Los Angeles, CA. The LA Opera announced its pandemic-related changes in the fall of 2020; this included postponing and canceling productions taking place during the 2020/21 season. But starting this month, the company hosted an audience for the first time since the coronavirus pandemic. Oedipus Rex, based on the ancient Greek tragedy with the same name, premiered on June 6th at the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion. Audience members had to prove they were vaccinated or tested negative for COVID-19 to attend in person. And for those who could not make it, the LA Opera released an online version on June 17th. The show has a running time of 50 minutes, with no intermission.
The LA Opera took safety precautions by strictly following the LA County Department of Public Health’s guidelines. In March 2021, the Music Center (where the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion is located) was the first performing arts center to receive a UL “healthy building” verification for its venues’ air quality.
June 6th performance of “Oedipus Rex.” Photo by Lawrence K. Ho.
Mezzo-soprano J’Nai Bridges performs the role of Jocasta.
From the LA Opera:
Stravinsky based Oedipus Rex on the ancient Greek tragedy of the same name by Sophocles—yes, the one where Oedipus unknowingly kills his own father and marries his mother. The 1927 opera is a highly stylized, ritualistic work; in fact, the composer specifically requested that it be staged with minimal movement (which works well with COVID restrictions). A narrator describes the action throughout the course of the opera. Stravinsky set his work in Latin but specified that the narration is to be spoken in the language of the audience. The performance will feature incredibly imaginative projected animations created by Manual Cinema, an Emmy Award-winning performance collective, design studio, and film/video production company.
Music Director James Conlon conducts a stellar cast led by tenor Russell Thomas, LA Opera’s Artist in Residence, as Oedipus, the doomed king. Just announced: Legendary actor Stephen Fry will make his LA Opera debut (via audio recording) as the Narrator in this equally legendary tale.
The recording and filming process for the “Oedipus Rex” online stream. Photo by Lawrence K. Ho.
To learn more about the LA Opera, visit laopera.org/about-us. And for those interested in supporting this organization, visit laopera.org/support-us.
