Author: Mona Day

RELISH A COASTAL CULINARY WEEKEND!

Mona Day Dine , , ,

Orange County’s highly anticipated food wine and spirits experience RELISH will return for its second annual celebration on October 2-4  at  VEA Newport Beach.  The  three-day weekend culinary extravaganza is a  luxury destination event that highlights the coastal charm and culinary sophistication of the Newport Beach region featuring celebrated chefs, master sommeliers and top spirits experts. With a  star-studded  lineup that includes celebrity chefs Geoffrey Zakarian, Scott Conant, Sherry Yard, Kat Turner, Afrim Pristine and Katie Chin, RELISH promises food and beverage enthusiasts an unforgettable, world-class epicurean weekend.

The weekend kicks off Friday at VEA Newport Beach with the Opening Night Cocktail Party & Grand Tasting, an evening of chef-curated hors d’oeuvres, interactive food and drink pop-ups, hand-crafted cocktails and award-winning wines.  The kick-off preview of the weekend’s festivities provides guests to previous and and amingle with some of the nation’s top culinary and mixology talent and share the excitement of the weekend ahead.

The celebration continues with  RELISH After Hours, a private, after-hours setting for those seeking to continue the extraordinary evening. Guests will enjoy lively music, one-on-one opportunities with celebrated chef talent, and a  curated selection of premium spirits, wines, and artisanal cocktails.

Saturday starts your day with Fashion + Food at Bloomies with an exclusive opportunity to meet Chef Geoffrey Zakarian and Chef Scott Conant at ANQI at Bloomingdale’s South Coast Plaza. In this luncheon experience, guests will take their taste buds on a gastronomic adventure while learning the artistry behind world-class food and drink in an intimate environment. 

Saturday afternoon continues with The Art of Cheese & Wine at The Park Club, a tasting journey through exceptional artisanal cheeses guided by acclaimed Maitre Fromager Afrim Pristine, a leading authority on cheeses. 

Also on Saturday afternoon, you can master your knife skills with a private hands-on training at a Knife Class with Wolfe Cutlery  with limited attendance.

For dinner, join Chef Geoffrey Zakarian, Chef Scott Conant, and Pastry Chef Sherry Yard for the RELISH Culinary Icons Dinner at The Park Club, an exclusive one-night-only gastronomy. Savor an intimate, multi-course dining that showcases the chefs’ signature flavors and creativity.

Sunday starts with the RELISH Sunday Brunch, a celebration of culinary creativity, where sweet and savory flavors come together in imaginative and unexpected combinations. Featuring Sherry Yard, Kat Turner, Afrim Pristine, and more, it promises to be a feast for the senses.

The event concludes with RELISH Wellness, a revitalizing retreat to nourish both body and mind, that  combines mindfulness and refreshing cuisine alongside immersive activities led by wellness experts creating balance, intention and renewal. As a restorative close to the weekend, it promises to  leave guests feeling invigorated, inspired and connected.

RELISH partners and premier sponsors include VEA Newport Beach, The Park Club, Moët & Chandon, Veuve Clicquot, Visit Newport Beach, Kaiser Permanente, South Coast Plaza, Travel Costa Mesa, Bloomingdale’s, Golden Eagle Vodka, Le Creuset, Salumi Levoni, Expedia Travel, Melissa’s Produce, Bouchaine Vineyards, ZD Wines, Austin Hope Wines, Riboli Family Wines and more. 

For individual tickets and event packages please visit www.relishfoodwine.com. For the latest event updates, chef spotlights and behind-the-scenes glimpses, follow @relishfoodwine  on Instagram.

3rd Annual Manhattan Beach Food & Wine

Mona Day Chefs, Dine, Food & Wine Events, Restaurants

Time to Plan Your Plate!

The much anticipated two-night culinary celebration 3rd Annual Manhattan Beach Food & Wine will return to its new home at westdrift Manhattan Beach on Friday, September 25 and 26 at 7pm, with a Delta VIP early entry pass at 6pm.

Each evening will feature  a Grand Tasting with an all-star lineup of 23 top chefs and restaurants, wineries, premier spirits, handcrafted cocktails, craft breweries, and non-alcoholic options;  live entertainment and brand activations add to the fun.  Both Tastings begin at 7pm, with a Delta VIP early entry an hour earlier at 6pm.

The Greater Los Angeles chef roster includes event host Neal Fraser (Redbird • Vibiana), Vartan Abgaryan (Momed), Kasra Adjani (Google), Yoshiyasu Aiba (Sushi Roku in Manhattan Beach), Deau Aprapornnoparat (Holy Basil), Jose Baca (westdrift in Manhattan Beach), Brendan Collins (BOA Steakhouse in Manhattan Beach), Shaun Dry (Rock’N Fish in Manhattan Beach), Susan Feniger (Alice B. • Border Grill • Socalo), Marco Gagliardi (Josephine), Ray Garcia (Broken Spanish Comedor), Jeffray Gardner (Marsatta Chocolate in Torrance), Anthony Greco (Porto’s Bakery), Joel Hammond (Uchi West Hollywood), Ray Hayashi (Ryla in Hermosa Beach), Imran Khan (Fitoor), Ludo Lefebvre (Petit Trois), David LeFevre (Fishing with Dynamite • MB Post • The Arthur J • Ryla • AttaGirl in Manhattan Beach and Hermosa Beach), Lord Maynard Llera (Kuya Lord), Christy Lucchese (Wife and the Somm), Raphael Lunetta (Lunetta), Alice Mai (AttaGirl in Hermosa Beach), Jayro Martinez (Top of the V in Anaheim), Chris Park (The Strand House in Manhattan Beach), Wendy Pomerantz (Bertha Mae’s Brownie Co.), Michael Reed (Poppy + Rose • Poppy & Seed), Ligia Rossi (République), Steve Samson (Rossoblu), Alan Sanz (Mirate • Daisy Margarita Bar), Frank Ryan Saporito (Wife and the Somm), Rudy Suazo (Maple Block Meat Co.), John Sungkamee (Emporium Thai • Emporium Thai Market), Oscar Torres (Verse), Dustin Trani (J. Trani’s • The Majestic • Trani’s Dockside Station), Sherry Yard (Bakery by the Yard in Manhattan Beach), and Culinary Careers Students (C•CAP).

Talent from outside California includes Dean Fearing (Fearing’s in Dallas, TX), Ben Robinson (Bravo’s Below Deck in Fort Lauderdale, FL), Aarón Sánchez (Johnny Sánchez in New Orleans, LA), and Alex Seidel (Mercantile Dining & Provisions in Denver, CO).

Wineries include Accolade Wines, Ascension Cellars, Au Bon Climat Winery, Bianchi Winery & Tasting Room, Cambria Winery, Cantara Cellars, DeLiese Cellars, Eberle Winery, Four Brix Winery, Giessinger Winery, Halter Ranch Vineyard, Mystic Hills Vineyard, Navarro Vineyards, Opolo Vineyards, Rancho Ventavo Cellars, Vinemark Cellars, and Wedell Cellars. 

Poured alongside will be small-batch spirits like Jackson McCrea Whiskey and an array of craft brews, and cocktails by regional mixologists, and non-alcoholic innovators. 

The event  will be held at its new home at westdrift Manhattan Beach that sits on 26 acres, a convenient three miles from LAX.  The 393-room luxury resort features a nine-hole golf course, a  resort-style pool, CrossFit-inspired fitness center, and the JUTE Coastal Bar + Kitchen.  

Although the hotel provides self and valet parking options along with street parking, guests are encouraged to use transportation services as the event serves alcoholic beverages.  The hotel will be offering event packages, inviting guests to stay, sip, savor for a memorable weekend.

The event beneficiary is C•CAP, a workforce development nonprofit that provides underserved teens pathways to pursue careers in the restaurant and hospitality industry. Long co-chaired by chef Marcus Samuelsson,  C•CAP operates in 186  schools across the United States.

This year’s event partners  include Delta Air Lines as the official  Airline, westdrift Manhattan Beach as the official host hotel, San Pellegrino as the official water, Chef Works as the official hospitality apparel, Sub-Zero, Wolf, and Cove as the official kitchen appliance, and Southern California Restaurant Design Group as the official commercial kitchen designer.

For more information on this year’s 2026 Hotel Packages  www.ManhattanBeachFoodandWine.com.

Follow Manhattan Beach Food & Wine for the latest updates on:

Facebook: @ManhattanBeachFood&Wine

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TikTok: @mbfoodandwine

East L.A. Meets Napa 

Mona Day art, Chefs, Dine, Food & Wine Events, Restaurants

AltaMed Foundation will host its premier food and wine East L.A. Meets Napa in the grand ticket concourse of Los Angeles Union Station on Friday, July 31, 2026, marking over two decades of celebrating the profound impact of Latino vintners and chefs on California’s culinary landscape  while serving as a critical fundraiser to support AltaMed Health Services in providing quality healthcare to underserved communities across Southern California.

The culinary lineup of over 50 top-tier chefs serving gourmet samples includes Macheen, Porto’s Bakery, Yuca’s LA, King Taco, El Tepeyac Café, Chichen Itza, Guerrilla Tacos, Taco María, Coni’Seafood, and La Monarca Bakery. The expansive food pavilion also proudly features The Knotted Apron, Tortas Chago, Mama Cheesecake LA, El Paisa Colombian Restaurant, Arctic Penguinitis, La Fonda de Los Camperos, Tepeyac & Tequila, El Coraloense, La Huasteca, Ricardo’s Place, The Nixon Chops & Whiskey, Maestro Pasadena, Salazar Frogtown, Chalio’s Mexican Restaurant, and Juan’s Restaurante.

The viticultural pavilion will showcase highly regarded, family-owned estates pouring award-winning varietals.  The lineup includes Ceja Vineyards, Maldonado Family Vineyards, Renteria Wines, Robledo Family Winery, Aldina Vineyards, Bazán Cellars, Delgadillo Cellars, Encanto Vineyards, Herencia del Valle, Honrama Cellars, Justicia Wines, Llamas Family Wines, Mi Sueño Winery, Reynoso Family Vineyards, Rios Wine Company, Esfuerzo Wines, Lemus Family Wines, and Vintner’s Diary. 

A diverse selection of artisanal beverage creators will include craft spirits from Pochteca Spirits, premium blends from Señor Sangria  along with local craft breweries, 

Desserts will include signature Cuban pastries and cakes from Porto’s Bakery, traditional pan dulce and Mexican pastries from La Monarca Bakery,  gourmet bites from Mama Cheesecake, Mascarpone Cheesecakes,  conchas from Con Azucar Café, and frozen treats from Arctic Penguinitis.

Live musical acts will include contemporary Latin fusion and traditional sounds from world-renowned acts like Ozomatli,  classic Afro-Cuban beats and Latin jazz arrangements from  groups like Mongorama, alongside an array of local salsa bands, mariachi ensembles, and DJs spinning modern beats.

Curated exhibitions will showcase striking Chicano and Latino art, celebrating the deep-rooted creative spirit of the local community.  

Interactive photo booths,  multimedia step-and-repeats hosted by local corporate sponsors and and live wine-pairing demonstrations with master sommeliers add to the fun.

A VIP Reception at 6:00pm offers early entry, along with exclusive premium wine pours, intimate chef meet-and-greets, and a private lounge experience. The Main Event at 7:00pm grants full access to all standard food and wine tasting stations, live musical performances, and art pavilions.

All proceeds from ticket sales, auctions, and corporate sponsorships directly benefit the AltaMed Foundation, funding mobile medical units, community clinics, and bilingual health programs for families in need.

For updates, more information and tickets, please visit https://altamedfoodwine.org

Superstars of Paris

Mona Day Dance, See, stage

Paris Opera Ballet Étoile – principal dancer – Hugo Marchand will bring a lineup of the company’s principals and soloists to The Music Center’s Walt Disney Concert Hall Friday July 31 – Sunday August 2.

With a pedigree dating back to 1669 under Louis XIV, the Paris Opera Ballet is renowned for its breathtaking technique,  classical precision, beauty and artistry and commanding stage presence.  But for this much anticipated L.A. residency, the company’s celebrated Étoiles – principal dancers – will leave the  traditional grand stage to present a carefully curated intimate program that will feature powerful, intimate performances that showcase the elegance, artistry, and flawless technique of the company’s  top dancers, along with emotional depth and poetry. 

The program also showcase the difference between classic French and American and American contemporary styles, creating a cross-cultural dialogue. So there will be a French Pas de Deux with classical highlights that is the heritage of the Paris Opera, as well as American Pas de Deux, such as George Balanchine’s Sonatine, which will mix French lyricism with American neoclassical flair.  

The program will be augmented with live musicians, including star cellist Julie Sevilla Fraysse and pianist Elena Bonnay, that will highlight the connection between music and movement.

Delibes Suite is a classical pas de deux set to the music by French composer Léo Delibes, featuring excerpts from La Source and Coppélia.  The piece blends traditional technique with playful, light-hearted fantasy. 

The Dying Swan is a famous 4-minute solo ballet created as a pièce d’occasion for ballerina Anna Pavlova.  Portraying the poetic final moments of a swan’s life, the piece has became a landmark of Fokine’s early neoclassical style. 

Choreographed by Roland Petit with his wife and muse, Zizi Jeanmaire in the title role, the one-act masterpiece transforms Bizet’s opera into a bold, sultry dance drama.  Celebrated for its mix of classical technique and cabaret-style sensuality, it features iconic scenes like the passionate Pas de Deux and  intense tavern sequences.

The Pas de deux from Le Parc is a breathtaking contemporary ballet piece set to the hauntingly beautiful second Adagio movement of Mozart’s Piano Concerto No. 23. The romantic duet is most famous for its spectacular “flying kiss” finale. 

Choreographed in 1975 by George Balanchine, Sonatine is an intimate, neo-classical pas de deux set to Maurice Ravel’s eponymous piano score. Featuring two dancers and an onstage pianist, the ballet is noted for its polished simplicity, effortless speed, and playful musicality. 

The Rendez-Vous is a mythical ballet created by chorégrapher Roland Petit. The chef-d’œuvre unites a stellar trifecta: the poet Jacques Prévert’s  book, Pablo Picasso’s décor, and Joseph Kosma’s music.

Trois Gnossiennes is a minimalist contemporary ballet choreographed by Hans van Manen set to the piano score by Erik Satie. It features a single female and male dancer blending classical ballet lines with pedestrian movements to create tension and harmony. The pas de deux is renowned for its clean lines and stripped-back aesthetic, with dancers alternating between fixed, angular poses and rapid, fluid movements. It is staged intimately, often right at the edge of the proscenium, to highlight the dynamic relationship of trust between the partners.

L’Esprit du bleu is a mesmerizing, poetic movement from the acclaimed 1997 ballet Signes with a dreamlike score by composer René Aubry and visual design by painter Olivier Debré. It is marked by fluid, gravity-defying motions that evoke deep, meditative emotion. 

Signes was inspired by French abstract artist Olivier Debré’s desire to translate the concept of a smile into vibrant, large-scale stage paintings and colors. Carolyn Carlson choreographed the ballet based on these paintings, creating a visual and emotional tapestry of movement, color, and sound. 

The Music Center’s President & CEO Rachel S. Moore will present a DanceTalk at 1:15 p.m. before the Sunday matinee offering insights into the program.

For more information and tickets, please visit https://www.musiccenter.org/

CONCERN BLOCK PARTY

Mona Day Chefs, Dine, Food & Wine Events, Restaurants
CONCERN BLOCK PARTY

Concern Foundation’s much anticipated annual summer block Party returns to the Paramount Studios Backlot on Saturday July 11, 6:00pm-11:00pm with a safari theme dubbed  Concern on Safari: Lions, Tigers & Cures. It is expected to attract over 4,000 guests. 

The culinary extravaganza will bring over  70 of L.A.’s top restaurants, breweries, spirit brands, wineries.  Restaurants include 1212 Santa Monica, 24Vegan, Arth Bar + Kitchen, Ayara Thai, BOX Chicken, Casablanca Restaurant, Cea-Lo LA, City Club Los Angeles, De Cecco, Dulan’s on Crenshaw Soul Food Restaurant, El Portal Restaurant, Emporium Thai, Engine Co. No. 28, Factor’s Famous Deli, Fitoor Santa Monica, Fogo de Chão, Fuegos LA, Girl & the Goat LA, Gyu-Kaku, Häsi Bread, Hayama by Watami, Herb Alpert’s Vibrato Grill and Jazz, La Boheme, Kindling Snacks, Le Shrimp Noodle Bar, Maple Block Meat Co., Maria’s Italian Kitchen, Miracle Noodle, Paradise Dynasty, Pechanga Resort Casino, Picala Restaurant, Pink’s Famous Hot Dogs, Poppy + Rose, Ramen Tatsunoya, Settecento DTLA, Shakey’s Pizza Parlors, Someone’s in the Kitchen, Stellar Snacks, STK Steakhouse, That’s it., The Grill on the Alley, Tokyo Kitchen, Ubatuba Açaí, Uchi West Hollywood, Vegetarian Plus by Myrtle Greens, Wife and the Somm, and Yama Sushi Marketplace. 

Desserts will be presented by All About the Cinnamon, Bertha Mae’s Brownie Co., Brique French Toastery, DeLuscious Cookies & Milk, Farm Fresh To You, Gluten Free Goddess Bakery, Just Jan’s, Mamala’s Mandel Bread, Mychal’s Coffee & Bakery, OOOMAMI Cookies That Care, Pietro’s Favorite Lemon Ice, Sweet Loren’s, The Fry Girl Inc., The Gourmandise School, and The Toffee Twins. 

Coffee and Tea will be provided by Chef de Tea, DUBA Tea, Pasquini Espresso Co., Harmony Proteins, and Weaver’s Coffee & Tea. 

Spirits and specialty Cocktails will be served by Dulce Vida Tequila, Empress 1908 Gin, Hendrick’s Gin, Knox & Dobson, Milagro Tequila, Still Moon Moonshine, Tequila Comisario, Xoloitzcuintle Tequila, and Yamazakura Japanese Whiskey. 

Wineries include Zotovich Family Vineyards and Winery, and pouring beer will be Common Space Brewery and Duvel. Acqua Panna Natural Spring Water, Sanpellegrino Ciao!, Sprite, S. Pellegrino Sparkling Mineral Water, Topo Chico Sabores, and vitaminwater will provide non-alcoholic hydration. 

Live Music across the backlot on three stages will include performances by the Tom Nolan Band, D’ City Sound & Events, and the Vibrato Grill Jazz Stage, featuring the Jason Goldstein Sextet with Lilli Passero and special guest performers. 

Additional fun experiences will include photography by  SnapItStudio.com and Brian Kramer Photography digital photo studio, casino style gaming by Pechanga Resort Casino, Explorer Base Camps & Lounges sponsored by Anxiety Therapy LA and Mount Sinai Memorial Parks, spa services by Fairmont Spa Century Plaza, and safari inspired glamourous makeovers from the Beauty Bus Foundation. 

Online Silent and Live Auctions will feature exclusive travel experiences, luxury packages, entertainment opportunities, dining, and other unique items. 

Los Angeles Magazine will join with exclusive coverage. 

Longtime Concern Foundation Co-Founder and current Board Chair Jackie Gottlieb will be honored with the prestigious Steve R. Freed Spirit of Concern Volunteer Leadership Award in recognition of her decades of service to the organization. 

For more information and tickets, please visit https://www.concernfoundation.org/block-party

New York City Ballet

Mona Day Dance, Dine, See, stage

One of the world’s premier dance companies, New York City Ballet, will return to The Music Center June 24 through June 28 after over 20-years. The company will present two programs with a roster of company dancers and repertory that showcase the company’s storied legacy.  Both programs feature recorded music and live performances by the New York City Ballet Orchestra.

Rooted in founder George Balanchine’s revolutionary choreography, NYCB has shaped the ballet canon for over 75 years with its masterpieces by Balanchine and New York City Ballet Co-Founding Choreographer Jerome Robbins along with  groundbreaking contemporary works by Ulysses Dove, Justin Peck, Tiler Peck, Gianna Reisen and Christopher Wheeldon.  

Program A includes 4 pieces – Signs, Red Angels, A Suite of Dances, and The Times Are Racing – and runs for about two hours with two 20-minute intermissions.   

A contemporary ballet set to the music of Philip Glass, Signs is a highly athletic and introspective piece for 10 dancers.   

The dynamically charged, abstract work Red Angels  highlights the power and athleticism of its four dancers with bold choreography and intense lighting.  

A Suite of Dances, performed with an onstage cellist, is both a witty and pensive tour de force for its solo male dancer.

 

Dubbed a “sneaker ballet,” The Times Are Racing is a hyper-modern ballet that merges classical ballet technique with tap, hip-hop, and street dancing in a  high-energy performance in sneakers and streetwear. 

Program B also includes four pieces – Concerto Barocco, Allegro Brillante, This Bitter Earth, Concerto for Two Pianos – and has a run time of approximately one hour and 50 minutes with two 20-minute intermissions.

One of Balanchine’s greatest masterpieces, Concerto Barocco is music made visual as two elegant lead ballerinas depict a piano. 

An expression of Russian romanticism, Allegro Brillante is one of George Balanchine’s most joyous, pure dance pieces set to Tschaikovsky’s Piano Concerto No. 3 that the composer created from sketches for a composition that was intended to be his Sixth Symphony.  

This Bitter Earth is a breathtaking,  poetic pas de deux  set to the haunting, tenuous melodies of a remix of Dinah Washington’s soulful rendition of This Bitter Earth and Max Richter’s On the Nature of Daylight.

Concerto for Two Solo Pianos is a ballet for three soloists with  twelve female dances set to Stravinsky’s music and performed with two onstage pianos.  Its complex, percussive arrangement is  played out with intricate steps and partnering by its lead dancers in a modern, edgy style. The central female dancer in white is pulled between its two male dancers, one in red the other in black representing a piano theme that unites in a final pas de trois.

The Sunday June 28 will feature a Dance Talk at 1:15 pm by The Music Center’s President & CEO Rachel S. Moore offering insights into the programming.  

For more information and tickets, please visit https://www.musiccenter.org/

Hollywood on the Coast Food & Wine

Mona Day Chefs, Dine, Food & Wine Events, Restaurants

The inaugural Hollywood on the Coast Food & Wine will land at the iconic Fairmont Miramar Hotel & Bungalows in Santa Monica below its iconic Moreton fig tree  on Saturday June 13, 2026.  The one-night-only strolling culinary celebration  is expected to draw some 750  guests from across the entertainment industry and Los Angeles’ thriving food and beverage community.  Hollywood on the Coast Food & Wine brings an opportunity to experience an all-star lineup in a coastal setting.

The inaugural All-Star Chef Lineup includes: Host Chef Neal Fraser of Redbird and Vibiana in Downtown Los Angeles, Chef Josiah Citrin of Mélisse and Citrin in Santa Monica,  Chef Ben Ford of Galerie on Sunset in West Hollywood, Chef Govind Armstrong of The Lobster in Santa Monica, Chef Raphael Lunetta of Lunetta in Santa Monica, Chef Tal Ronnen of Crossroads Kitchen in Los Angeles, Chef Dustin Trani of Trani’s Dockside Station in San Pedro,  Chef Frank Ryan Saporito of Wife and the Somm in Los Angeles, Chef John Sungkamee of Emporium Thai and Emporium Thai Market in Los Angeles,  Chef Sandra Cordero of Xuntos in Santa Monica, Chef Sonnie Gomez of Calabra in Santa Monica, Chef Joseph Cook of FIG Restaurant in Santa Monica, and Chef Jennifer Naylor of Jennifer Naylor Catering & Special Events in Malibu.  More chefs are expected to be added to the roster.

Beverage offerings include notable wineries Fun Mom Wines, Grosso Kresser Vineyard, Patiné Cellars, Saracina, and Taub Family Vineyards; top spirits Luna Nueva Tequila, El Negocio Tequila and SKORPIOS 1618; Handcrafted Cocktails Knox & Dobson and Rancho La Gloria; non-alcoholic craft brewery RationAle; as well as  a selection of top non-alcoholic beverages. 

The evening will also feature live entertainment and immersive experiences.

All proceeds from the evening will benefit two top entertainment industry charities –  Variety’s The Children’s Charity of Southern California, which provides critical support and resources to children with special needs and their families, and the Will Rogers Motion Picture Pioneers Foundation, which has providing financial assistance and services to industry professionals for over 90 years. 

Partners include Delta Air Lines, Universal Pictures, KTLA, Focus Features, Santa Monica Travel & Tourism, Melissa’s Produce, Dolby, Southern California Restaurant Design Group, IVY Capital Management, iHeartRadio, Ice Bulb, KFI AM 640, KOST 103.5 and Los Angeles magazine.

Regular Admission hours are 7:00 pm to 10:00 pm, with a Delta VIP ticket one hour earlier at 6:00 pm. For more information and tickets,  please visit www.HollywoodontheCoast.com.

The Magic Flute

Mona Day Opera, stage, Theatre

LA Opera’s 40th anniversary season concludes with a revival of Mozart’s The Magic Flute conducted by James Conlon in his final 20th season as the company’s Music Director before becoming Conductor Laureate.

The opera follows the adventures of Prince Tamino and Papageno on their search for the Queen of the Night’s daughter, Pamina. To help them conquer the trials and tribulations on their quest, the duo are given magical musical instruments, including a magic flute.  It is a fairy tale celebration of true love conquering all in an enchanted fantasy world of good against evil. 

Unlike your typical opera, The Magic Flute  was not composed for an aristocratic audience, rather, it was written as a singspiel to be performed in the Schikaneder’s theater,  known for its mixture of vaudeville and pantomime, visual effects, and scenic extravaganzassort of like a Cirque du Soleil Vegas show of its day.

LA Opera presents The Komische Oper Berlin’s production of Mozart’s The Magic Flute, which it first presented in 2016 followed by a subsequent revival in 2019.  Premiering in 2012, this production builds on the opera’s populist origins, drawing out its fairytale quality, with a blend of  animated silent movie visuals with a sprinkling of quirky British humour.  The  take on has been hugely successful internationally.

The singers perform in front of a huge screen, interacting in real time with animations projected around them.  Because they are interacting with animations, the lead singers Tamino, Pamina, and Papagena, have to learn complicated choreography, similar to puppet theater, except that the  puppets are replaced by humans.  The singers are now totally integrated in an endlessly colorful universe like a giant comic strip collage.

Characters are depicted in  animated forms. So to make Papageno loveable, the production drew  inspiration from Buster Keaton, and getting him to pet his animated cat.  The Queen of the Night is an enormous  bloodthirsty, skeletal black-widow spider queen hurling knives along with her high notes. During her aria ‘Der Hölle Rache’ she sends a swarm of baby spiders to overcome Pamina as she lies helpless in the Queen’s web. 

The choreography works with the score. Monastatos’s dogs lunge on their leashes ready to attack Pamina with the same snarling energy as Monastatos’s pointy vocal lines. Pamina and Papageno jump rooftop to rooftop, teasing out jaunty rhythms. Then, there is Pamina’s ‘Ach, ich fühl’s’ longing for Tamino while standing below a  leafless snow-covered tree, isolated in a snow globe. The production’s dreamspace with its archetypes and cartoon images that don’t make sense is a perfect vehicle for its fairytale character.  

For more information and tickets, please visit LAOpera.org/Flute.