I just saw The Phantom of the Opera at the Hollywood Pantages Theatre, and wow--I was absolutely…read moreblown away. The entire production was stunning. From the gorgeous costumes to the seamless scene transitions, every detail was beautifully executed. The set design and overall production quality were truly spectacular, and I thoroughly enjoyed every moment. The sound quality was excellent. I could clearly understand everything the actors were saying, even from my seat in the back of the Orchestra section. The live orchestra was phenomenal--the music was absolutely beautiful and added so much emotion and energy to the performance. The theater itself is gorgeous. During intermission, I walked upstairs to take in the entire space, and I was in awe of how beautiful and grand the venue is. It's worth taking a few minutes to explore and appreciate the architecture. I sat in the Orchestra section, Section ZZ, right by the aisle. While the seats were still enjoyable, my view was partially obstructed by the overhang from the upper level. There was also a scene involving the iconic chandelier where I wished I had been seated a bit closer so I could fully appreciate the effect and see more of the theater from that perspective. Intermission was about 20 minutes long, which gave everyone enough time to stretch, explore the theater, and grab refreshments. They offer a full bar, wine, snacks like candy and pretzels, and souvenirs are also available for purchase during intermission. One tip: as soon as intermission begins, head straight to the women's restroom. I was able to get there right away and was first in line. Within minutes, the line became incredibly long! The employees were also incredibly friendly and professional. They did a great job ensuring guests stayed off their phones so the bright screens wouldn't distract others during the performance. I also appreciated that once the show started, late seating was held for approximately the first 10 minutes to minimize disruptions. After that, guests were allowed to enter and exit as needed. Even with the partially obstructed view, the performance was so incredible that it didn't take away from the overall experience. If you're planning to attend, I would recommend sitting a little closer if your budget allows. Regardless, it's an unforgettable experience, and I can't wait to return to the Hollywood Pantages for another show.

I've been many many times, but have not been since before COVID…read more The dress code had def gone down hill. I saw a man with swim trunks, a beer shirt, and running's shoes and then a girl with a crop top and athletic leggings and crocs. Then the bathrooms. They're always a mess at inter Mission but they need all-gender bathrooms. Just a few for those who identity as the opposite sex. I'm all for you doing you, but I don't want to share a public bathroom with a male. Just as I don't want to share gender specific sports. This isn't a club or bar... this is an elegant setting. There's a big difference. Otherwise, the show was great!

Well, first and foremost I would like to thank the whole entire crew and staff members at this…read morebeautiful venue that has caused & delivered so many memorable, excellent, fantastic pleasures over the decades to so many people from around the world!! I have been to the LA Philharmonic Walt Disney Concert Hall several times to see/hear different genres of music from ballet, to symphony, to jazz, and of course classical music, and during the holidays they give a great performance by their choir. Those of you who know me, know I love classical music and do have my favorite composers: Chopin, Vivaldi and Mozart. On Sunday, March 29th at 7:30pm my friend and I went to see Strauss, Bruch, & Moussa's elegant, classy performance that shook up the whole entire venue and the audience. It was just MAGNIFICENT! 10/10 The venue itself is STUNNING! Glamorous and easy to navigate all the aisles. Our seats were very comfortable and you can see the stage from any corner/angle since the theatre is not that big. Also has balcony seating. Tickets were $50 a piece not including tax. It has a beautiful gift shop, garden, different restaurants all around the building, and a small store where you can purchase some beverages and snacks. Overall, a GREAT performance and we both had a lovely time. Parking is $10 with few an entrances and few restrooms for both men & women. Thank you all for another AWESOME performance!! Will definitely return again next time I get a brochure or pamphlet in my mail.

Went here couple months ago back and it was quite excellent and an experience to remember for sure…read more The architecture outside was are all metal and inside are all wood. The surrounding is mini park that have many different theme sections to be discover prior or after the show. Excellent and ordinary group of musicians and with great leader conductor...make a great musics in a great warm and cozy setting. Seat are okey, not comfort but good enough to endure the whole show. Love the layout that literally using all spaces for guests to enjoys the music in the given space.

The newly remodeled outdoor downtown LA pavilion is so pretty, it will take your breath away. And…read moreso will the low cost underground self-parking (only $10, which has got to be the best deal in town). The huge courtyard with giant fountain spans the three theatres there -- the Mark Taper, the Ahmanson (both for plays and musicals), and the mighty Dorothy Chandler (for opera and ballet). It's massive! We were there for the new Philip Glass opera, ancient Egypt's Akhnaten. Lots of Queen Nefertiti cosplay so it's worth getting there early for the people watching. Seats are impossibly pricey, so it may be a one-time thing but I'd say worth it. Our front row seats (but on the side so you miss a tiny, tiny bit of the stage) were about $200 each. The Dorothy Chandler is huge so you may need your (appropriately named) opera glasses if you're up in the hinterland. For most operas, there are "supertitles" above the stage which translate what you're watching. Robbie Yelp tip on food -- the sit-down restaurants on and adjacent to the plaza are super pricey. Instead, do this: the Mullin Wine Bar is right there on the pavilion. For two to share, get one pizza and one charcuterie plate. Both are delicious and filling; that's $50. Add drinks and you're getting close to a hundo, but it is what it is. Take your food and drinks out into the plaza for people watching until the opera bell rings. O sole mio!

Had a great first experience at the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion last month. Oftentimes, my visit to…read morethe area have been to the Walt Disney Concert Hall for the LA Phil (and usually Vespaio afterwards), the MOCA, or to The Broad. Recently, I was here for LA Opera Verdi's Falstaff. Previous to this visit, I have never been to an opera only performance, besides having one as part of a concert at the Walt Disney Concert Hall or watching them on PBS. I read the summary first prior to attending and all the information provided on the website was very helpful (from parking, opera summary, etc.), especially for first time visitors. Despite a road closure nearby, it was still pretty easy to get into the parking structure and walk over to the Pavilion. We arrived early to pick up your tickets and use the restroom prior to the performance. With any "subtitles", they often tend to be to the side, so I often had to look to the right and back to the stage to understand what they were singing about. The stage did not look as big as I expected, but when the sets were switched, I was amazed at the beautiful sets and also how "grand" they looked from my seat. During the intermission, there were snacks and drinks one could purchase. I love that they also offered throat drops to the side, which some patrons should probably have used as they were coughing during the performance. The lines to the women's restroom were also coordinated, as if one was at Disneyland. We were lucky enough to zip through the roped-off lines early on before the lines really started to get long. We also stepped out for air prior to the intermission being over. There were "pre-" and "post-" performance talks and I wished that I was able to hear where the post-performance talk was going to be. I had left after the applause to hurry and use the restroom, so I missed the location announcement of the post-performance talks. Yes, I could have asked an employee but my friend had also already walked outside of the venue. The Music Center also had an "art" installation next door, in a small space so we also checked it out before we left. The performance was wonderful and the employees we encountered were very kind. It was easy to get to and from the venue, from the parking structure. It is a great location and would recommend a visit at least once.

I recently just watched a musical here at the Ahmanson Theatre here in Los Angeles…read more I've been here once before many years ago to watch Mary Poppins. I don't live too far away from here but it's always a trek coming down to downtown LA. And the tickets I received is said to park in the music center garage. Parking was $10 and really efficient. It took a while to get our bearings to find out where we could park and what was available. And at the very end, it was actually pretty efficient to get out of there as well. We're on level P6 and we were directed to go down towards the lower level and everything was very efficient to then come back up to the surface.. It's a beautiful venue. It's not huge, but they're able to make great use of the space. We sat in the balcony and got a great view and we were able to see everything fairly well. There are lots of concession stands throughout and you're even able to pre-order drinks and snacks and beverages for the intermission. Overall, it's a great venue, it's even closer to me than the Pantages, where they have a lot of other musicals as well. We caught a great show here too. This is definitely a hidden gem that I'll be excited to come back to again in the future when there are future events. Everything is so well organized and it was a great experience.

Been to Mama Mia with friends last week. Given that events like these easily add up to $200pP…read more(tickets, parking, a drink, no food) for mediocre seats, I was a bit put off by the poor sound. Venue, Ambiance and drink quality and service was as one would expect, but the sound was disappointing - we have seen better in this very venue.

Saturday night I went to the Invisible Cities Opera presented by The Industry and LA Dance Project…read more This was a show that I will be talking about for a long time! The concept is quite unique. The performers are scattered throughout Union Station. Sometimes blended in with the everyday public. Sometimes standing out in elaborate costumes. The audience members are given Sennheiser wireless headsets to listen to a live mix of orchestra and opera singers. We were encouraged to explore Union Station while the story unfolded. Dancers appeared out of nowhere and I'm looking at the public a little bit differently. Is this person standing next to me part of the performance? Maybe, maybe not. But I had a fun time trying to figure that out. ...and in a deep way, I guess everyone was part of the performance whether they knew it or not. Describing this experience, I would relate it to two things. You know when you're watching a musical film (or the show Glee) and the actors break into song with all the background actors engaging in a choreographed dance? Often times you think "Yeah, that never happens in real life!" Well, for me it did. I can also relate this experience to witnessing a flash mob that I knew was going to take place. Invisible Cities only has a few more show dates left which are sold out. But if they add more dates, I would recommend for everyone to jump at the chance at buying tickets because this is an experience you will never forget!

The Industry presents experimental productions merging "music, visual arts and performance to…read moreexpand the traditional definition of Opera and create a paradigm for interdisciplinary collaboration." Yes, I say! The last time I went to the Opera I had a 3 show subscription with Los Angeles Opera company 5 years ago. At the time Woody Allen, and David Cronenberg had created operas for the 2008 summer season. Allen's production received rave reviews. Sadly I opted for the David Cronenberg directed production of The Fly instead. Little did I know how UNfabulous the production could be, involving continuous dry humping nude love scenes, and the worst lyrics I have ever heard in my life. "And his arms and his limbs started to fall off......" My humiliation FOR the cast was all encompassing. Even when I later saw Carmen, which was staged beautifully with gorgeous costumes I wasn't very excited about it. I haven't given up on classical Opera, I just didn't enjoy my last experience so much. About 4 weeks ago: I am riding my daily commute via L.A. Metro bus and "transit tv" features a profile on The Industry's latest production Invisible Cities which combines opera and dance in coordination with LA Dance Project performed throughout Union Station with the audience utilizing wireless headphones. Almost immediately I am sold. I was fortunate and entirely grateful to be able to attend a free performance last Sunday after I took too long to buy tickets and the 3 week run quickly sold out. In director, Yuval Sharon's introduction to the performance he informs us that there is "no right way to view this performance." He asks us to allow everyone who is using the space to let it meet their needs, whether it is transit, or warmth and shelter. He also encourages us to share our headphones with passerbys and those who were not able to procure some for that very performance. He asks us to journey together and just experience Invisible Cities, without concern of missing something somewhere else in the station and that essentially this is by design a unique and fleeting experience. I find this divine. For me the performance was a joy. The joy of a beautiful public space becoming even more alive with music and dance to many's surprise as people passed through the station. The faces of my fellow audience members with intent as a dancer's kinetic energy was all of a sudden beside them and or all around them. The excitement of being in the middle of a scene as a singer is emoting and singing while staring into my eyes walking toward me. Me on the verge of tears. I am endlessly in love with Invisible Cities. I have a renewed interest in classical music and opera in particular thanks to the creative infusion of The Industry. Thank you kindly, I am feeling inspired for years to come. XXO

I went for the Glass, he went for the Kafka…read more May 5. While apparently the rest of the city was freely downing Cinco de Mayo tacos and tequila, we attended the final performance of the production of the opera In The Penal Colony at The Studio Theater CSULB. This is a fine small auditorium, well planned and comfortable. That comfort is essential for full attention to be given to the many aspects, somber and sober, of this excellent (with caveat) production. First, the raison d'être for my attending. I find that this opera is one of Philip Glass' most stunningly beautiful. The string quintet, though mounted out of sight, was the engine for this brilliant study of a killing "machine". The strong voices of tenor Doug Jones and baritone Zeffis Quinn Hollis were superb. I consider this an important work well developed and well measured by conductor Andreas Mitisek. I would not want to engage in criticism out of my realm. The book of Kafka's short stories is bedside awaiting me to pick it up. Somewhere along the line in the twentieth century, opera went slightly mad in its desire to stage productions that meet modern needs. (Next season's King Arthur [as a comic book superhero] by Henry Purcell in collaboration with whimsically juvenile-loving Musica Angelica arouses much curiosity. Get ready kids.) Kafka wrote of inhumanity and absurdity of humans over a hundred years ago. The added text from the student's ensemble personal incarcerations diminished that theme. There was an important point to make, no question, but youth personalized stories led to unanswered questions and reduced their message. Corral students freedom of speech, really? Really that's the kid's sugar treat. Poor staging revolved around stomping students many with muddy line delivery. Stage direction to place them behind a stark curtain (à la Julie Taymor, à la wayang kulit) and silent for ultimate expressiveness was inspired. Poorly developed as a Greek chorus but when given the opportunity to act, Morgan Pimental, John E. Pizzini, Matthew Limas and especially Mark Oliver ably shone through the ponderous choreography.

Long Beach Opera is a small company. Size doesn't matter. Most of the voices are good and the…read moreorchestra is stronger than their size would indicate. Their venue (the Terrace Theater) does not have the best acoustics, but they are doing edgier productions that what you see at the neighboring Los Angeles Opera. I am a fan.

I came for a lovely concert and had an amazing night…read more The area was very safe. Nothing was sketchy about the space despite it being downtown. Everyone was there for a good time! There was ample parking, and surprisingly, it didn't take long to get out, despite hundreds of attendees. I can't speak to the food or beverages because I don't recall any concessions at the event. I've been here on numerous occasions and I appreciate the city's dedication to keeping live performances alive, and FREE at that! There's always some sort of free event going on in this space. I do wish there was free parking, but it's downtown los angeles, so you can't ask for things like that there. But even with that said, it makes me appreciate the events being free even more, since we have to consider parking structure fees.

Review is for the food they have on site, since the restaurants have no place to view any reviews…read moreon them. I feel it is my duty to warn others to not eat a the #PlazaGrill!! For the love of god DON'T eat here. $25 for the world's driest and flavorless burger with a side of fries? Nope, a side of one pepperoncini. That price includes my $8, 20 oz bottle of soda. $8!!!! $18 for a can of agua Fresca that I saw someone else get and they were so disappointed. Prices are listed but you would think for $25 ($17 for the burger and individual chili) that burger would hit. Save your money and look elsewhere. At our table a grilled cheese was also ordered and it looked so sad. -2 stars.

Lack luster emoting, repetitive choreography, and a failure in capture the true feeling and wonder…read moreof Balanchine master piece

5pm show. Parked at…read moreBOA building level E, where the cool people park. 3 hours free EV charging, thank you ChargePoint. Check in at CO level, where all ticket holders wait before being directed towards the entrance. Show was amazing! Will be at opening night for the next 3 productions. Great being close to the dancers, and the treats during the nutcracker was fabulous. Enjoyed singing with a couple of musicians after the show, and it was great meeting a couple of the dancers.