LA Philharmonic and Gustavo Dudamel Kicked Off the 2017-18 Season with All-Mozart Concert

The Los Angeles Philharmonic and Music & Artistic Director Gustavo Dudamel opened the 2017/18 season with a special program that showcased Mozart's precocious talents with the Opening Night Concert & Gala: Mozart - The Early Years, Tuesday, September 26, 7 pm, at Walt Disney Concert Hall. The festive evening, celebrating the early years of the prodigy's career, featured piano powerhouses Jean-Yves Thibaudet and Yuja Wang, in addition to soprano Anna Prohaska and countertenor Tim Mead.

Proceeds from the Opening Night Concert & Gala: Mozart - The Early Yearssupport the Los Angeles Philharmonic's many music education programs, which serve more than 150,000 youths, families and teachers every year.

The evening began with the arrivals of notable celebrities and VIPs:Rosanna Arquette, Saffron Burrows, Don and Kelley Johnson, Loni Love, Jason Schwartzman, Talia Shire, Paul Weitz, and Eric Whitacre, who walked the red carpet up Walt Disney Concert Hall's grand staircase. Local officials in attendance included Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti and Los Angeles County Supervisors Kathryn Bargerand Sheila Kuehl. They were joined by LA Phil Board Chair Jay Rasulo, LA Phil Music & Artistic Director Gustavo Dudamel with Maria Valverde, Rolex Executive Arnaud Boetsch, LA Phil Gala Chair Ellen Goldsmith-Vein, LA Phil Acting President and CEO Gail Samuel, and LA Phil Chief Operating Officer Chad Smith, along with more than 600 Gala Patrons.

Inside the reception in BP Hall, guests enjoyed cocktails and hors d'oeuvres, surrounded by illuminated bars with graffiti-inspired artwork.

As the reception came to a close, Gala guests and concert attendees moved into the auditorium for the concert. The all-Mozart program began with Dudamel leading the orchestra in the composer's First Symphony, which he wrote at the age of 9. This was followed by soprano Prohaska and countertenor Mead performing "Discede crudelis" from Apollo et Hyacinthus. Prohaska then sang Exsultate jubilate.

The concert continued with piano soloists Thibaudet and Wang performing Mozart's Double Piano Concerto. For their encore, Thibaudet and Wang briefly departed from the evening's Mozart theme to play Milhaud's Scaramouche: III "Brasileira."

The orchestral encore returned to Mozart with his Overture to The Abduction from the Seraglio, K. 384, the final strains of which were accompanied by confetti in the shape of Mozart's signature drifting down among the audience. As an additional surprise and in theme with the evening, the confetti was followed by Mozart Kugeln candies gently cascading into the crowd.

The festivities moved from inside to Grand Avenue, where Gala guests enjoyed dinner and dancing under the stars. The urban jungle of Los Angeles was the décor inspiration, as industrial elements such as concrete, neon, marble and glass were used to adorn the post-concert party.

The menu, created by Patina Chef Joachim Splichal, started with a first course of Sopa Olvera, chilled corn bisque, and a Bunker Hill Trio for the entrée, featuring prime tenderloin, braised short rib and brisket bacon. Wines were provided by Winc.

The dinner program featured remarks from Board Chair Jay Rasulo as he welcomed Dudamel and thanked the evening's sponsor, Rolex.

After brief remarks from Dudamel, a YOLA Quartet featuring high school students Hannah Esquivel, Fabiola Marinero, Jacob Molina andJackie Rodriguez performed the first and third movements of Mozart's String Quartet No. 3, K. 156 for the Gala guests.

DJ Casey continued the musical entertainment as guests were invited to visit dessert stations inside the dinner tent with a variety of classic delights. The dance floor, adjacent to the tent on Grand Avenue was revealed for guests to enjoy the remainder of the evening.

The Los Angeles Philharmonic Gala Committee includedGala Chair Ellen Goldsmith-Vein; Honorary Co-Chairs Gael García Bernal, Saffron Burrows, Roman Coppola, Kathleen Marshall, Dermot Mulroney,Bernadette Peters, Jason Schwartzman, Darby Stanchfield, Paul Weitz, Steven Yeun; and Committee members Gregory A. Adams,Julie Andrews, David C. Bohnett, Lynn A. Booth, The Eli and Edythe Broad Foundation, Esther S.M. Chui Chao, Mari L. Danihel, Margy and Jerrold Eberhardt, Jane B. Eisner, Lisa Field, Kiki and David Gindler, Alexandra S. Glickman and Gayle M. Whittemore, Carol Colburn Grigor, Jerry and Kathleen Grundhofer, Andrew and Jacinta Hewitt, Joan Hotchkis, Sarah Ketterer, Soraya Nazarian,Diane B. Paul, Barbara and Jay Rasulo, Ann Ronus, Carla Sands,Larry Schmitt, Bill Silva, Eva and Marc Stern, Christian Stracke,Curtis and Priscilla Tamkin, John and Samantha Williams, Alyce de Roulet Williamson, and Marilyn Ziering.

The Los Angeles Philharmonic Concert & Gala: Mozart - The Early Yearsparty was created by LA Phil's Special Events Team.

All Gala proceeds support the Los Angeles Philharmonic and its education and community programs, including YOLA, the signature program of Gustavo Dudamel. The Gala concert was made possible with the proud support of Rolex, the Official Timepiece of the Los Angeles Philharmonic.

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