John Adams
Los Angeles Philharmonic, John Adams, Julia Bullock, John Moore, Will Liverman, Los Angeles Master Chorale
Walt Disney Concert HallSouth Hope Street, Los Angeles 90012
John Adams conducts the Los Angeles Philharmonic, the Los Angeles Master Chorale, and soloists Julia Bullock, John Moore, and Will Liverman in a Minimalist Icons festival program drawn from four of his operas. The evening pairs choruses from The Death of Klinghoffer, the Doctor Atomic Symphony, “Memorial de Tlatelolco” from El Niño, and selections from Nixon in China, including its prologue, “News,” and Act 1, Scene 3.
The LA Phil’s Creative Chair, Adams brings music shaped around historical events in The Death of Klinghoffer, Doctor Atomic, and Nixon in China, alongside the spiritual focus of El Niño. His Nixon in China has been called by Gramophone “a work of the kind destined to create a sensation even among those who normally pay little or no attention to the medium of opera.”
Designed by Frank Gehry, this concert hall is a striking architectural landmark with sweeping stainless steel curves that catch the light outside, while inside, its acoustics are meticulously crafted to deliver rich, clear sound to every seat. The auditorium seats over two thousand people in a space where the audience is fully immersed in the music, surrounded by warm wood paneling and a stage that brings performers close to listeners. The venue hosts ticketed performances by the Los Angeles Philharmonic and other ensembles, offering an evening focused on attentive listening rather than casual socializing. Nearby bars and restaurants in Downtown Los Angeles provide options for pre- or post-show dining, but inside, the experience centers on the music in a refined, elegant setting.