavior, but generational differences and cultural assumptions collide. Through equal measures of comedy and compassion, they all discover what it truly means to be a family. Donald and Darlene Shiley Stage, 1363 Old Globe Way, San Diego. theoldglobe.org
PACIFIC CHORALE
Mozart’s Requiem
May 24. The timeless beauty of Mozart’s Requiem, elevated to new heights with a captivating world premiere commission by Pacific Symphony’s composer-in-residence, Viet Cuong. Renee and Henry Segerstrom Concert Hall, 615 Town Center Dr., Costa Mesa. pacificchorale.org
SAN DIEGO SYMPHONY
Ode to Nature: Payare Conducts Mahler’s Symphony No. 3
May 23-25. World-renowned mezzo-soprano Karen Cargill will make her San Diego Symphony debut, conducted by Music Director Rafael Payare for a program featuring Mahler’s Symphony NO. 3, a monumental two-part declaration of faith. Jacobs Music Center, 1245 Seventh Ave., San Diego. sandiegosymphony.org
LA PHILHARMONIC
Gershwin & Strauss
May 18, 24, 25. Renowned pianist Jean Yves Thibaudet shines in Gershwin’s joyful Concerto in F and Teddy Abrams leads Strauss’ Also sprach Zarathustra made famous by Kubrick’s 2001: A Space Odyssey. Walt Disney Concert Hall, 111 S. Grand Ave., Los Angeles. laphil.com
LA PHILHARMONIC
Cameron Carpenter, Organ Recital
May 18. Cameron Carpenter, a celebrated gamechanger in the world of organ, performs an extravagant program of Bach, Franck and Mussorgsky. Walt Disney Concert Hall, 111 S. Grand Ave., Los Angeles. laphil.com
LA PHILHARMONIC
Symphonies for Youth
May 17, 24. LA Philharmonic hosts an interactive concert that introduces young audiences to symphonic music. Families are invited to participate in hands-on arts workshops. Walt Disney Concert Hall, 111 S. Grand Ave., Los Angeles. laphil.com
LA PHILHARMONIC
Ravel & Adolphe
May 16-18. Renowned French conductor Ludovic Morlot leads Spanish dance-inspired symphonic poems with the LA Phil, plus a world premiere cello concerto from Julia Adolphe. Walt Disney Concert Hall, 111 S. Grand Ave., Los Angeles. laphil.com
SAN DIEGO SYMPHONY
Elegant to Epic: Saint-Saëns and Shostakovich
May 16-17. Considered one of the finest pianists of today, Jean-Yves Thibaudet takes the Jacobs Music Center stage to perform his acclaimed interpretation of Camille Saint-Saëns‘ final piano concerto. Then Rafael Payare and the Symphony tackle Shostakovich’s Symphony No. 7, Leningrad. Jacobs Music Center, 1245 Seventh Ave., San Diego. sandiegosymphony.org
BROADSTAGE
Julius Rodriguez
May 16. Continuing the Future Sounds of Jazz series curated by Stanley Clarke, BroadStage presents jazz pianist, drummer, and composer, Julius Rodriguez. 1310 11th St., Santa Monica, broadstage.org
SEGERSTROM CENTER FOR THE ARTS
Spamilton: An American Parody
May 15-17. It’s the fictitious story of a very famous writer / director / star trying to save Broadway from mediocrity and oblivion. Along the way, this sharp and lovable genius not only takes aim at Broadway’s current mega-hit, but manages to make hysterical mince-meat out of many classic and new Broadway shows. Samueli Theater, 615 Town Center Dr., Costa Mesa. scfta.org
PACIFIC SYMPHONY
Cathedrals of Sound
May 15-17. Journey with Carl St. Clair and the Pacific Symphony through the timeless serenity of Gregorian chant and Bach’s Sinfonia. The evening culminates with Bruckner’s Symphony No. 7. Renee and Henry Segerstrom Concert Hall, 615 Town Center Dr., Costa Mesa. pacificsymphony.org
PASADENA PLAYHOUSE
A Doll’s House Part 2
May 14-June 8. Bold, satisfying, and packed with razor-sharp twists, Lucas Hnath’s Tony-nominated play dives into the messy reality of what it means to be a woman living on your own terms.39 S. El Molino Ave., Pasadena. pasadenaplayhouse.org
SEGERSTROM CENTER FOR THE ARTS
Mamma Mia!
May 13-18. A mother. A daughter. 3 possible dads. And a trip down the aisle you’ll never forget! Set on a Greek island paradise where the sun always shines, a tale of love, friendship, and identity is beautifully told through the timeless hits of ABBA. Segerstrom Hall, 600 Town Center Dr., Costa Mesa. scfta.org
LA PHILHARMONIC
Chamber Music with the LA Phil
May 13, 20. Experience big performances on a more intimate scale when musicians from the LA Phil perform chamber music in small ensembles. Walt Disney Concert Hall, 111 S. Grand Ave., Los Angeles. laphil.com
A NOISE WITHIN
Misalliance
May 12- June 9. George Bernard Shaw’s high-flying comedy about eight marriage proposals and a plane crash that take place all in one afternoon. What should have been a celebration of upcoming nuptials into aristocracy becomes wildly unexpected upon the unexpected arrival of uninvited guests. 3352 E. Foothill Blvd., Pasadena. anoisewithin.org
THE OLD GLOBE
House of India
May 10-June 1. A once-successful restauranteur has bills piling up and she must choose: hold on to her late husband’s vision or compromise in the name of progress. This heartwarming world premiere comedy features a vibrant cast who work to build a legacy and a new kind of American Dream. Sheryl and Harvey White Theatre, 1363 Old Globe Way, San Diego. oldglobe.org
BROADSTAGE
Chanticleer
May 10. Grammy-Award winning ensemble Chanticleer takes the Main Stage for a program that will include music from Renaissance masterworks to Romantic part-songs, contemporary commissions, vocal jazz and everything in between. 1310 11th St., Santa Monica, broadstage.org
SAN DIEGO SYMPHONY
Weilerstein and Payare Perform Chin and Bruckner
May 10-11. South Korean composer Unsuk Chin’s Cello Concerto is taken up by San Diego Symphony’s own Alisa Weilerstein and Bruckner’s Symphony No. 7, described as a cathedral in sound, is led by music director Rafael Payare. Jacobs Music Center, 1245 Seventh Ave., San Diego. sandiegosymphony.org
PACIFIC SYMPHONY
Cirque Goes Broadway
May 9-10. Troupe Vertigo enchants with an evening of breathtaking artistry, where cirque acrobatics, classical dance, and the best of Broadway melodies blend into an unforgettable symphonic spectacle. Witness as reality bends and expectations twist, with Los Angeles’s own Troupe Vertigo redefining the boundaries of performance through their dizzying dramatic fusion of Circus-Dance-Theater. Renée and Henry Segerstrom Concert Hall, 615 Town Center Dr., Costa Mesa. pacificsymphony.org
SEGERSTROM CENTER FOR THE ARTS
Diana Krall
May 9. Grammy-award winning jazz singer, Diana Krall, has a musical style that has made her one of the most recognizable artists of our time. Segerstrom Hall, 600 Town Center Dr., Costa Mesa. scfta.org
LA PHILHARMONIC
Max Richter
May 9. The minimalist composer Max Richter celebrates his 2004 album The Blue Notebooks and presents new material. Walt Disney Concert Hall, 111 S. Grand Ave., Los Angeles. laphil.com
LA PHILHARMONIC
Esa-Pekka Salonen Leads Debussy & Boulez
May 8, 10-11. Composer/conductor Esa-Pekka Salonen contrasts two iconic French composers, Boulez and Debussy as he leads the LA Phil and the Fantasie with pianist Pierre-Laurent Aimard. Walt Disney Concert Hall, 111 S. Grand Ave., Los Angeles. laphil.com
BROADSTAGE
Earth After Dark
May 8. Babak Tafreshi, photojournalist, cinematographer and National Geographic Explorer spent his career documenting the unbelievable beauty of the night sky and working to connect people through the shared experience of simply looking up. 1310 11th St., Santa Monica, broadstage.org
CENTER THEATRE GROUP
Life of Pi
May 7-June 1. Direct from Broadway, Life of Pi is based on a novel that sold more than 15 million copies—a tale about a sixteen-year-old boy who survives on a lifeboat with his four furry companions. Ahmanson Theatre, 135 N. Grand Ave., Los Angeles. centertheatregroup.org
A NOISE WITHIN
A Man of No Importance
May 4-June 1. An amateur theater group in Dublin is determined to stage a version of Oscar Wilde’s Salome at their leader’s church despite the objections of church authorities in this intimate musical, a queer coming-out story inspired by the 1994 film starring Albert Finney. 3352 E. Foothill Blvd., Pasadena. anoisewithin.org
LOS ANGELES MASTER CHORALE
Rufus Wainwright’s Dream Requiem
May 4. The Chorale presents the highly anticipated U.S. premiere of Rufus Wainwright’s Dream Requiem. Navigating themes of societal and environmental collapse, the transformative power of upheaval, and the mourning of lost dreams, Dream Requiem intertwines Byron’s narrative with the ritual of the Latin requiem liturgy. Walt Disney Concert Hall, 111 S. Grand Ave., Los Angeles. lamasterchorale.org
PHILHARMONIC SOCIETY OF OC
Mutter-Bronfman-Ferrandez Trio
May 4. In a mesmerizing trio performance, the acclaimed violinist Anne Sophie Mutter, a four-time Grammy Award winner, shares the stage with the Tchaikovsky Competition victor cellist Pablo Ferrandez and Grammy Award-winning pianist Yefim Bronfman, as they collectively exhibit their virtuosic talents. Renée and Henry Segerstrom Concert Hall, 600 Town Center Dr., Costa Mesa. scfta.org
PACIFIC SYMPHONY
Café Ludwig
May 4. Enjoy delightful chamber music with principal musicians of Pacific Symphony in the coffee-house atmosphere of the Samueli Theater. Samueli Theater, 615 Town Center Dr., Costa Mesa. pacificsymphony.org
SAN DIEGO SYMPHONY
Czech Masterpieces and a Saxophone Concerto
May 3-4. Ruth Reinhardt returns to lead the Symphony in two delightful works by two Czech masters: the Overture and Three Dances from Smetana’s folk-inspired romantic comedy The Bartered Bride and Dvořák’s infectiously joyous Symphony No. 8. Jacobs Music Center, 1245 Seventh Ave., San Diego.sandiegosymphony.org
PASADENA SYMPHONY & POPS
Beethoven “Pastoral” Symphony
May 3. Violinist William Hagen performs Bruch’s Violin Concerto No. 1, Beethoven’s Symphony No. 6 “Pastoral” and Samuel Jones Hymn to Earth. Ambassador Auditorium, 131 S. St. John Ave., Pasadena. pasadenasymphony-pops.org
SAN DIEGO SYMPHONY
Symphony Kids
May 3. San Diego Symphony musicians share their favorite sing-alongs, musical games and invite families to explore music in a series that introduces young listeners to the instruments of the orchestra. Jacobs Music Center, 1245 Seventh Ave., San Diego. sandiegosymphony.org
THE MUSIC CENTER
Grupo Corpo
May 2-4. Grupo Corpo (meaning “Body Group” in Portuguese) is renowned for its unparalleled blend of popular Brazilian culture, African rhythms and classical technique. Audiences will be captivated by the musical score’s unique sounds, emanating from composer Marco Antonio Guimarães’ unusual instrumental creations.Ahmanson Theatre 135 N. Grand Ave., Los Angeles. musiccenter.org
LA PHILHARMONIC
Beethoven & Dessner with Esa-Pekka Salonen
May 2-4. Eroica Symphony has been celebrated as one of Beethoven’s greatest works. Esa-Pekka Salonen leads the LA Phil in this powerful piece. Violinist Pekka Kuusisto joins the orchestra for Bryce Dessner’s Violin Concerto. Walt Disney Concert Hall, 111 S. Grand Ave., Los Angeles. laphil.com
LA PHILHARMONIC
Patrice Rushen
May 2. Patrice Rushen is a trailblazing jazz and R&B artist and she returns to the Walt Disney Concert Hall stage to take a seat at the piano. Walt Disney Concert Hall, 111 S. Grand Ave., Los Angeles. laphil.com
PACIFIC SYMPHONY
Beethoven’s Emperor
May 1-3. Brazilian conductor Eduardo Strausser leads the Pacific Symphony in a program that illuminate the brilliant Romantic concert of Beethoven performed by pianist George Li.
Renee and Henry Segerstrom Concert Hall, 615 Town Center Dr., Costa Mesa. pacificsymphony.org
LA OPERA
Ainadamar: The Fountain of Tears
May 4, 7, 10, 15, 18. Resident Conductor Lina González-Granados leads the major company premiere of The Fountain of Tears a dramatic story about Federico Garcia Lorca who was once on the verge of writing his way into a new Golden Age in Spain. But dictators have no use for poets and his love is in exile mourning his loss. Dorothy Chandler Pavilion, 135 N Grand Ave, Los Angeles. laopera.org
SOUTH COAST REPERTORY
The Staircase
Through May 18. Part of the Pacific Playwrights Festival, The Staircase is a mysterious tale about holding on, letting go and the curious force that pulls us back home. Emmes/Benson Theatre Center, 655 Town Center Dr., Costa Mesa. scr.org
LA MIRADA THEATRE
Legally Blonde
Through May 18. A fabulously fun, award-winning musical based on the adored movie, Legally Blonde, follows the transformation of Elle Woods as she tackles stereotypes and scandal in pursuit of her dreams. La Mirada Theatre, 14900 La Mirada Blvd., La Mirada. lamiradatheatre.com
NORTH COAST REP
Peril in the Alps
Through May 11. Peril in the Alps is a world premiere Hercule Poirot comic mystery based in part on “Poirot Investigates” by Agatha Christie. The twin sister of Captain Hasting’s wife, Dulcie, has been kidnapped – and Hercule Poirot rightly expects not only extortion to follow, but murder! In this sequel to his wildly popular Murder on the Links, Steven Dietz takes us on a thrilling and dangerous trip to the snow-capped Alps, where the cunning Belgian detective may finally meet his match. 987 Lomas Santa Fe Dr., Solana Beach. northcoastrep.org
THE OLD GLOBE
Regency Girls
April 2-May 4. A world premiere musical comedy about Elinor Benton who is pregnant, unmarried, and living in 19th-century England. What’s a young woman to do? Facing certain ruin, she gathers up her best friends and sets off on the ultimate road trip to find the one woman who might offer a chance to change her fate. Donald and Darlene Shiley Stage, 1363 Old Globe Way, San Diego. theoldglobe.org
SOUTH COAST REP
You Are Cordially Invited to the End of the World!
April 5-May 3. Take your seat for an irreverently funny celebration through the cosmos! Since Greg’s terminal diagnosis, he’s felt a deep connection to the Earth—and to save himself, he’ll need to save the planet. Viv desperately wants to savor every last minute with her husband. Meanwhile M, our emcee, searches desperately to find meaning in the chaos of their final year with Dad. A heartfelt and joyful theatrical event, as magical as the world itself. Segerstrom Hall, 600 Town Center Dr., Costa Mesa. scr.orgl tells the inspirational story in our nation’s history. Mandell Weiss Theatre, 2910 La Jolla Village Dr, La Jolla. lajollaplayhouse.org
Images: Ainadamar courtesy of the LA Opera. Photos courtesy of business and venue.
