Essential Arts & Culture: Our spring arts preview, more silence from MOCA, a feminist 'Shrew' by Carolina A. Miranda

Spring has sprung! And we've got previews, new plays, more MOCA stonewalling and Chicano everything. I'm Carolina A. Miranda, staff writer with the Los Angeles Times, with the week's top cul…

SOURCE: Los Angeles Times at 4:30pm on March 23, 2018[SHARE]

Essential Arts & Culture: Is the border art? Plus, L.A. Phil's 100th, Jasper Johns and 'Doggie Hamlet' by Carolina A. Miranda

Border walls as art and Hamlet with dogs. Southern California can never be accused of being boring. I'm Carolina A. Miranda, staff writer at the Los Angeles Times, with your weekly dose all …

SOURCE: Los Angeles Times at 7:45pm on February 9, 2018[SHARE]

Essential Arts & Culture: Art and the West, L.A.'s queer Chicano networks, Harry Potter architecture by Carolina A. Miranda

It's the most wonderful time of the week " when the Essential Arts newsletter hits your inbox! I'm Carolina A. Miranda, staff writer for the Los Angeles Times, and I just wanted to take the …

SOURCE: Los Angeles Times at 6:00am on December 23, 2017[SHARE]

Essential Arts & Culture: Museums facing fires, Misty Copeland onstage, and Broadway's new 'Hamilton' by Carolina A. Miranda

Fires and art. Misty Copeland lands in Southern California. And a new lead for "Hamilton." I'm Carolina A. Miranda, staff writer for the Los Angeles Times, with the week's most important cul…

SOURCE: Los Angeles Times at 3:45pm on December 8, 2017[SHARE]

Essential Arts & Culture: Special Thanksgiving edition, starring Donna Summer, William Kentridge and tattoos by Carolina A. Miranda

The season of mashed potatoes and gluten-free vegan nut loaf is upon us! I'm Carolina A. Miranda, staff writer for the Los Angeles Times, with a special advance edition of everything that's …

SOURCE: Los Angeles Times at 9:00am on November 23, 2017[SHARE]

Essential Arts & Culture: The theater-TV nexus, a new CEO at the LA Phil, an art collection comes to light by Carolina A. Miranda

"November " with uncanny witchery in its changed trees. With murky red sunsets flaming in smoky crimson behind the westering hills." That's a little somethin' somethin' from L.M. Montgomery'…

SOURCE: Los Angeles Times at 3:15pm on November 17, 2017[SHARE]

Essential Arts & Culture: The new MacArthur winners, Gehry's Bilbao effect, Springsteen on Broadway by Carolina A. Miranda

The new MacArthur winners. Springsteen does the Great White Way. And a look at what made Frank Gehry's Guggenheim Bilbao such a hit. I'm Carolina A. Miranda, staff writer with the Los Angele…

SOURCE: Los Angeles Times at 11:00pm on October 13, 2017[SHARE]

In a sold-out L.A. show, J Balvin keeps the crowd on its feet with fluid reggaeton beats and a message of unity by Carolina A. Miranda

As soon as the lights dimmed at the Microsoft Theater on Sunday night, the screaming began. And it lasted " at varying levels " for practically the entire two-hour run of J Balvin's sold-out…

SOURCE: Los Angeles Times at 4:55pm on October 10, 2017[SHARE]

The 1910 bombing of the Los Angeles Times has been the subject of books and film. Now it's a bus tour by Carolina A. Miranda

The weapon: 16 sticks of dynamite and a windup alarm clock. The target: The old Los Angeles Times building, an 1886 brick-and-granite edifice known as "the fortress," on Broadway and First S…

SOURCE: Los Angeles Times at 4:45pm on September 22, 2017[SHARE]

Essential Arts & Culture: Yo-Yo Ma seduces; PST: LA/LA officially lifts off; mourning a theater innovator by Carolina A. Miranda

A searing cello solo. Latin American art takes over Los Angeles. And the passing of a great man of the stage. I'm Carolina A. Miranda, staff writer for the Los Angeles Times, with the week's…

SOURCE: Los Angeles Times at 1:45am on September 15, 2017[SHARE]

Has former NEA target Ron Athey bled enough for his art? He's back with a new happening at the Broad by Carolina A. Miranda

The L.A. artist known for performances that employ the body and blood in visceral ways (and for drawing the ire of conservatives) is organizing a performance series at the Broad.

SOURCE: Los Angeles Times at 5:00am on August 25, 2017[SHARE]

Essential Arts & Culture: 'Hamilton' opens, the debate over Confederate monuments, Mozart reimagined by Carolina A. Miranda

A small matter of a musical about that guy named Alex on the $10 bill. Our Confederate monument legacy. And an energizing Mozart opera in Austria. I'm Carolina A. Miranda, staff writer for t…

SOURCE: Los Angeles Times at 7:40pm on August 18, 2017[SHARE]

Essential Arts & Culture: Reconsidering intermission, design per the NRA, L.A.'s last adult cinemas by Carolina A. Miranda

It's a hot one, but thankfully we have plenty of cool reads. This includes an essay that looks at the purpose of intermission, another that looks at how architecture is presented by the Nati…

SOURCE: Los Angeles Times at 8:50pm on July 7, 2017[SHARE]

Essential Arts & Culture: Frida as opera, Julius Caesar continued, Taylor Mac's day-long songfest by Carolina A. Miranda

Frida Kahlo in opera. Beyond the "Julius Caesar" controversy. And 24 hours of song. I'm Carolina A. Miranda, staff writer at the Los Angeles Times, lover of hot coffee and burritos, with the…

SOURCE: Los Angeles Times at 4:25pm on June 23, 2017[SHARE]

Essential Arts & Culture: L.A. Phil wraps up the season, Tony Awards coming up, reconsidering Frank Lloyd Wright by Carolina A. Miranda

Los Angeles Philharmonic winds down the season. The Tony Awards offer plenty of drama. And Frank Lloyd Wright turns 150. I'm Carolina A. Miranda, staff writer with the Los Angeles Times, wit…

SOURCE: Los Angeles Times at 9:36pm on June 13, 2017[SHARE]

Essential Arts & Culture: Ojai's new musical direction, a bangin' Bartók, an innovative arts patron gets her due by Carolina A. Miranda

Ojai takes a jazzy turn. Yuja Wang takes on Bartók. And LACMA features the history of an unsung Los Angeles gallery. Plus: the future of the movie theater, as well as the arts scene in Me…

SOURCE: Los Angeles Times at 11:00am on June 3, 2017[SHARE]

Essential Arts & Culture: The new Marciano museum, the Center Theatre Group at 50, LACMA's museum-rethink by Carolina A. Miranda

New museums! Big retirements! Schubert and Beethoven and some fellas from Jersey. I'm Carolina A. Miranda, staff writer for the Los Angeles Times, with the week's tastiest culture stories: L…

SOURCE: Los Angeles Times at 10:40pm on May 26, 2017[SHARE]

Essential Arts & Culture: Björk-apalooza, a master of theater, architecting L.A.'s newest museum by Carolina A. Miranda

We've got Björk. We've got the legendary theater director Peter Brook. We have a 24-hour party for Lou Harrison and the architect behind the Marciano Art Foundation. I'm Carolina A. Miranda…

SOURCE: Los Angeles Times at 5:30pm on May 19, 2017[SHARE]

Essential Arts: The Divine Miss M, an Ibsen sequel, everything Icelandic and charging bulls by Carolina A. Miranda

We've got Dolly. We've got groundhogs. And we've got Icelandic music and prickly architects. I'm Carolina A. Miranda, staff writer for the Los Angeles Times, with the week's most necessary c…

SOURCE: Los Angeles Times at 8:00am on April 22, 2017[SHARE]

Essential Arts & Culture: 'The Encounter's' circular time, L.A. Phil's Icelandic time, Center Theater Group's anniversary time by Carolina A. Miranda

It's been a busy art week " with stellar plays, Icelandic music and art exhibitions that feature overlooked women. I'm Carolina A. Miranda, staff writer at the Los Angeles Times, with your h…

SOURCE: Los Angeles Times at 8:05pm on April 14, 2017[SHARE]

Essential Arts & Culture: Luminous canvases, a mirrored house and all the 'Hamilton' you can handle by Carolina A. Miranda

A painter's light-filled turn. A reflective desert house. And "Hamilton" arrives in San Francisco. I'm Carolina A. Miranda, staff writer for the Los Angeles Times, with all the best cultural…

SOURCE: Los Angeles Times at 11:40am on April 1, 2017[SHARE]

Curator Nato Thompson shines a light on art and the culture wars in 'Culture as Weapon' by Carolina A. Miranda

We live in an era in which image memes are lobbed as political salvos. In which security is "theater" and defining who controls the "narrative" in a world of facts and alternative facts is t…

SOURCE: Los Angeles Times at 12:00pm on March 22, 2017[SHARE]

Essential Arts & Culture: 'Zoot Suit' anew, art and the travel ban, Jimmie Durham's timely sculptures by Carolina A. Miranda

Art, theater, music and performance that resonate with this tumultuous moment in world history. I'm Carolina A. Miranda, staff writer at the Los Angeles Times, and your friendly neighb…

SOURCE: Los Angeles Times at 7:45pm on February 3, 2017[SHARE]

Essential Arts & Culture: NEA threats, the Lucas museum vision, minimalist music and the return of Zubin Mehta by Carolina A. Miranda

Oh, the brave new world that has such people in it! The big day, Donald Trump's inauguration, has come and gone. We're looking at a variety of stories that are related and not " from t…

SOURCE: Los Angeles Times at 6:00am on January 21, 2017[SHARE]

Essential Arts & Culture: Getting minimal at MOCA, John Berger's passing, adapting August Wilson by Carolina A. Miranda

Happy New Year, Los Angelistas! I'm Carolina A. Miranda, staff writer for the Los Angeles Times, with reports on everything from composer Terry Riley at MOCA to the drama of George Lucas'…

SOURCE: Los Angeles Times at 10:35pm on January 6, 2017[SHARE]