All stories by Richard S. Ginell on BroadwayStars

Sunday, March 24, 2019

Review: L.A. Opera’s ‘Moses’ finds its sonic power with the voice of the community by Richard S. Ginell

In 2007, Los Angeles Opera launched an outreach project that has turned into an annual tradition: The company took over the Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels and staged Britten’s “Noah…

SOURCE: Los Angeles Times at 03:40PM
Sunday, March 3, 2019

Review: It took 228 years, but L.A. Opera’s ‘Clemency of Titus’ proves worth the wait by Richard S. Ginell

Los Angeles Opera is a Mozart house, as any world-class house would be, and over three decades, the company has staged all of the genius’ seven major operas except one. James Conlon, the c…

SOURCE: Los Angeles Times at 05:30PM
Thursday, April 20, 2017

Gaechinger Cantorey brings a new name and spellbinding sound to Disney Hall by Richard S. Ginell

The name Gaechinger Cantorey might strike Baroque music enthusiasts as a typo. In fact, as of this season, it is the new spelling of Gaechinger Kantorei, the pioneering choral group founded …

SOURCE: Los Angeles Times at 06:00PM
Sunday, April 2, 2017

The real headliner of the concert: alphorns, blowing a whirlwind of dark emotion through Disney Hall by Richard S. Ginell

The headline on the concert tickets and on the Los Angeles Philharmonic’s website read “Mirga Conducts Mozart and Haydn.” The usual safe practices of marketing are responsible for that…

SOURCE: Los Angeles Times at 05:50PM
Sunday, March 26, 2017

Brahms played brilliantly, with an L.A. back story to boot: Christoph Eschenbach at Disney Hall by Richard S. Ginell

An awful lot of Brahms has been performed around town lately for no particular reason, and Christoph Eschenbach — fresh off a local appearance last month with the touring Bamberg Symphony …

SOURCE: Los Angeles Times at 04:55PM
Sunday, March 5, 2017

L.A. Phil delivers a dazzling reimagining of 'Nixon in China' by Richard S. Ginell

Very few works can claim to have launched a trend, but John Adams' "Nixon in China" certainly can. A wag called it "CNN Headline Opera," a somewhat pejorative tag that didn't stick. But the …

SOURCE: Los Angeles Times at 12:20AM
Thursday, February 2, 2017

Lang Lang packs Disney Hall for concert that's part thrill ride, part romantic swoon by Richard S. Ginell

The musical path of Lang Lang continues to zigzag all over the place.  The 34-year-old Chinese pianist released a concept album last September called “New York Rhapsody” in which he mos…

SOURCE: Los Angeles Times at 04:20PM
Friday, January 6, 2017

Bramwell Tovey and Ray Chen deliver fun and fire for fans at Disney Hall by Richard S. Ginell

Walt Disney Concert Hall looked almost full Thursday night, suggesting that some of Bramwell Tovey’s loyal Hollywood Bowl following may have followed him to downtown L.A. for his gig ther…

SOURCE: Los Angeles Times at 03:15PM
Thursday, October 27, 2016

Hilary Hahn and Robert Levin, solo and together at Disney Hall by Richard S. Ginell

Sometimes it takes time for a concert to settle in and become interesting. Such was the case at the joint recital of violinist Hilary Hahn and pianist Robert Levin  on Wednesday night in Wa…

SOURCE: Los Angeles Times at 03:25PM
Wednesday, October 19, 2016

Renée Fleming and Emerson String Quartet bring some obscure music to light at Disney Hall by Richard S. Ginell

Far from contemplating retirement, Renée Fleming is busy pursuing esoteric ideas away from the opera stage. Audiences can only hope there will be more to come like the unusual program that …

SOURCE: Los Angeles Times at 04:15PM
Sunday, June 19, 2016

Michael Feinstein and Pasadena Pops open their summer season by Richard S. Ginell

Michael Feinstein opened his fourth season as principal conductor of the Pasadena Pops on Saturday night pretty much the way he opened his first season in 2013. The specific theme may have b…

SOURCE: Los Angeles Times at 10:50PM
Monday, May 16, 2016

L.A. Opera delivers some Parisian déjà vu in 'La Bohème' by Richard S. Ginell

Did it ever occur to film and theater director Herbert Ross that his 1993 production of Puccini’s “La Bohème” for Los Angeles Opera — his first of an opera for anyone — would end…

SOURCE: Los Angeles Times at 06:24AM
Sunday, March 20, 2016

A rare opera moment: Plácido Domingo and Renée Fleming at L.A. Opera show what might have been by Richard S. Ginell

In May 2014, Plácido Domingo and Renée Fleming flew into town to help Domingo’s Los Angeles Opera close the 2013-14 season. The unwary might have thought that the two superstars were goi…

SOURCE: Los Angeles Times at 04:46PM
Monday, March 23, 2015

A by-the-book 'Marriage of Figaro' from Los Angeles Opera by Richard S. Ginell

Los Angeles Opera's journey through playwright Pierre Beaumarchais' Figaro trilogy opened with John Corigliano's expansion of Part 3 of the story, "The Guilty Mother," in "The Ghosts of Vers…

SOURCE: Los Angeles Times at 07:00AM
Sunday, February 8, 2015

Opera 'Ghosts of Versailles' may live forever by Richard S. Ginell

Some of the greatest operas are also the most difficult to shove into a narrow category. Others have layer upon layer, which makes them endlessly fascinating.

SOURCE: Los Angeles Times at 10:20PM
Monday, September 8, 2014

Michael Feinstein leads Pasadena Pops to 'New York, New York' by Richard S. Ginell

When the Pasadena Pops quickly signed Michael Feinstein to be its principal Pops conductor in 2013 following the death of his predecessor, Marvin Hamlisch, it looked like a coup and a gamble.

SOURCE: Los Angeles Times at 09:30AM
Monday, June 17, 2013

Review: Ernest Bloch's 'Macbeth' a welcome treat by Long Beach Opera by Richard S. Ginell

For all of the attention lavished upon West Coast composers lately, one who has mostly escaped the net is Ernest Bloch.

SOURCE: Los Angeles Times at 01:15PM
Sunday, June 2, 2013

Review: Michael Feinstein strikes up the band with Pasadena Pops by Richard S. Ginell

Singer-pianist Michael Feinstein made his first appearance as principal pops conductor of the Pasadena Pops on Saturday night at the L.A. County Arbortetum — and thereby hangs a tale.

SOURCE: Los Angeles Times at 05:16PM
Monday, May 20, 2013

Review: With 'Dulce Rosa,' L.A. Opera takes its show on the road by Richard S. Ginell

While the proposed “subway to the sea” may be decades away if it ever comes, Los Angeles Opera isn’t waiting for it to happen.  

SOURCE: Los Angeles Times at 04:57PM
Thursday, April 4, 2013

Review: A new Cinderella at Los Angeles Opera makes an impression by Richard S. Ginell

Los Angeles Opera wheeled into its final three performances of Rossini’s “Cinderella” Wednesday night with a new Cinderella toiling amid her cadre of lovable, helpful rats.…

SOURCE: Los Angeles Times at 04:30PM
Sunday, September 23, 2012

Review: L.A. Opera's 'Don Giovanni' upholds tradition expertly by Richard S. Ginell

Los Angeles Opera’s indefatigable music director, James Conlon, always has something provocative or insightful to say, both in his pre-opera lectures and in his program notes. In the c…

SOURCE: Los Angeles Times at 06:16PM

All that Chat

2023-2024 BROADWAY SEASON
May 30, 2023: Grey House - Lyceum Theatre
Jun 26, 2023: Just For Us - Hudson Theatre
Jul 24, 2023: The Cottage - Hayes Theater
Nov 16, 2023: Spamalot - St. James Theatre
Dec 18, 2023: Appropriate - Hayes Theater
Mar 07, 2024: Doubt - Todd Haimes Theatre
Apr 14, 2024: Lempicka - Longacre Theatre
Apr 17, 2024: The Wiz - Marquis Theatre
Apr 18, 2024: Suffs - Music Box Theatre
Apr 25, 2024: Mother Play - Hayes Theater
Jun 10, 2024: The Drama Desk Awards