LA Observed on KCRW Mondays at 4:44 p.m.
Don Shirley wonders how Donald Trump's white power allies would feel about the casting of black actors as Washington and Jefferson. He also writes that "Hamilton" is no "kumbaya version of how happy we'll all be if we can just get along."
Arts, music and culture
News, observations and links on the arts, music, theater, dance, photography and local institutions
Don Shirley wonders how Donald Trump's white power allies would feel about the casting of black actors as Washington and Jefferson. He also writes that "Hamilton" is no "kumbaya version of how happy we'll all be if we can just get along."
Will the real Tchaikovsky please stand up? The one who wrote transcendent music that stormed the heavens.
In dark times, is the role of the artist to expose? To comment, to criticize, to amuse? Since last fall, it's been all of the above onstage in Los Angeles.
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I didn't want to be less acquainted with "Hamilton" than so many other people who also haven't seen it. So I embarked on a pre-"Hamilton" syllabus.
Yuja Wang is that singular pianist. Plus Bartok and Schubert, and choreographer Matthew Bourne
I was delighted when my old Rhino Records boss, Harold Bronson, recently published "My British Invasion," his personal paean to an era some of us never stopped loving.
Las Vegas artists created a life-size lowrider pinata — based on the iconic Gypsy Rose, a 1964 Impala — for an upcoming exhibition at the Petersen Automotive Museum.
"Today there are very few photographers. But there are a lot of people with cameras."
The museum houses over 2,500 pieces of Victorian-era clothing. Women in America followed her lead.
Our columnist sees spring plays from South Coast Repertory, the Mark Taper, Latino Theater Company, Ebony Repertory, Open Fist Theatre and the Bootleg.
Finding a nugget of gold just may be worth a whole, long dig. But trust me, it wasn't easy to spot in the case of LA Opera's "Tosca."
Fountain Theatre is assuming an especially prominent profile this week, with concurrent productions at two venues.
The outdoor season ends for desert art.
Right now Los Angeles looks like the new center of vocal arts, with Plácido Domingo as its long-time major benefactor.
One of the most in-demand costume designers in Hollywood is preparing for two new projects and still basking.
We must have played "Angel Baby" a million times since the only hit from Rosie and the Originals came out in 1961, Art Laboe posts on Facebook.
Take My Picture Gary Leonard runs weekly at LA Observed.
CTG's "Remote L.A." is not a traditional city tour. But it does go outside.
Deborah Borda heading back to to New York is big but not the only move being talked about.
Neon tubes spell out 240 slang terms in the Jason Rhoades exhibition at Hauser Wirth & Schimmel in the downtown Arts District.
The Sunday afternoon line outside the Broad Contemporary Art Museum went down the block
if you were lucky enough to hear Schnittke's "Not a Summer Night's Dream" from the LA Philharmonic, led dazzlingly by Gustavo Dudamel, it had to grab you.
'Antiques Roadshow' revisits Palm Springs, where nine years ago a record was set for the most treasures valued at six figures.
The iconic Luis Valdez play is back where it started in 1978.
Been a few years since I posted on the anniversary. But here are a couple of videos.
January 21 was a great day for immersive theater in Los Angeles.
Every location, in order, researched by reader Don Bentley and his brother.
LACMA exhibit provides a window into the life and personality of the octogenarian South Pasadena collector.
As Lynne Seemayer, she created an indelible part of LA street art lore and became something of a legend.
Art Friday
The day after Thanksgiving was jumping at LACMA.
LA's Mariachi Manchester 
Chuck Berry and the Stones
One rocking Saturday night in the KHJ-TV studios in 1965. Video and backstory
Neutra and Schindler
Play imagines what happened after the estranged architects were reunited in a 1953 hospital room. Karen Wada
For your consideration
Two costume designers who should have received Emmy nominations in our blogger's judgment.
Iris Schneider takes in some chamber music with the Da Camera Society.
A tale of two Sugar Plum Fairies
Joy Womack comes to the Santa Monica Nutcracker from Moscow, Lyrica Blankfein from NYC. More
Baryshnikov springs onstage
After roughly 15 years of wandering in the theatrical desert, Mikhail Baryshnikov has finally found the most deserving spotlight of his post-dancing career. Donna Perlmutter
Artist's work goes from home
Made in America scene
Mayor Garcetti with Jay-Z, Beyonce and Steve Aoki at the music festival in Grand Park. Photo on Aoki's Instagram feed.
Voices of LA
Kamau Daáood recites poetry backed by a klezmer jazz ensemble at Breed Street Shul. Iris Schneider
Kimono exhibit at LACMA
"Kimono for a Modern Age" presents more than 30 of the traditional garments. Curator Sharon S. Takeda walks us through.
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Selected arts and culture links
Cultural institutions
American YouthSymphony
Art Center
Autry National Center
Broad Arts Foundation
CalArts
California African
American Museum
California Philharmonic
California String
Quartet
Center for Land Use
Interpretation
Center Theatre Group
Cerritos Center for
Performing Arts
Collage Dance Theatre
Craft and Folk Art Museum
Ford Theatres
Fowler Museum
Griffith Observatory
Hollywood Bowl
Huntington Library
Getty Center
GRAMMY Museum
Italian Cultural Inst.
Japanese American
National Museum
LACMA
Long Beach MOA
L.A. Ballet
L.A. Chamber Orchestra
L.A. Children's Chorus
L.A. Master Chorale
L.A. Opera
L.A. Philharmonic
Municipal Art Gallery
MOCA
Mus. of Jurassic Technology
Museum of Latin
American Art
Music Center
Natural History Museum
Norton Simon Museum
OC Perf. Arts Center
Otis College
Pacific-Asia Museum
Pasadena Museum of
Calif. Art
REDCAT
Santa Monica MOA
Santa Monica Symphony
Skirball Cultural Center
UCLA Hammer Mus.
UCLA Live
USC Fisher Mus.
USC Thornton School
Watts Towers Center
Weisman Museum
West Coast Jewish
Theatre
Zipper Concert Hall
Calendars and events
ArtSlant LACulture Mob
Experience L.A.
Flavorpill L.A.
L.A. Art Openings
LA Brain Terrain
Out West Arts
UCLA Happenings
USC Arts and Events
Media and blogs
Richard AnkromArts for L.A.
Arts Journal
ArtsMeme
Artworkslive
Marshall Astor
Blur + Sharpen
Michael Buitron
Gregg Chadwick
City of the Angels
Coagula
Concerning Art
Erin Cosgrove
CultureGrrl
Culture Monster
Curatorialist
Da Camera Society
Diavolo
Downtown Art Walk
Gustavo Dudamel
Ensemble Green
Carol Es
Fine Arts L.A.
Frenchy but Chic
Dennis Hollingsworth
I call it Oranges
International Review
of Music
Jacaranda
KUSC blog
L.A. Art Girls
LACMA on Fire
LACMA Unframed
LA Contemporary
Dance
L.A. in Bloom
LA Mano Press
L.A. Modern Auctions
LA Stage
LA Stage Alliance
Machine Project
Man One World
Mayer Rus
Modern Art Notes
Monday Evening
Concerts
NoHo Arts District
Robert Olsen
Positive Ape Index
Recycle LACMA
Rembrandt in SoCal
Ruskin Art Club
Sundays Live
at LACMA
The Judson Studios
THE Magazine
The O.C. Art Blog
Rubén Ortiz Torres
Try Harder
Violinist.com
Zero Degrees Art
Additions, deletions, corrections or suggestions? Email the editor, please.
