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LA TRAVIATA

Mona Day Entertainment, Opera, See, stage, Theater

LA Opera will present a beloved staple of the opera repertoire, Giuseppe Verdi’s romantic tragedy La Traviata, from April 6 through 27.

The story of La Traviata, The Fallen Woman,  follows the Parisian courtesan Violetta Valéry whose love affair with Alfredo Germont offers her an unexpected taste of true love, but also devastating consequences when Alfredo’s father intervenes.

The story is based on the life of a real woman Marie Duplessis who rose from poverty to become one of 19th-century Paris’s most celebrated courtesans before dying from tuberculosis in her prime at age 23. Writer Alexandre Dumas based his romantic novel La Dame aux Camélias on their brief affair and subsequently adapted the novel into a hugely successful play upon which Verdi based his opera.

Marie’s tragically short life continues to both haunt and inspire creative expression in  film from the silent era to modern times, including the 1936 Greta Garbo classic Camille, the 1990 romantic comedy Pretty Woman, and the 2001 musical Moulin Rouge! Franco Zeffrelli directed  a film of the opera in 1982 starring LA Opera’s Placido Domino. 

Since its 1853 premiere, La Traviata has won the hearts of generations of opera fans with its memorable music with deep emotional resonance highlighted by the  prelude,  and  showstopping arias like Violetta’s Sempre libera to make it one of the most popular operas in the repertoire. 

One of 1850s trio of Verdi’s most popular operas, La Traviata is an example of French influenced romantic realism that was calculated to test the moral tolerance of its contemporary audience. The Parisian drawing rooms were habited by men like Germont who had no problems while carousing and gambling themselves, had no problem seeing the courtesan, an epitome of selfless love as morally inferior.  When Traviata first played in London, the theater provided no translation of the libretto, fearing that might cause moral offense. 

But history has proven the last laugh to be Violetta’s and Verdi’s, as both sing their way into immortality as the beloved La Traviata.

Music Director James Conlon will conduct five of the six performances at the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion, with Louis Lohraseb conducting on April 18. The production, new to Los Angeles, premiered in San Francisco Opera in 2022.  Directed by Shawna Lucey, it  stars Rachel Willis-Sørensen as Violetta and  Armenian tenor Liparit Avetisyan as her lover Alfredo. 

The opera is sung in Italian with English subtitles. The running time is  approximately two hours and 55 minutes, including two intermissions.

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

A Five Star Celebration at the SLS

Mona Day Awards, celebration, Conference, Entertainment, Fashion, News, Participate, PRODUCTS, See

The SLS Beverly Hills hotel hosted its Third Annual International Women’s Day Celebration on Tuesday March 5 with a full day’s programming event billed as A Five Star Celebration, and what a celebration it was! 

The day began with a Sweat & Workout with celebrity trainer Latreal Mitchell featured on Khloe Kardashian’s Revenge Body.  It was followed by a Pilates workout with  Nicole Stuart, celebrity trainer and co-author of Total Body Beautiful.  The hotel’s Ciel Spa provided shower and changing facilities. 

A pop-up working lounge was set up  in the speakeasy Wasp in a Wig to recharge and refresh. Hutchins Portraits provided professional headshots with a red carpet photographer, and Glamsquad Touchups provided complimentary hair and make-up. An all day Shopping Bazaar offered a range of beauty, fashion & wellness items from female business owners.

Then it was time to move on to panel discussions with industry leaders across entertainment, media, law, technology.  

Presented by the African American Film Critics Association, The Lady Directors Panel was moderated by Carla Renata.  Featured panelists included Kelly Park of The Neighborhood, Jess Wu Calder of Blindspotting, and Nailah Jefferson of Donyale Luna and Nicki Micheaux of Summer of Violence.

The Women in Law Panel focused on the importance of community engagement. Moderated by Vinca Jarrett, featured panelists included Laura Farber from Hahn & Hahn, Chiquita Banks from BESLA, Adrienne Alexander from Every Contract You Need, Nyanza Shaw from Fremantle and Heidy Vaquerano from Fox Rothschild. 

Lunch in the rooftop pool area with panoramic city views highlighted clean cuisine. 

Then, a panel discussion titled  Kicking Open the Door Creating and Maintaining the Pipeline was moderated by Tamara Houston. Featured panelists include Vinca Jarrett, Entertainment Attorney, Michelle Sneed, A Few Good Women, Angela Lee, Rupa Dash, World Woman Foundation and Melissa Cardenas, Wealth Management. 

The day’s final panel discussion titled  AI and the Metaverse explored our role in shaping the future of artificial intelligence. Moderated by Deanna Barnert, featured panelists included Sneha Deo, Microsoft, Jenni Ogden, EyeQ Ventures, Shira Lazar, What’s Trending and Joanna Popper, CAA. 

The evening festivities moved to the hotel’s Garden Room for a red carpet entrance and networking over cocktails, passed appetizers and a dessert station along with live entertainment and fun photography.

The evening program hosted by Producer-Director Aida Rodriguez and SiriusXM Julia Cunningham included a fireside chat and a discussion led by Lorenza Munoz titled DEI and Affirmative Action are Gone, What’s Next? 

The day closed  with an award ceremony honoring director Dyan Cannon.  Past honorees have included Maggie Gyllenhaal and Mary Lou Belli. 

Nadine Vondermann Director of Sales & Marketing at the SLS who launched the annual event said it has become her passion project, attributing that to her years of living in the Middle East.

LA Art Show Opening Night Party

Mona Day Awards, celebration, See

The LA Art Show  kicked off the 2024 Los Angeles art season with its Opening Night party February 14th. Guests got a special VIP preview of the LA Art Show’s 2024 expansive cultural programming featuring over 100 galleries, museums and nonprofits exhibiting that included an  international lineup of galleries and museums from countries from the Philippines, Italy, Israel, Peru and South Korea. 

The gala was hosted by celebrated actress Lucy Hale. Reality TV star Francesca Farago (Too Hot To Handle, Perfect Match) and fiancé Jesse Sulli of Tik Tok fame also took to the carpet.

The evening’s charity partner was the  American Heart Association, which is celebrating its 100th birthday this year.  As the evening’s host and friend of AHA, Lucy took to the stage and spoke about the important work the American Heart Association’s work with its Life is Why campaign which is inspiring people to honor their reasons for living longer healthier lives. LA Art Show producer and director Kassandra Voyagis, American Heart Association CEO Nancy Brown and AHA survivor family Danielle and Chandler Armstead also spoke during the presentation. NFL player Damar Hamlin (Buffalo Bills Defensive Back), who suffered cardiac arrest on the field last year joined Lucy on stage during the American Heart Association presentation. 

LA Art Show will donate 15% of all ticket proceeds to the American Heart Association’s Life Is Why™ Campaign. 

Other LA Art Show 2024 highlights included:

·      A musical performance by Korean artist Choi Sori who through drumming and manipulation of metal surfaces, Choi creates an abstract interplay of light, color, and sound.

·      Iconic LA artist Robert Vargas was onsite live painting his powerful mural – inspired by Martin Luther King Jr.’s “The World House” – which honored Black History Month and conveyed a message of peace and unity.

·      The Tanya Weddemire Gallery exhibited “Give Us Our Flowers” by acclaimed Haitian American artist, Guy Stanley Philoche, who found art as his refuge at an early age.

·      Fremin Gallery from New York showcased inspiring works including female Turkish artist Ardan Özmenoğlu’s “Blue” a stunning sculpture of a tree on a wooden stump, created from layers of glass panels and nail polish.

·      LP Gallery from South Korea featured renowned artist Dain Yoon known for painting on her skin to create surreal self-portraits.

·      Licht Feld Gallery presented photography from award-winning celebrity photographer, Markus Klinko, including his iconic image of Mariah Carey, recently projected on stage at the 2024 Grammy Awards.

·      Fabrik Projects Gallery showcased ‘The Soul of Your City” exhibition, the culmination of a global photography competition capturing the hidden spirit and true identity of cities through the lenses of local photographers.

·      DIVERSEartLA presented the second Museum Acquisition Award for Emerging Artists participating at the fair. The award-winning artist was Barcelona-based Juan Escudero on behalf of Pigment Gallery selected by Ana Maria Matthei, AAL museum director & AAL Magazine founder, along with DIVERSEartLA curator, Marisa Caichiolo.

For more information, please visit https://www.laartshow.com

A DOUBLE FEATURE OF ONE-ACT GEMS

Mona Day Opera, See, stage, Theater

LA Opera will present two one-act rarities – William Grant Still’s Highway 1, USA and Alexander Zemlinsky’s The Dwarf  conducted by Music Director James Conlon  February 24 through March 17.

Unifying the operas is the theme of unrequited love told through powerful, emotional music.  The story of Highway 1  USA follows a hardworking Black couple Bob and Mary, who have scrimped and saved to put Bob’s younger brother through college. After the ne’er-do-well Nate attacks Mary for refusing his advances, the couple come together to focus on building a better life for themselves.

Based on Oscar Wilde’s The Birthday of the Infanta  The Dwarf  involves a birthday celebration for a young Spanish princess, who along with other gifts is presented with a Dwarf, who falls in love with her. She toys with his affections before callously rejecting him;  devastated, he dies of a broken heart.  A gothic tale of an impossible one-sided romance in a decadent Spanish court, the story is animated by a lush and romantic score.  The production was last staged at LA Opera to critical acclaim in 2008. 

A second theme unifying the double bill is that they are both works by major composers lauded in their time but who fell into obscurity as a result of oppression.  Hailed as ‘the dean of African-American composers’,  trailblazing composer William Grant Still wrote more than 150 works ranging from operas, ballets, symphonies and chamber pieces and was the first Black conductor to conduct a major American symphony orchestra when he led the Los Angeles Philharmonic in a 1936 concert of his own compositions at the Hollywood Bowl.  However, he fell into obscurity despite his early successes as well as the quality of his compositions, especially his operas.  As such, Highway 1, USA composed in the 1940s didn’t have a major professional production until one by Opera Theatre of Saint Louis in 2021.

Similarly, The Dwarf was composed by Zemlinsky during his conducting tenure  at the Deutsches Landestheater, but he was forced to resign when the Nazis seized power, and after Hitler’s invasion forced to flee with his family to New York where he died in 1942, a broken man.  He then fell into obscurity till his rediscovery in the 1970s.

Both operas are part of LA Opera’s groundbreaking Recovered Voices initiative  launched by LA Opera in 2007. 

There will be six performances of the double bill at the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion. Highway 1, USA is sung in English,  The Dwarf  in German, and both will feature projected subtitles in English.  The running time is approximately two hours and 50 minutes, including one intermission.  For more information and tickets, please visit  LAOpera.org

LA ART SHOW

Mona Day Design, Fashion, See, Style

The LA Art Show will return to the Los Angeles Convention Center from February 14-18, kicking off the city’s 2024 art season.  As one of the most comprehensive contemporary art events, it brings over 180,000 square feet of space to house over 120 galleries, museums, and non-profit arts organizations from around the world exhibiting painting, sculpture, works on paper, installations, photography, design, video, performance art and more.

Prominent domestic and international galleries will showcase contemporary trends with offerings for sale.  They will also spill out beyond their booth spaces for immersive experiences through thought-provoking artworks, performances that will engage audience  and create conversations to outlive the show.  Major international exhibitor lineup includes the Philippines, Italy, Israel, Peru and South Korea. 

The largest section of programming at the LA Art Show, Modern + Contemporary will exhibit the spectrum of contemporary painting, illustration, sculpture and more from galleries in Los Angeles, the Pacific Rim, and beyond.

A European Pavilion will house galleries from Spain, Italy, and France to showcase contemporary European movements and stylistic developments.

Project Space showcases a broad array of ideas and talents in solo exhibitions by international galleries.

Works on Paper will display photographs and other artwork not on traditional canvas.

Capitalizing on the city’s leading position on the Pacific Rim, DIVERSEartLA curated by Marisa Caichiolo and others will connect seven international art institutions, representing collectors, artists, curators, museums and non-profits  to LA audiences in 50,000 square feet of donated exhibition space to display not for sale objects  for civic engagement only.  DIVERSEartLA is partnering with seven international art institutions to explore the intersection of memory, humanity, and AI. Amongst the participants, the Nevada Museum of Art will present The Journey by contemporary artist Guillermo Bert and The Museum of Contemporary Art in Bogotá will present Mythstories by multimedia artist Carlos Castro Arias.

LP Gallery from South Korea will feature artist Dain Yoon renowned for painting on her skin to create surreal self-portraits that can trick the eye with their 3D shading. Dain Yoon’s pieces are both playful and profound, reflecting her emotional states and the complexity of identity. Now living in the U.S., her work showcases a creative evolution from processing the challenges she faced as a young woman in South Korea to a stable, confident person in her new environment.

To time with Black History Month, the Tanya Weddemire Gallery will feature the talents of four pioneering black artists, exploring a range of themes, including identity, culture and resilience: Guy Stanley Philoche “Give Us Our Flowers”, Serron Green “Invisible”, Gregory Saint Amand “Play Time” and O’Neil Scott “Distant Memories”.


Fabrik Projects Gallery in Los Angeles welcomes ‘The Soul of Your City’ exhibition featuring the winning works of a global photography competition aimed at capturing the hidden spirit and identity of cities through the eyes of local photographers and their desire to explore and reveal often overlooked aspects of urban life. 

The upcoming exhibition of Young Masters Art Prize, presented by Cynthia Corbett Gallery, London represents an international initiative to support emerging talent from diverse backgrounds. Select artists from six editions will be featured at this year’s LA Art Show to showcase cultural diversity and female-identifying artists. 

In a new collaboration, the LA Art Show, Expanded Learning and Athletes for Life Foundation will launch the Southern California Art n the Schools Art Contest inviting SoCal students to submit their artwork. Founded by former NFL running back Greg Bell, Athletes for Life has  served youth programs since 1989. Winning artwork will be featured in a  sponsors’ lounge along with works from Greg Bell’s art collection.

The fair debuts with an opening night premiere party on Valentine’s Day hosted by award-winning actress Lucy Hale and LA Art Show’s new charity partner, American Heart Association celebrating its centennial. The LA Art Show will donate 15% of proceeds from every ticket to the American Heart Association’s Life is Why ™ campaign.

For more information and tickets, please visit www.LAArtShow.com.

SO LET’S SHOP

Mona Day celebration, Dine, Food & Wine Events, PRODUCTS, See

Modern Day Wife hosted its annual luxe holiday and  gift giving soiree  So Let’s Shop 5 – 9pm Friday, December 1.  Just named the #1 Los Angeles Hotel by Conde Nast Traveler’s Readers’ Choice Awards, the hotel made it a double feature by hosting a VIP  pre-event party 3 – 5 pm featuring  small bites, drinks and dessert and an IT Box of swag. Partner Glamsquad jumped in on the action as well with a promo code offer for hair and makeup for the evening. For those who wanted to match the color scheme for the event, the organizers provided a mood board and color theme, declaring it ‘the year of silver’ to up the glam, glitter and style. 

Indoors there were signature panels across beauty, wellness, fashion, lifestyle, business and entrepreneurship, a  fireside celebrity chat with actress  Jennie Garth along with photo ops with the actress, a holiday beauty lounge, and Instagrammable holiday moments for personalized holiday cards. 

Outside there were brands on display:  lots of beauty experiences including hair frosting with Innersense Organic Beauty, brow fills and eye makeup touch-ups with Chella, Botox lip flips, Skinvive, Kybella and mini consults with Enhanced by Nadia, and Cassandra McClure. There was also a fashion show, a live performance by Classic Noir and Cirque de Soleil circus acts.

Anna Kara Loans welcomed you to her luxury lounge for more networking opportunities to inspire conversations about holiday, cruise wear, brands and know-how on beauty, career and fashion, and power couple tips, discuss the latest shopping trends and what’s in store for 2024,  to help you up your game professionally and personally, learn how to balance it all, along with opportunities to shop the looks of the fashion show.

Meagan & Meghan, Founders, Modern Day Wife wanted to make sure to had plenty of holiday fun, festivities and cheer to make it  the most memorable night of your holiday season.

For more information and tickets, please visit https://themoderndaywife.com/pages/so-lets-shop-dec-2023

THE LAST DREAM OF FRIDA AND DIEGO

Mona Day Opera, See, stage, Theater

LA Opera will present the company premiere of El último sueño de Frida y Diego, The Last Dream of Frida and Diego with six performances November 18 – December 9 at the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion. 

The new opera by composer Gabriela Lena Frank and librettist Nilo Cruz draws an  international cast in a tribute to two iconic Mexican artists Frida Kahlo and Diego Rivera.  When a desperate wish on Day of the Dead reunites Diego Rivera with his wife Frida Kahlo, Diego jumps at the chance to seek forgiveness, but Frida refuses to return to the world that caused her so much pain, until another departed soul inspires her to look back at the art and the man she once loved. 

This provides the impetus for Mexico’s renowned artists and infamously stormy lovers and their paintings to come alive as the artists’ emblematic paintings blend  with a folklore-inspired score to provide  a fresh perspective on the love-hate saga of the famous couple. 

The opera is sung in Spanish with subtitles in both English and Spanish with a running time of approximately two hours and 15 minutes which includes one intermission.  The production includes brief nudity, viewer discretion is advised. 

Special events planned for the production include a Newcomer Night on Thursday Nov 30 that will include a pre-show talk introducing the story and music as well as  a reception with wine and desserts during  intermission.  Celebración de las Artes hosted by Hispanics for LA Opera on Sunday, Dec 3 performance will provide music, food and fun on the plaza. For more information about the production and tickets, please visit LAOpera.org/Frida.

WESTEDGE DESIGN FAIR

DST Design, PRODUCTS, See, Style

Celebrating its eighth year and relaunching post-pandemic, WestEdge Design Fair returns to Barker Hangar in Santa Monica November 16-18. 

The Fair will bring over 175 established and up-and-coming  brands from across the globe offering furniture, lighting, art, kitchen, and bath products to design professionals and enthusiasts. A series of educational programs will include over 45 speakers and over 20 culinary and mixology demonstrations.

Fair highlights include: 

* MADE:MODERN, a curated section of the fair showcasing independent designers, makers and artists with one-of-a-kind furniture, lighting and accent offerings.  Exhibitors include Art’s Tree House, Buzzell Studios, CarbonShack, Ever Atelier, Thomas Cooper Studio, whyrHymer and others. 

* The PIRCH Culinary Pavilion will offer demonstrations and tastings Including a Thanksgiving wine pairings seminar, a kimbap rolling demonstration, and a Taste of Italian Cuisine.  

*WestEdge XTERIORS, the outdoor section of the fair will showcase outdoor design, furnishings, kitchens and grills, saunas etc. 

* WestEdge Theater presented by Banana Republic Home will offer panel talks, industry forums and conversations in partnership withConvo by Design in partnership with BR Home and Marbé Designs. 

* The IIDA/WestEdge Design Fair Booth Awards features the International Interior Design Association partnering with WestEdge to launch two new design competitions  for product awards and/or booth awards for exhibitors, with winners at an Awards Presentation. 

* VIP Lounge hospitality hub is designed by Los Angeles-based interior designer Julia Wong. 

*An Opening Night Party presented by PIRCH will kick off the fair November 16 from 6-10 pm where guests can mingle over food, cocktails, and entertainment along with early-access shopping.  Ticket proceeds and a one-of-a-kind auction of designer items will benefit Hollywood Food Coalition.

For more information, please visit www.westedgedesignfair.com.