Latest news with #LosAngelesPhilharmonic
Los Angeles Times
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- Los Angeles Times
L.A. Phil's Gustavo Dudamel returns to the Bowl for a short concert run
The Los Angeles Philharmonic's departing music director Gustavo Dudamel will return to the Hollywood Bowl next week. Dudamel, the face of the classical music world in L.A. since his 2009 debut as music director, is in his penultimate season here before departing to lead the New York Philharmonic. Given recent federal travel bans on Venezuelans, he was forced to cancel local dates with his Simón Bolivar Symphony Orchestra in August, and he only had one week planned for conducting during the Bowl's summer season this year. The season's opening night at the Bowl was 'a relatively somber occasion, which, despite the lovely atmosphere, fit the mood of the times,' as Times critic Mark Swed said. So this one-week return with an exceptionally diverse bill will be a welcome occasion to see him in the twilight of his tenure in L.A. On Aug. 5, Dudamel (with pianist Seong-Jin Cho) will lead a program pulled from jazz giant Duke Ellington and French composer Maurice Ravel, including Ellington's 'Harlem' and 'Black, Brown and Beige' and Ravel's Piano Concert for the Left Hand and Piano Concert in G. The pairing will show how American jazz and the Harlem renaissance influenced and expanded possibilities for Ravel and European music of the era. He'll follow that up on Aug. 7 with Mahler's bombastic Symphony No. 1 'Titan,' with Vilde Frang playing Erich Korngold's violin concerto (a fitting spotlight on a golden-era Hollywood score legend). On Aug. 8-9, Dudamel will conduct John Williams' crowd-favorite 'Jurassic Park' score over a live screening of the summer blockbuster. Dudamel recently debuted with the L.A. Phil at Coachella, a long-awaited crossover event where the orchestra collaborated with pop stars including Dave Grohl, Zedd, Laufey and LL Cool J. For Los Angeles music fans who want to see Dudamel in the Bowl before he departs after next year's season, these are some of the best chances to do so in 2025.
Forbes
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Forbes
Foo Fighters Enjoy A Special Comeback Thanks To An Unexpected No. 1 Hit
Foo Fighters' Greatest Hits returns to multiple Billboard charts following the success of the band's ... More new single 'Today's Song,' which is not included on the compilation. INDIO, CALIFORNIA - APRIL 19: (FOR EDITORIAL USE ONLY) Musician Dave Grohl, founding member of Nirvana and The Foo Fighters, performs onstage as a special guest with the Los Angeles Philharmonic during weekend 2, day 2 of the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival on April 19, 2025 in Indio, California. (Photo byfor Coachella) Sometimes when a musical act releases a new song, fans focus on just that one release. In other instances, attention paid to one cut generates interest in the band's entire catalog. This phenomenon has become much more pronounced in the streaming era, as it's easier than ever for people to consume one artist's music – any or all of it – with just a few clicks. Foo Fighters are the latest musical stars to see older works surge thanks to the arrival of an exciting new single. Greatest Hits Returns to the Charts In early July, Foo Fighters released "Today's Song," a somewhat surprising single that, so far, doesn't have a home on any album. The track has been living on several Billboard charts for three weeks now, and its arrival and continued ascent across a number of rankings has brought the band's Greatest Hits compilation back in a big way. This week, Greatest Hits appears on three Billboard tallies after being absent from all of them just days ago. The singles-packed project reenters the Top Hard Rock Albums tally at No. 13, while also landing on the Top Rock & Alternative Albums roster at No. 48. Foo Fighters return to the Billboard 200, albeit barely, as Greatest Hits breaks back in at No. 198. The compilation coincidentally sits one rung below another simply-titled Greatest Hits collection by Blink-182. Foo Fighters' set moved just under 8,800 equivalent units in the past tracking frame, according to Luminate. Almost all of those units came from streaming activity, as the project sold fewer than 400 copies. Foo Fighters' New Single's Unlikely Impact It's worth mentioning that "Today's Song" is not featured on Greatest Hits, so sales and streams of the track don't directly benefit the compilation. Instead, all the excitement surrounding the brand new tune appears to be reminding American audiences just how much they love the band. In turn, large numbers of listeners are heading to streaming platforms to press play on the many smashes that made Foo Fighters chart-toppers in the first place, which pushes the album's figure higher and higher. Hundreds of Weeks on the Charts Greatest Hits has already spent hundreds of weeks on each of the tallies it appears on this frame. While it has risen into the highest reaches of two genre-specific albums rankings — at one point dominating the Top Hard Rock Albums list — the collection never broke into the top 10 on the Billboard 200, instead peaking at No. 11. Since the band released the set in 2009, Greatest Hits has fallen away from these charts and returned multiple times. It seems something as simple as dropping a new single can be enough to push it back onto various lists. "Today's Song" is an Airplay Winner "Today's Song" currently lives on half a dozen tallies. While it slips on two general consumption rankings, the Foo Fighters cut manages to climb on several others. The single reaches No. 1 on the Rock & Alternative Airplay list, earning the band its twelfth leader. At the same time, it breaks into the top 10 on the Mainstream Rock Airplay roster, bolting from No. 24 to No. 10. The tune also reaches that region on the Alternative Airplay list, soaring to No. 6. Foo Fighters debut "Today's Song" at No. 32 on the Adult Alternative Airplay list, where the tune is just getting started.
Boston Globe
6 days ago
- Entertainment
- Boston Globe
Composer Gabriela Ortiz has some myths about Mexican music to dispel
Advertisement That dream isn't so out of step with reality, she knows. Much of present-day Mexico City sits in the drained bed of ancient Lake Texcoco, which at one point covered over 2,000 square miles. Get Starting Point A guide through the most important stories of the morning, delivered Monday through Friday. Enter Email Sign Up 'And now what we don't have is water in Mexico City,' she said, pointing out that her neighborhood sometimes has its running water cut off in times of drought. She has the resources to buy temporary water supplies, but not everyone does, she said. 'In terms of climate change, it's just there. I'm living it.' Ortiz, 60, has had a prolific career so far. However, she only became widely known outside her home country in the late 2010s, when Los Angeles Philharmonic conductor Gustavo Dudamel commissioned a piece from her and started championing her music in earnest. The Boston Symphony Orchestra only played its first piece by Ortiz, 'Revolución diamantina,' this past spring. Coincidentally, that was just weeks after the piece was awarded a Grammy for best contemporary classical composition. When she arrived at the Tanglewood Music Center last week to direct this year's contemporary music festival, it marked her first visit to the BSO's summer home. Advertisement Ortiz, who teaches at the National Autonomous University of Mexico, planned the festival with several clear priorities in mind. 'I really wanted to establish that Mexican music has a line that is important to Tanglewood,' said Ortiz, who planned one program featuring music by Mexican Symphonic Orchestra founder and educator Carlos Chávez, his student (and Ortiz's teacher) Mario Lavista, and Ortiz's own student Diana Syrse. Though Tanglewood has hosted Latin American composers since its early days, such as Chávez, Silvestre Revueltas, and Juan Orrego-Salas, this FCM is probably the first time the Tanglewood programming has focused so intentionally on Latin American music, said TMC director Ed Gazouleas, who called Ortiz 'one of the greatest living composers of our time.' In the United States, especially in areas with Mexican-American presence, Mexican concert music sometimes does show up on programs. But in Europe, 'you're asked, 'Who is Chávez? Who is Revueltas?,' Ortiz said. 'I'm talking really major Latin American composers, and people don't know them.' She was also interested in collaborating with other Mexican artists, so the festival brought in the storied percussion quartet Tambuco, led by percussionist Eduardo Mata, who also studied under Chávez. 'Many of the instruments Chávez requests are pre-Columbian, and Tambuco is an authority on exactly the kind of sound Chávez was looking for,' Ortiz said. Advertisement Ortiz grew up surrounded by Mexican folk music, as her parents cofounded the Latin American group Los Folkloristas less than a year after her birth. She often uses a wild variety of percussion instruments in her own scores, including several indigenous Mexican instruments. 'I like rhythm. I think it's part of our DNA as humans,' she said. 'In any Latin American folk music, the main components are coming from Europe, Africa, and the native people. So rhythm is something that is very strong.' But though strong, it's not omnipresent, she said, pointing out her cello-voice-flute chamber piece 'Three Haikus,' which 'has nothing to do with rhythm. It's a totally different world. I have that voice as well.' Ortiz often draws inspiration from current events, history, or the natural world; sometimes all three at once. 'Revolución diamantina' specifically was a reaction to feminist protests in Mexico in 2019 and 2020. She wasn't there personally, but during one protest in early 2020, when she was working in Los Angeles, she asked her Mexico-based Twitter followers to send her audio recordings from the protests. Some of these captured protesters chanting various slogans, which made it into the final score. The cello concerto 'Dzonot,' written for Alisa Weilerstein, Dudamel, and the Los Angeles Philharmonic, and recorded on the recently released album 'Yanga,' was in turn inspired by the cenotes of the Yucatan Peninsula — deep sinkholes with spiritual significance to the Maya that continue to provide vital fresh water. These natural wonders too are increasingly threatened by environmental contamination, Ortiz said, especially as tourism and industrial agriculture increase in the region. 'It's really insane. There are no rules!' she said. 'What is going to happen in the future if we keep doing this?' Advertisement Ortiz perhaps must be so exacting because she finds the world eager to pigeonhole her into a stereotype of 'Latin American music,' mariachi bands and fiestas, when in fact 'there's so many things happening' in Mexican music. 'I don't try to sound Mexican when I compose. What I have in mind is to discover my inner voice, and be honest. If something is related to Mexico, it's because I'm from Mexico and I live there, and those themes are closer to me.' Rehearsing 'Three Haikus' later with a trio of TMC fellows and two faculty members, Ortiz advised the performers that her music is much more frequently 'rhythmic and extroverted,' but this wasn't the case in that piece, which was a 70th birthday gift for Lavista, her teacher. The first movement, which set expansive melismas of bass flute and voice over a cello drone, sounded nearly medieval. Giving notes, she looked to the flutist. 'Please do this melody in a much freer way, when you don't have to play with anyone else,' she said. 'You have to be yourself there.' A.Z. Madonna can be reached at
Los Angeles Times
11-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Los Angeles Times
Venezuela's Simón Bolívar Symphony Orchestra cancels Hollywood Bowl shows: L.A. arts and culture this weekend
In early July, the Los Angeles Philharmonic quietly canceled all four Hollywood Bowl performances featuring Venezuela's Simón Bolívar Symphony Orchestra conducted by Gustavo Dudamel. The L.A. Phil, in a statement, attributed the cancellations of the L.A. leg of the orchestra's 50th anniversary tour to 'travel complications,' and said it looks forward to 'welcoming the Orchestra back in the future.' Venezuela is on the list of countries on President Trump's recently announced travel ban list. The ban for the country is partial, but it does affect the types of visas typically used for tourism and business. A number of readers wrote in about the cancellations, speculating about visa issues and the Trump administration's aggressive immigration policies. Asked if this was the case, or if any further details about the cancellations were available, a rep for the L.A. Phil declined to comment beyond what was provided in the organization's statement. In a review of the Bowl's opening night, Times classical music critic Mark Swed credited the loss of the orchestra's visit to Trump's travel ban and lamented that the cancellation would reduce Dudamel's appearances on the Bowl's stage to a single week during his 16th and penultimate season before he leaves L.A. to become music and artistic director of the New York Philharmonic in 2026. The Bolívar Orchestra likely won't have any trouble traveling to the United Kingdom, however, because it is set to play as a special guest alongside Dudamel for 10 sold-out shows with the rock band Coldplay at Wembley Stadium in late August and early September. (Turns out Coachella was just a warm-up for Dudamel, who really has achieved rock star status in the music world.) Ticket holders for the canceled Bowl shows received emails about the cancellations and were told that their tickets would remain valid for newly announced programming: Elim Chan, James Ehnes, and the L.A. Phil on Aug. 12 for Tchaikovsky and The Firebird; Gemma New and the L.A. Phil performing Tchaikovsky's 4th on Aug. 14 with Pacho Flores; and Enrico Lopez-Yañez and the Hollywood Bowl Orchestra performing Aug. 15-16 with Los Aguilar. When the Bowl season was first announced, L.A. Phil President and Chief Executive Kim Noltemy told me that much of the season was organized to highlight Dudamel's work, including performances featuring composers, musicians and music that he is particularly fond of. At that time, Dudamel was set to conduct eight shows in August, four of which were with the Bolívar Orchestra — a situation that speaks to his deep, decades-long ties with the organization, which started as a youth ensemble and is composed of musicians trained by Venezuela's famed music education program, El Sistema, which also counts Dudamel as an alumnus. I'm arts and culture writer Jessica Gelt, dreaming of a trip to London for an extraordinary show. In the meantime, here's your arts news for this weekend. 'A Beautiful Noise: The Neil Diamond Musical'This jukebox musical that ran on Broadway for more than a year finally reaches L.A. on its national tour. Featuring nearly 30 of Diamond's songs, including 'Solitary Man,' 'Sweet Caroline,' 'I Am … I Said' and 'Song Sung Blue,' the show is framed by therapy sessions in which the singer-songwriter reflects on his life's highs and lows and the genesis of his writing with different actors playing 'Neil - Then' (2015 'American Idol' winner Nick Fradiani) and 'Neil - Now' (Tony nominee Robert Westenberg).7:30 p.m. Tuesday-Thursday; 8 p.m. Friday; 2 and 8 p.m. Saturday; 1:30 and 6:30 p.m. Sunday, through July 27. Hollywood Pantages Theatre, 6233 Hollywood Blvd. 'Lines of Connection: Drawing and Printmaking'The exhibition shares the narrative of how European artists worked on paper with various media from the 15th through 19th centuries. The show also includes large-scale works by L.A.-based artist Toba Khedoori.10 a.m.-6:30 p.m. Sunday, Tuesday-Friday; 10 a.m.-9 p.m. Saturdays; closed Monday; through Sept. 14. J. Paul Getty Museum, 1200 Getty Center Drive, L.A. A Joan Crawford Triple FeatureThe Academy Museum screens three late-period Crawford vehicles in 35 mm in its Ted Mann Theater. 'What Ever Happened to Baby Jane?' (1962), directed by Robert Aldrich and co-starring Bette Davis (who received an Oscar nomination) relaunched the actors' careers and became a cult classic. In 'Strait-Jacket' (1964), directed by British horrormeister William Castle, Crawford played a woman released from a psychiatric hospital 20 years after being convicted of murdering her husband and his lover with an ax. Finally, Crawford's last big-screen appearance came in 'Trog' (1970), wherein she starred for director Freddie Francis, the noted cinematographer, as an anthropologist who attempts to domesticate a caveman in the 20th century U.K.2:30 p.m., 5 p.m. and 6:45 p.m. Saturday. Academy Museum, 6067 Wilshire Blvd. The Cinematic Scores of Alexandre DesplatHot on the heels of the release of the hit movie 'Jurassic World Rebirth,' in which Desplat incorporated John Williams' stirring 'Jurassic Park' theme into his new score for the film, the celebrated French composer takes the Hollywood Bowl stage to conduct a career-spanning evening of his work. In addition to his Oscar-winning scores for Wes Anderson's 'The Grand Budapest Hotel' and Guillermo Del Toro's 'The Shape of Water,' the program includes musical selections from 'The Imitation Game,' 'The King's Speech' and more.8 p.m. Tuesday. Hollywood Bowl, 2301 N Highland Ave. Times theater critic Charles McNulty writes an appreciation of playwright Richard Greenberg, who died July 4 of cancer at age 67. Greenberg's rise to fame began with his 1988 play 'Eastern Standard,' which received a rave review by theater critic Frank Rich in the New York Times. McNulty remembers seeing the play on Broadway as a student and was 'dazzled by Greenberg's New York wit, which struck me as an acutely sensitive, off-angle version of George S. Kaufman's Broadway brio.' The casting news continues for 'Jesus Christ Superstar' at the Hollywood Bowl. We already know that Cynthia Erivo is set to play Jesus and Adam Lambert will play Judas — now we have it that Milo Manheim will play Peter and Raúl Esparza will play Pontius Pilate. The musical will run Aug. 1, 2 and 3. The Pasadena Playhouse is fast moving toward artistic director Danny Feldman's goal of once again making its historic campus a buzzing hive of educational activity. The playhouse announced earlier this week that it is expanding its offerings, adding options for adults and seniors to its still-growing roster of classes and camps for kids and teenagers. A musical theater community choir, a storytelling workshop and acting lessons for non-actors are also joining the lineup. Check out the schedule, and sign up, here. IAMA Theatre Company announced its 18th season at the Atwater Village Theatre, featuring the world premiere of Matthew Scott Montgomery's 'Foursome,' a story about queer love and family that is produced in association with Celebration Theatre. There will also be two original workshop productions, including Mathilde Dratwa's 'Esther Perel Ruined My Life,' directed by Ojai Playwrights Conference Producing Artistic Director Jeremy B. Cohen. The 8th annual New Works Festival gets things started from Oct. 9 to 13, and offers audiences the ability to see fresh stagings by playwrights in need of early reactions to help develop and hone their writing. The season ends with a final workshop production of JuCoby Johnson's '…but you could've held my hand,' about the ongoing relationships of four Black friends. Pack snacks and a blanket and head for the 405 because the Getty's annual Garden Concerts for kids are back. The series begins Aug. 2 and 3 with 123 Andrés. The next weekend will bring Kymberly Stewart to the stage, followed by Divinity Roxx Presents: Divi Roxx Kids World Wide Playdate on Aug. 16 and 17. The fun begins at 4 p.m., so make a day of it and check out the art first. A free reservation at is required for entry. — Jessica Gelt Need a stiff drink after a hard day of doomscrolling? The Food team has created a handy guide featuring 14 martinis that are shaking and stirring the cocktail scene.
Forbes
11-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Forbes
Foo Fighters Score A New Top 40 Bestseller With A Surprise New Hit
Foo Fighters' tune 'Today's Song' debuts at No. 40 on the U.K. Official Singles Downloads chart, ... More becoming the band's first hit in more than a year. INDIO, CALIFORNIA - APRIL 19: (FOR EDITORIAL USE ONLY) Musician Dave Grohl, founding member of Nirvana and The Foo Fighters, performs onstage as a special guest with the Los Angeles Philharmonic during weekend 2, day 2 of the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival on April 19, 2025 in Indio, California. (Photo byfor Coachella) Out of seemingly nowhere, the Foo Fighters recently released a new single titled "Today's Song." At the moment, it's unclear whether the band is working on a full-length or if the rock outfit simply wanted to give fans something to enjoy in the meantime. It doesn't seem to matter to longtime supporters of the Dave Grohl-fronted group, as listeners in the United Kingdom quickly began purchasing "Today's Song" the moment it became available, turning it into a top 40 success in no time. "Today's Song" Just Barely Reaches the Top 40 The latest from Foo Fighters opens at No. 40 on the Official Singles Downloads chart. At the same time, it lands five spaces lower on the Official Singles Sales list, which isn't focused on any one format, but rather encompasses all kinds of purchases, including downloads, CDs, cassettes, and vinyl. Years Since the Last Bestseller It has been a little more than two years since Foo Fighters scored a new hit on either the Official Singles Sales or Official Singles Downloads rankings. The group most recently appeared on the Official Singles Downloads chart in May 2023 with "Under You," which peaked at No. 59. The act last rose higher with "Rescue Me," its prior tune, which hit No. 28 in April 2023. The band returned to the Official Singles Sales chart in January 2024 with "The Glass," several months after both "Rescue Me" and "Under You" launched — and then quickly disappeared. Foo Fighters Close in on a Chart Milestone Throughout the decades that Foo Fighters have been together, the musicians have collected 17 wins on the Official Singles Sales chart. With one more tune, the group will hit two dozen placements on the ranking of the top-selling downloads throughout the U.K.
