Classic and Classical
Renée Fleming with Pacific Symphony
September 13
Segerstrom Center for the Arts, 600 Town Center Drive, Costa Mesa
Soprano Renée Fleming made her mark as an opera singer, but she also has appeared on Broadway, released jazz and pop albums and appeared on TV and in film. She has performed with top orchestras around the world and sang the national anthem at the 2014 Super Bowl. Her versatility and range will be on display when she performs Richard Strauss’ final completed compositions, “Four Last Songs,” as well as opera and Broadway favorites, accompanied by the Pacific Symphony and conducted by Carl St.Clair. :: pacificsymphony.org
Kathleen Battle: “Underground Railroad – A Spiritual Journey”
September 9
Segerstrom Center for the Performing Arts, 600 Town Center Drive, Costa Mesa
The Underground Railroad was a loose, secret network set up by abolitionists during the 1800s to help slaves escape to freedom in the North. Grammy award-winning soprano Kathleen Battle brings to life this dark period in history through an evening of powerful and emotional spirituals, interspersed with readings from abolitionists Harriet Tubman and Frederick Douglass. Battle made her opera debut in 1975 and performed in all of the great opera houses. She stopped performing in staged operas after her highly publicized dismissal from the Metropolitan Opera in 1994 but has continued to sing in recital performances. Following her performance at Segerstrom, she will reunite with the Met in November for the first time in two decades, performing the same program. “Spirituals have the power to uplift and heal,” she told The New York Times, “and we certainly need that in today’s world.” :: scfta.org
Los Angeles Opera: “Macbeth”
September 17, 22, 25; October 5, 8, 13, 16
Dorothy Chandler Pavilion, 135 N. Grand Ave., Los Angeles
Giuseppe Verdi had composed just nine operas when he tackled “Macbeth,” the first of several of Shakespeare’s works that he adapted. The Italian composer would go on to write three of his greatest works, “Rigoletto,” “Il Trovatore” and “La Traviata” before returning to “Macbeth” for a revision to be performed in Paris. For the LA Opera production of “Macbeth,” Plácido Domingo takes on the title role of the general who, with his wife, Lady Macbeth (Ekaterina Semenchuk), plots to commit murder to hold on to Scotland’s throne. The new production will be staged by Tony Award-winning director Darko Tresnjak, who staged LA Opera’s 2015 production of “The Ghosts of Versailles.” LA Opera Music Director James Conlon will conduct. :: laopera.org
Yefim Bronfman
September 27
Soka University Performing Arts Center, 1 University Circle, Aliso Viejo
Grammy winner Yefim Bronfman has been called “a fearless pianist for whom no score is too demanding” and is a familiar face to Southern California’s classical music audiences with close ties to many musicians here. His Grammy came in 1997 for his recording with Esa-Pekka Salonen and the LA Philharmonic of Bartók piano concertos. Last year, he made headlines when members of the London Symphony Orchestra posted photos on social media of Bronfman’s bloody piano keyboard after he played Bartók’s Third Piano Concerto at the Konzerthaus in Vienna. (He had cut his finger earlier in the day but insisted on playing that evening.) At Soka, he will again play Bartók – Suite, Op. 14, Sz. 62 BB 70, as well as Schumann’s “Humoreske” in B-flat major, Op. 20; Debussy’s “Suite bergamasque”; and Stravinsky’s “Petrushka.” :: soka.edu/pac/
Esa-Pekka Salonen and the Philharmonia Orchestra
October 4
Segerstrom Center for the Arts, 600 Town Center Drive, Costa Mesa
Conductor Esa-Pekka Salonen is one of Southern California’s most beloved classical music figures. For 17 years, he was the face of the LA Philharmonic, serving as music director and inaugurating the Walt Disney Concert Hall. Since stepping down from the Phil, Salonen has spent his time performing as guest conductor for orchestras around the world, as well as composing new work and touring with London’s Philharmonia Orchestra, where he serves as principal conductor and artistic adviser. In addition, he is serving as the Marie-Josée Kravis composer in residence at the New York Philharmonic and co-founded and serves as artistic director of the Baltic Sea Festival. Salonen visits Orange County with the Philharmonia Orchestra and a program that includes Beethoven’s Symphony No. 3, “Eroica,” and Sibelius’ Symphony No. 5. :: scfta.org
Berlin Philharmonic
November 18
Ray Chen and members of the Berlin Philharmonic
Musco Center for the Arts, Chapman University, 1 University Drive, Orange
November 20
Berlin Philharmonic with Simon Rattle
Segerstrom Center for the Arts, 600 Town Center Drive, Costa Mesa
Lovers of classical music seldom miss any chance to see the Berlin Philharmonic, one of the world’s great orchestras, and this fall, you’ll have two chances. Acclaimed chief conductor Simon Rattle announced he would be leaving to take the position of music director for the London Symphony. But first Rattle returns to Orange County, conducting the Berlin Phil in a program that features Schoenberg’s Five Pieces for Orchestra, Op. 16; Webern’s Six Pieces for Orchestra, Op. 6; Berg’s Three Pieces for Orchestra, Op. 6; and Brahms’ Symphony No. 2.
For a more intimate evening, head to the new Musco Center in Orange, where principal members of the orchestra’s string section will join with celebrated violinist Ray Chen for an evening of Stravinsky, Satie, Ysaÿe, Françaix and Ravel. Chen, 27, won the Queen Elisabeth Music Competition in 2009 and the Yehudi Menuhin Violin Competition in 2008 and is the youngest soloist to perform in the Nobel Prize concert in 2012 for Nobel laureates and the Swedish royal family. :: philharmonicsociety.org :: muscocenter.org
Andrea Bocelli
December 4
Honda Center, 2695 E. Katella Ave., Anaheim
Andrea Bocelli played several instruments and was learning operas by the ripe age of 7. When he was 12, he lost his sight in a soccer accident, but that didn’t stop him from pursuing his dream of being a singer. Though he was classically trained in opera, Bocelli found an audience performing pop tunes, as well as a classical repertoire. The beloved tenor’s latest album, “Cinema,” homes in on his crossover appeal with music from a wide range of movies, from Broadway favorites to classic Hollywood films. Bocelli said he listened to hundreds of songs before choosing songs “that have marked my life, that have made me grow, have moved me and have made me fall in love.” Audiences in Anaheim will have a chance to fall in love during Bocelli’s only California stop on his tour. :: hondacenter.com
Curtain Up
“Beautiful: The Carole King Musical”
October 4-16
Segerstrom Center for the Arts, 600 Town Center Drive, Costa Mesa
Here’s a hint if you’re planning to attend “Beautiful: The Carole King Musical”: put your CD of “Tapestry” or your “Beautiful” cast recording in your car before you leave for the show. Trust us.
Carole King started singing at a very young age, but her early career was primarily behind the scenes as a composer, beginning professionally when she was just 16. With her then-husband, Gerry Goffin, she wrote hits for such artists as the Shirelles (“Will You Love Me Tomorrow”), Bobby Vee (“Take Good Care of My Baby”), the Chiffons (“One Fine Day”), the Drifters (“Up on the Roof”) and even the Monkees (“Pleasant Valley Sunday”).
You’ll be introduced to King and Goffin’s story, and as you listen to the opening notes of their chart-topping hits, you may find yourself guessing what song you’re about to hear. As they perform dozens of their songs throughout the show, you’ll likely find yourself nodding along to the familiar tunes – just as you would at a live concert. And there are times when you’ll surely want to sing along (but please don’t – wait until the car ride home).
The show also covers King’s solo career, which she took on, reluctantly, after her marriage to Goffin ended in divorce. Her breakthrough came in 1971 with her solo album “Tapestry,” which won four Grammy awards and sold more than 10 million copies.
The Broadway musical was nominated for seven Tony Awards, with wins for actress in a leading role (Jessie Mueller) and sound design (Brian Ronan). The musical features 24 of King’s songs and several of the groups that brought the songs to the radio. You’ll leave the show humming King’s songs and thanking us for reminding you to take along the CD. :: scfta.org
“A View From the Bridge”
September 7-October 16
Ahmanson Theatre, 135 N. Grand Ave., Los Angeles
You might have seen “A View From the Bridge” before, but you’ve probably never seen a staging like that of Ivo van Hove. The visionary Belgian director has stripped down Arthur Miller’s classic play about an immigrant longshoreman who becomes obsessed with his teenage niece. This production premiered at the Young Vic in London, where it picked up three Olivier Awards. Last year’s Broadway production received five Tony Award nominations and won two trophies, for best revival of a play and best director of a play. The unique staging includes seating on the stage for an even more intimate look at the action.
:: centertheatregroup.org
“The Hunchback of Notre Dame”
September 16-October 9
La Mirada Theatre for the Performing Arts, 14900 La Mirada Blvd., La Mirada
Victor Hugo’s novel “The Hunchback of Notre Dame” has been translated into big-screen films, TV movies, plays, operas and notably Disney’s 1996 animated film. In 1999, the musical adaptation of the novel and animated film hit the stage in Berlin and ran for three years. A revised version came to the U.S. with a 2014 run at La Jolla Playhouse, followed a year later by a production at Paper Mill Playhouse and an expected move to Broadway that never came. The story of Quasimodo, the kind-hearted bell-ringer at Notre Dame, his gargoyle friends – Victor, Hugo and Laverne – and the gypsy girl Esmeralda features songs like “God Help the Outcasts,” “Heaven’s Light” and “Out There.” Warning to parents: This musical is darker than the animated film, which was darker than a lot of other Disney films, so parental discretion is advised. :: lamiradatheatre.org
“Miss You Like Hell”
October 25-November 27
La Jolla Playhouse, 2910 La Jolla Village Drive, La Jolla
Quiara Alegría Hudes won the Pulitzer Prize for drama in 2012 for her play “Water by the Spoonful,” a multilayered drama about a young Marine wounded during the Iraq War and the struggles he faces as he tries to reintegrate into society. That wasn’t the first time she was up for a Pulitzer. Four years earlier she was a finalist, along with “Hamilton” creator Lin-Manuel Miranda, for the Tony Award-winning musical “In the Heights,” for which she wrote the book. The La Jolla Playhouse commissioned her newest, “Miss You Like Hell,” which she wrote with folk-rock musician Erin McKeown. The musical revolves around a free-spirited mother and her teenage daughter who drive across the country together in a journey of discovery, love and frustration. :: lajollaplayhouse.org
“Merrily We Roll Along”
November 22-December 18
Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts, 9390 N. Santa Monica Blvd., Beverly Hills
The Stephen Sondheim-George Furth musical “Merrily We Roll Along” is rarely staged, so die-hard Sondheim fans usually jump at the chance to see a production. The show, based on the 1934 play of the same name by George S. Kaufman and Moss Hart, travels backward in time, tracing the friendship, dreams, struggles, love and successes of four show business friends. The original Broadway production in 1981, directed by Hal Prince, was greeted with mostly negative reviews, in part because some found the reverse chronology confusing, but the songs – including “Our Time,” “Old Friends” and “Not a Day Goes By” – were widely praised, and Sondheim received a Tony Award nomination for best score. Over the years, other directors have tried various interpretations of the show. The latest to tackle the musical is Michael Arden, who staged the acclaimed Deaf West Theatre revival of “Spring Awakening,” which opened at The Wallis before moving to Broadway
last year. :: thewallis.org
“Amélie, A New Musical”
December 4-January 15
Ahmanson Theatre, 135 N. Grand Ave., Los Angeles
“Amélie,” a little French art-house film, charmed audiences when it came out in 2001. The sweet romantic comedy revolves around a young woman with an unusual childhood who tries to make the world a better place by bringing happiness to people around her. The film, which received five Academy Award nominations, including best foreign language film, was adapted for the stage by Tony-nominated Craig Lucas with music by Daniel Messé. It had its world premiere at Berkeley Repertory last year. Southern California audiences will have a chance to see the musical in its pre-Broadway engagement at the Ahmanson Theatre, with Phillipa Soo – fresh from her Tony-nominated turn in the hit musical “Hamilton” – in the title role. :: centertheatregroup.org
Broadway Comes to O.C.
Patti LuPone
September 9
Segerstrom Center for the Arts, 600 Town Center Drive, Costa Mesa
Why go to New York when you can have a piece of Broadway in Orange County? Patti LuPone returns to Costa Mesa with “Coulda, Woulda, Shoulda …,” her autobiographical concert show of the roles she should have played, did play and (maybe) will play. The two-time Tony Award-winning actress performs songs made famous by others. Don’t worry, she also sings tunes she actually performed on the stage, including “Don’t Cry for Me Argentina” from “Evita” and “Everything’s Coming Up Roses” from “Gypsy.” :: scfta.org
Alan Menken
September 30
If you’ve seen a Disney animated movie or stage production, you probably know the music of Alan Menken, the composer behind such familiar titles as “Aladdin,” “Beauty and the Beast,” The Little Mermaid” and “Pocahontas.” His talent isn’t limited to Disney, though. He’s also the composer for “Little Shop of Horrors,” “Newsies,” “Sister Act” and the upcoming “A Bronx Tale,” a new musical based on the film and play that is scheduled to bow on Broadway in December. Menken has won eight Academy Awards that he shared with his songwriting partners – four with the late Howard Ashman and two each with Tim Rice and Stephen Schwartz – 11 Grammy awards and a Tony. Menken emerges from behind the scenes to center stage with his new one-man show called “A Whole New World of Alan Menken” in which he will perform some of his biggest hits and share the stories behind them. :: scfta.org
Betty Buckley
October 27-29
For stage lovers, Betty Buckley is fondly remembered for her Tony Award-winning turn as Grizabella, the downtrodden, onetime “glamour cat” in Andrew Lloyd Webber’s musical “Cats.” Moviegoers saw her as the kind gym teacher Miss Collins in the Stephen King horror film “Carrie.” TV audiences know her from the 1970s series “Eight Is Enough” as stepmother Abby Bradford; Suzanne Fitzgerald, the prison teacher and mother of prisoner Ryan O’Reily, in the gritty HBO series “Oz”; or more recently from appearances in the HBO series “The Leftovers” and “Getting On.” This year she was invited to join the Academy of Arts and Sciences (so she’s an Oscars voter). Buckley just completed a run at the Ahmanson Theatre as Big Edie in the quirky musical “Grey Gardens.” In Orange County, Buckley brings her new show, “Story Songs,” featuring music by Stephen Schwartz, Jason Robert Brown and Radiohead. Jazz pianist Christian Jacobs will accompany Buckley. :: scfta.org
Day at the Museum
“American Mosaic: Picturing Modern Art Through the Eye of Duncan Phillips”
Through December 4
Orange County Museum of Art, 850 San Clemente Drive, Newport Beach
The heir to a steel and glass fortune, Duncan Phillips (1886-1966) was exposed to art at a young age and knew early on that he wanted to be a collector. Following the unexpected deaths of his father and brother 18 months apart, Phillips and his mother created the Phillips Memorial Gallery, the precursor to the Phillips Collection in Washington, D.C. He championed lesser-known artists of the time, including Milton Avery, Georgia O’Keefe, Richard Diebenkorn and Kenneth Noland. “American Mosaic,” organized by the Phillips Collection, brings together 65 works, created from the 1860s to the 1960s, by artists Phillips identified as standard-bearers for the modernist vision, including Diebenkorn, O’Keefe, Alexander Calder, Thomas Eakins, Winslow Homer, Edward Hopper and Helen Frankenthaler. :: ocma.net
“Doug Aitken: Electric Earth”
September 10-January 15
Geffen Contemporary at MOCA, 152 N. Central Ave., Los Angeles
For Doug Aitken, the world is a canvas. The Venice-based multimedia artist is known for his video installations, sculptures and live events, which he calls “happenings,” all created and presented around the world. His video installation “Diamond Sea” was filmed in a restricted African diamond mine that has been sealed off since 1908. His “Black Mirror” video installation, featuring actress Chloë Sevigny, was filmed, in part, on a barge off the Greek Island of Hydra. The Museum of Contemporary Art in Los Angeles gives visitors a chance to experience Aitken’s creations with “Electric Earth,” a survey of the artist’s work consisting of seven large-scale, multiscreen video installations, as well as sculptures, collages and other projects. :: moca.org
“Miss Hills of Laguna Beach – Anna Althea Hills: Art, Education, Community”
October 16-January 15
Laguna Art Museum, 307 Cliff Drive, Laguna Beach
Celebrate the beauty of Laguna Beach through the eyes – and paintings – of Anna Althea Hills. Born in Ohio, Hills studied art at the Chicago Art Institute, Cooper Union and the Julian Academy in Paris and traveled around Europe, painting landscapes. After moving to Laguna Beach in 1912, she refined her technique, adopting brighter colors that reflected the Southern California landscape. An arts education advocate, she began teaching not only children but also art professionals. In 1918, Mills helped found the Laguna Beach Art Association and helped lead efforts to create the Laguna Art Museum. More than 40 of her works will be shown in the exhibition “Miss Hills of Laguna Beach,” which was curated by Janet Blake, Laguna Art Museum’s curator of historical art. :: lagunaartmuseum.org
Celebrity Talks
An Evening With Sophia Loren
September 16
Cerritos Center for the Performing Arts, 12700 Center Court Drive, Cerritos
It isn’t often you get to spend an evening with a living legend. Sophia Loren was only 16 when she appeared in her first film. By 1962, she had picked up an Academy Award for Vittorio de Sica’s “Two Women,” the first best actress Oscar awarded for a foreign film. She’s starred alongside some of the biggest names in Hollywood, including Charleton Heston (“El Cid”), Gregory Peck (“Arabasque”), Marlon Brando (“A Countess from Hong Kong”), Omar Sharif (“More Than a Miracle”) and in 17 films with Marcello Mastroianni. For the first time, the actress, 81, is traveling across the country on a tour, where she will participate in an onstage conversation and Q&A with the audience about her life and work and her five-decade career in film. :: cerritoscenter.com
Carol Burnett: An Evening of Laughter and Reflection
October 5-6
Cerritos Center for the Performing Arts, 12700 Center Court Drive, Cerritos
Carol Burnett is one of America’s most beloved actress-comediennes. Though best known for her 11-year run in the Emmy Award-winning variety show “The Carol Burnett Show,” Burnett has played a range of roles on television and in film. Burnett also enjoyed a career on the stage, making her Broadway debut in “Once Upon a Mattress” in 1959 and appearing in several other shows on the Great White Way over the years, most recently in 2014 in a revival of the play “Love Letters.” Burnett, whose honors include the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the Mark Twain Prize for American Humor, Kennedy Center Honors and Screen Actors Guild Lifetime Achievement Award, is still going strong at 83, appearing this year in the CBS series “Hawaii Five-O.” At Cerritos, the comedy queen will share stories, show video clips from “The Carol Burnett Show” and take questions from the audience. And maybe we’ll see her signature ear tug at the end of the show. :: cerritoscenter.com
George Takei
November 12
Carpenter Performing Arts Center, 6200 Atherton St., Long Beach
You may know George Takei as Lt. Sulu from the 1960s television series “Star Trek.” You may know him from his lively and humorous Twitter and Facebook accounts. You may know him from his activism for LGBT equality in America. You may know him from his recent Broadway turn in “Allegiance” and advocacy work for Japanese Americans sent to internment camps during World War II. Now get to know Takei even better as he takes to the stage and shares stories of his life. When he was 5 years old, Takei was sent with his family to an internment camp in Arkansas, where they lived in tarpaper barracks under the watchful eye of guards in towers armed with machine guns. He began acting on the stage and in film and TV in the 1950s, but his breakthrough came in the groundbreaking “Star Trek.” Takei made history in 2008 when he and his longtime partner, Brad Altman, became the first same-sex couple to apply for a marriage license in West Hollywood. A natural storyteller, Takei’s rich and colorful experiences are sure to make for a lively evening. :: carpenterarts.org
The Right Moves
2016 Laguna Dance Festival
September 21-25
Laguna Playhouse, 606 Laguna Canyon Road, Laguna Beach
Dance lovers will have a chance to sample diverse works by a trio of companies showcased in this year’s Laguna Dance Festival. MacArthur fellow Kyle Abraham and his company. Abraham.In.Motion, will kick off the festival, performing “Pavement,” which reimagines John Singleton’s 1991 film “Boyz N the Hood,” the dance fuses hip-hop, contemporary dance and ballet into an emotional piece. The contemporary dance company BalletX of Philadelphia has presented more than 50 world premieres since it was founded just over 10 years ago. Known for its inventive and challenging choreography that pushes the boundaries of classical ballet, BalletX will join with the Los Angeles troupe Bodytraffic for a combined show and will close the festival with an individual performance. :: lagunadancefestival.org
BodyTraffic
October 15
Musco Center for the Arts, Chapman University, 1 University Drive, Orange
Orange Country favorite BodyTraffic can be counted on to bring deep emotion, humor and wit to its finely choreographed dance performances. The Los Angeles-based dance troupe was formed in 2007 by Lillian Barbeito and Tina Finkelman Berkett and six years later was named to Dance Magazine’s “25 to Watch” list. BodyTraffic will be performing for the first time at Chapman University’s new Musco Center. If you haven’t already seen the new $82 million facility, which opened in March, come early and explore the luscious new center.
:: muscocenter.org
Festival Ballet Theatre: “The Secret Garden”
October 15-16
Irvine Barclay Theatre, 4242 Campus Drive, Irvine
For more than 100 years, Frances Hodgson Burnett’s “The Secret Garden” has enchanted readers with its tale of an orphaned girl who is sent to live with her distant uncle and discovers a mysterious, neglected garden behind a wall that she tends to with her sickly cousin. Festival Ballet Theatre brings to life the classic tale of loss, discovery and love. The production features choreography by Josie Walsh, who attended Westside Ballet School in Santa Monica and went on to dance with the Joffrey Ballet. “The Secret Garden,” which blends contemporary and classical ballet, also features an original cinematic score by Paul Rivera Jr. and multimedia scenic design by David Bazemore. :: festivalballet.org :: thebarclay.org
Mikhailovsky Ballet: “Le Corsair”
November 18-20
Segerstrom Center for the Arts, 600 Town Center Drive, Costa Mesa
The Mikhailovsky Ballet of St. Petersburg returns to the Segerstrom Center for the Arts for the first time in two years with a new program that includes the classic Russian ballet “Le Corsaire.” The ballet, inspired by Lord Byron’s 1814 poem “The Corsair,” revolves around the pirate Conrad and his pursuit for a young slave, Medora. The two-act production will feature principal dancer Ivan Vasiliev, known for his explosive leaps and magnetic charm on stage. This will be the ballet company’s only California stop on its 2016 tour. :: scfta.org
The Jazz Effect
Soka Jazz Festival
September 23-25
Soka Performing Arts Center, 1 University Circle, Aliso Viejo
Romero Lubambo, Nilson Matta and Duduka Da Fonseca came together more than 25 years ago to form Trio Da Paz and have been redefining Brazilian jazz ever since. The band’s seven albums showcase distinctive musical rhythms, sometimes called “samba jazz.” The trio will play three shows at the Soka Jazz Festival. The festival concludes with Grammy-nominated jazz pianist and composer Geoffrey Keezer, who will be joined by vibraphonist Joe Locke, Hawaiian slack-key guitarist Keola Beamer and singers Denise Donatelli and Gillian Margot. :: soka.edu/pac/
Jazz Weekend
October 7-9
Segerstrom Center for the Arts, 600 Town Center Drive, Costa Mesa
The SF Jazz Collective is an octet of top-tier musicians and composers whose mission is to create and perform original compositions as well as pay tribute to past artists’ songs. Their featured artist this year is Michael Jackson, but for Jazz Weekend, the collective will pay tribute to Miles Davis in addition to playing their own works. Also on the bill is Jazz 100, which will celebrate the works of Dizzy Gillespie, Ella Fitzgerald, Mongo Santamaria and Thelonious Monk. On Saturday, tenor saxophonist Kamasi Washington and his band The Next Step will play songs from Washington’s acclaimed album “The Epic.” Many know Washington’s sound from his collaboration with Kendrick Lamar on “To Pimp a Butterfly.” The weekend closes with Wynton Marsalis and Jazz at Lincoln Center and opening act singer-drummer Jamison Ross. :: scfta.org
Boney James
October 14
Hyatt Regency Newport Beach, 1107 Jamboree Road, Newport Beach
Boney James started out as a clarinet player but switched to saxophone when he was 10 – and legions of fans are happy he did. Born James Oppenheim, he got the nickname “Boney” when he was in his 20s because of his wiry frame (those early gigs didn’t pay a lot). The four-time Grammy-nominated saxophonist has several multiplatinum albums, the latest, “futuresoul,” released last year. James bring his smooth jazz to the Hyatt Regency Concert Series. :: series.hyattconcerts.com
