LA Opera to Present Free Live Simulcast of Verdi's OTELLO in May

LA Opera will present a live simulcast of its opening night of Giuseppe Verdi's Otello for audiences at two outdoor locations. At 7:30pm on Saturday, May 13, 2023, LA Opera's production of the towering operatic masterpiece will be transmitted live in high-definition video from nine cameras at the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion to large LED screens at California State University, Dominguez Hills and the Santa Monica Pier.

The performance will star tenor Russell Thomas, the company's Artist in Residence, in the title role and will be conducted by Music Director James Conlon.

Through the generous support of Los Angeles County, LA Opera is able to present these simulcasts free of charge as a special gift to the community.

Otello will mark the ninth "Opera at the Beach" simulcast to the Santa Monica Pier. This will be the first time that LA Opera's annual live simulcast will be experienced by audiences in the city of Carson, where "Opera on the Lawn" will take place on the North Lawn on the campus of CSUDH.

Since Otello is performed in Italian, the simulcasts will feature subtitles in both English and Spanish.

"Bring your friends, a blanket and picnic out to the Santa Monica Pier for a special night under the stars with the LA Opera for Verdi's Otello," said Los Angeles County Supervisor Lindsey P. Horvath, who represents the Third District where the Santa Monica Pier is located. "The simulcast brings the magic of opening night at the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion to the beach, connecting more LA County communities to the power of opera. Our office is thrilled to be part of this beloved Third District tradition and unique LA experience."

"Access to arts and culture programming has the power to transform lives," said Supervisor Holly J. Mitchell, who represents Los Angeles County's Second District where CSUDH is located. "My office is proud to bring one of Verdi's greatest operas, Otello, for all to enjoy freely and in our community. I applaud LA Opera for creatively working to make the arts more accessible throughout LA County."

"I am honored and delighted that LA Opera has chosen to partner with our university on this unique event," said CSUDH President Thomas A. Parham. "This simulcast is another opportunity for CSUDH to demonstrate that we are not only in the community, but of the community. Showcasing great instrumental and vocal performances is a fantastic occasion that brings people together in a positive way, using music as the catalyst. We look forward to future collaborations with LA Opera."

Although no tickets are required for entrance, guests are encouraged to sign up in advance at LAOpera.org/OperaAtTheBeach or LAOpera.org/OperaOnTheLawn to get important information about parking and the latest updates, and to receive a free gift at the event plus a chance to win a three-opera ticket package.

Seating at both locations is general admission, and gates will open at 5:30pm. Attendees are advised to bring their own seating and to arrive early both for pre-performance picnicking and to secure the best viewing areas. There will be arts and crafts activities for families to enjoy before the simulcast begins. Alcoholic beverages are not allowed. Pets are not allowed.

Opera on the Lawn-California State University, Dominguez Hills in Carson

For detailed information about the Carson simulcast, please visit LAOpera.org/OperaOnTheLawn. The North Lawn of CSUDH is located at 1000 E. Victoria Street, Carson, CA 90747. Free parking is available.

Opera at the Beach-Santa Monica Pier

For detailed information about the Santa Monica Pier simulcast, please visit LAOpera.org/OperaAtTheBeach. The Santa Monica Pier is located at the western terminus of Colorado Avenue. Parking information can be found at SantaMonica.com/transportation/parking. Attendees can arrive by public transit, exiting the Metro Expo Line at the downtown Santa Monica station.

For more information about the Santa Monica Pier, please visit SantaMonicaPier.org.

About the Opera

Hailed as the pinnacle of the Italian operatic repertoire, Verdi's 1887 operatic transformation of the original Shakespeare tragedy is a powerful drama of uncontrolled human emotion at its most extreme. (Otello is the Italian spelling for Othello.) Verdi's musical portrait of a hero's descent into a tortured heart of darkness is made explicit in every chilling detail as Otello is steadily manipulated into destroying all in life that he holds dear.

Conductor James Conlon takes command of the truly epic musical forces, featuring a gigantic orchestra and chorus, in a production created by acclaimed stage director John Cox. The powerhouse cast is led by Artist in Residence Russell Thomas in the title role (considered the "Mount Everest" of the dramatic tenor repertoire because of its incredibly daunting vocal and dramatic challenges). Soprano Rachel Willis-Sørensen makes a highly anticipated company debut as the doomed Desdemona and baritone Igor Golovatenko is the sadistic Iago, who takes delight in slyly exploiting Otello's one fatal flaw: jealousy.

For additional information about the production, please visit LAOpera.org/Otello.

About LA Opera

Los Angeles is a city of enormous diversity and creativity, and LA Opera is dedicated to reflecting that vibrancy by redefining what opera can be. Through imaginative new productions, world premiere commissions, and inventive performances that preserve foundational works while making them feel fresh and compelling, LA Opera has become one of America's most exciting and ambitious opera companies.

In addition to its mainstage performances at the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion, the company explores unusual repertoire each season through the LA Opera Off Grand initiative, featuring performances in a variety of venues throughout Los Angeles. The LA Opera Connects initiative offers a robust variety of educational programming and community engagement offerings that reaches people throughout every corner of Los Angeles County. The company also offers a multitude of online content via its LA Opera On Now digital offerings, which launched in 2020. Learn more at LAOpera.org.