Recovered Voices and the LA Opera

While so much vapidness comes out of the Entertainment Industry which dominates this city, it's important to remember that Los Angeles in another way is a cultural leader, with a world class Opera.

I was so fortunate to see The Broken Jug and The Dwarf this weekend. These two short operas are part of the Recovered Voices program brought to us by Music Director James Conlon. By championing music that was suppressed or lost due to the upheaval of World War 2, Conlon has brought new recognition and appreciation for composers such as Vicktor Ullman who died at Auschwitz and Alexander Zemlinsky, who had to flee Berlin and Vienna and died in Manhattan in 1942.

The Dwarf was absolutely sublime, from the moving story to the luscious sets and costumes to the pitch perfect singing of Susan B. Anthony and Mary Dunleavy.

And next year we finally will have The Ring cycle...excellent!