A crisp, fresh season of arts and culture has sprouted in Southern California, bringing with it key exhibitions and don’t-miss performances. With concerts, exhibits, albums, books, theater productions and more to choose from, our guide offers you a bounty of arts and culture to feed your eyes and ears.
Baryshnikov, Diavolo, BodyTraffic and more: L.A.’s dance scene gears up for a breakout season
It’s payoff time: Los Angeles’ dance community, after decades of slow progress, is poised to have a season that’s unprecedented in its breadth and quality.
The biggest stages — Royce Hall and the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion — will present the national and international troupes that we have come to expect. But the striking difference this season is that so much worthwhile dance will be generated from companies that call L.A. home.
From UC Davis to the National Mall: Key architecture projects this fall
Some promising works to read and watch for this fall, including a pleasant discovery at UC Davis:
A look at the albums and shows that matter this fall
Some of the best music of 2016 has come as a surprise, most notably — and recently — the relatively secretive release of Frank Ocean’s “Blonde.” But as the year settles into its second half, there are plenty of albums and shows that we can bank on.
Click below for a brief look at some notable albums and concerts in the weeks ahead, including Warpaint, Van Morrison, Beck, Danny Brown, and more.
What to see and hear in the world of classical music and opera
11 don’t-miss classical performances
Picks for the fall include “Breaking the Waves,” John Adams’ 70th birthday, Philip Glass’ “Akhnaten’,” pianist Daniil Trifonov and more.
Plácido Domingo on playing Macbeth in L.A. Opera’s season opener
Domingo’s latest baritone excursion is another Verdi epic, “Macbeth,” which the singer first performed in Berlin last year. Domingo will sing the role for Los Angeles Opera in a new production directed by Tony Award-winner Darko Tresnjak, with performances beginning Sept. 17.
Jeffrey Kahane will end his tenure as LACO conductor with his most ambitious project yet
Jeffrey Kahane will step down from his position of 20 years as music director of the Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra, and his parting gift is, fittingly, a musical one: a lovingly curated 2016-17 season punctuated by an ambitious three-week festival centered on themes of social justice, tolerance and peace.
Fall literary preview: 6 terrific L.A. events
Sometimes a book is not enough. This fall, several fantastic authors — great storytellers all — will be coming to Los Angeles to share their work. Here’s a selection of events not to be missed, including appearances from Bryan Cranston, Brit Bennett and Carrie Brownstein.
Fall theater highlights include ‘Hedwig,’ ‘Amelie,’ ‘Ma Rainey’ and more
Broadway in L.A.: Which touring musicals are coming to Southern California?
For those who like a little song with their dance and vice versa, here’s a rundown of new and classic musicals headed to Southern California stages in the coming months — including the much-anticipated arrival of the 2015 Tony Award winner “Fun Home.”
Amélie, Big Daddy, Hedwig: Familiar names hit SoCal stages this fall
The new theater season is a loaded lineup, with offerings from Deaf West, Ivo van Hove and Anna Deavere Smith. Here are 13 picks.
Read MoreIs August Wilson the ‘Shakespeare of our time’? Cast and crew of ‘Ma Rainey’ say you can hear it
Musical language and lyrical dialogue propel “Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom,” the August Wilson production at the Mark Taper Forum about legendary blues singer Gertrude “Ma” Rainey.
11 don’t-miss art exhibitions for fall: Quaytman, McLaughlin, a ‘Shimmer of Gold,’ and more
The exhibition calendar is packed in the months to come. Our picks include works by multimedia artist Doug Aitken, the photography of Peter Badge, new paintings by Lari Pittman, Renaissance art from Germany’s Albrecht Dürer and Lucas Cranach, and more.