Public radio goes investigative
Our opinionated guide to Last Remaining Seats
Misty Copeland, the only black female soloist dancing with the American Ballet Theater, will be back home in Los Angeles this week talking about her new memoir. The book explores her rise from a vagabond childhood to stature in the ballet world, where she found a surrogate family.
Arts, music and culture
News, observations and links on the arts, music, theater, dance, photography and local institutions
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Misty Copeland, the only black female soloist dancing with the American Ballet Theater, will be back home in Los Angeles this week talking about her new memoir. The book explores her rise from a vagabond childhood to stature in the ballet world, where she found a surrogate family.
Wooster Group definitely has its fans and followers and many were in the Redcat audience--at least until intermission.
KCSN has been rocking the LA airwaves more lately and today put out a press release about a phone call from McCartney.
The cracked, splintering benches at the upper level of the Hollywood Bowl were last replaced in 1981. New benches of Alaskan yellow cedar are now being installed.
Donna Perlmutter puts out the call to LA Opera and the Philharmonic -- in rare events both. As for Benjamin Millepied's dance project at the Ace Hotel, it "registered weakly if at all."
Don Shirley takes in five local plays, from the savagely funny "Tartuffe" at A Noise Within to a Long Beach production of "The Music Man" and a Civil War-era Passover seder.
Robert Anthony "Tony" Gieske worked for the Los Angeles Herald Examiner and spent 18 years at the Hollywood Reporter.
It's stunning how fast this all happened. One day, the National Enquirer was posting a bogus story that claimed David Bar Katz was the secret gay lover of Philip Seymour Hoffman. Less than three weeks later, the tabloid is paying for Katz to create the American Playwriting Foundation.
Sex, basketball and cheerleaders: Two productions that opened over the weekend share these topics. Plus: Nyet on 'Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike.'
Cervenka is putting clothing, instruments, vintage jewelry, vinyl records and other personal items up for bidding in an estate sale that begins Thursday. "She is downsizing and plans on relocating soon," says the website.
Ry Cooder was at The Echo last night, backing for Juliette Commagere (his daughter-in-law) on the slide guitar. The show was a free event.
When the museum does open on Bunker Hill, there will be a public plaza and a restaurant whose partners include Bill Chait of Bestia and alums of Thomas Keller restaurants.
These are the first LA Observed reviews by Don Shirley, the former theater columnist and reporter for LA Stage Times, the Los Angeles Times, CityBeat and KCRW. His reviews will appear here regularly.
Alison Martino has posted perhaps the most fun picture yet, at her Vintage Los Angeles page on Facebook. It names several current LA figures, now grown up.
Donna Perlmutter on some recent dance and music performances in Los Angeles.
Schell won his best actor Oscar for the 1961 Staley Kramer film "Judgment at Nuremberg.” He later directed “Der Rosenkavalier” for the Los Angeles Opera in 2005.
LA Stage Times is going on hiatus, effective immediately. Longtime theater writer Don Shirley will now post regularly at LA Observed.
Of the hundreds of shows that I've seen through the decades, this is the one I'll never forget.
Pete Seeger, a champion of American folk music and social change since the 1940s, collected songs in the South with Alan Lomax, traveled in California with Woody Guthrie, performed for President Barack Obama — and adapted the civil rights movement anthem "We Shall Overcome."
Sounds as if the Troubadour stage has hosted another memorable show. "Deliriously upbeat," writes Chris Willman for the Hollywood Reporter. Adds Steve Hochman: "Hard to believe anyone could steal a show with a lineup like this. But, well, Rhiannon Giddens."
The Museum of Contemporary Art in downtown Los Angeles is poised to name as its new director Philippe Vergne, director of the Dia Art Foundation in New York, according to Jori Finkel in the New York Times. The LAT, which laid off Finkel last year, doesn't have the story.
The position open now is for an on-air host of entertainment programing. As I understand the plan, the coverage will begin as a segment on "Take Two" then expand to a half-hour show.
The pop-up installation at 9th and Broadway only looks like a fast food restaurant. The whole thing is made of cardboard — it's like a Caine's Arcade for adults. Place your order and see what happens.
Phil Everly of the Everly Brothers, the influential duo that became one of the first ten groups inducted into the new Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, died in Burbank at age 74. He had been battling chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.
The National Anthem before the Rose Bowl game on Wednesday will be performed by Darlene Love, Merry Clayton, Lisa Fischer and Judith Hill. You know their voices if not necessarily their names.
Bunker Hill
Exene sells her stuff
Exene Cervenka is done with Orange County. And her 1955 Rickenbacker Combo 600. Read
Ry Cooder at The Echo
Iris Schneider spotted Ry Cooder at The Echo, backing up daughter-in-law Juliette Commagere on the slide guitar. Native Intelligence
Huntington acquires Marquez collection
Bus stop for giants
There's plenty of seating at the bus stop outside the Pacific Design Center in West Hollywood. Bigger
Objects of art
Clare Graham at work in his Northeast LA studio. Story and photos by Iris Schneider at Native Intelligence.
Kent Twitchell murals in redone Patriotic Hall.
Invisible Cities at Union Station
Old Union Station ticket counters become part of the stage for the opera "Invisible Cities."Iris Schneider/Native Intelligence
Elliott Erwitt visits Hollywood
Waiters at the Leica Gallery hold photos by photographer Elliott Erwitt, in town to launch his newest book. Iris Schneider
Invisible Cities
Union Station patrons get to watch (without sound) the Invisible Cities opera. Photo by Iris Schneider.
Photojournalism by masters
Iris Schneider reviews big new books by Sebastiao Salgado, Steve McCurry and Elliot Erwitt. Native Intelligence
Disney Hall birthday party
Disney Hall's 10th birthday celebration was wholly a tribute to Frank Gehry, says Donna Perlmutter. The main revelry, though, came with the music. Native Intelligence
Station to Station
Iris Schneider attended the traveling art show Station to Station at Union Station. Her photos in Native Intelligence.
Dancing together
Dancers Melissa Barak and Danielle Agami collaborate on an upcoming show. They give LAO a sneak peek.
Inside the Broad
Iris Schneider takes a look around inside the construction site on Grand Avenue where Eli Broad intends to display his art. Story and photos
Last seen at Hollywood Bowl
Donna Perlmutter on Diavolo and the musicians who stole the show. LA Observed Arts
Tiler Peck
The rising ballet dancer we spent time with last year gets into Vanity Fair with her now-fiance, Robert Fairchild. Read
Mick Farren, 69
The lead singer of The Deviants and writer for the late LA Reader and CityBeat LA collapsed while performing in London. More
'Chinatown' in Union Station
"Chinatown" screened in the old ticketing hall at Union Station for the closing night of the Downtown Film Festival. See bigger
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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
Rubn Ortiz Torres
Try Harder
Violinist.com
Zero Degrees Art
Additions, deletions, corrections or suggestions? Email the editor, please.
