Lucas Meachem stars in a production conducted by Music Director James Conlon
(Los Angeles) August 22, 2023 — LA Opera opens its 2023/24 season with Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart's Don Giovanni, conducted by Music Director James Conlon and starring baritone Lucas Meachem in the title role. Performances will take place from September 23 through October 15, 2023, at the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion.
"I can't imagine a better way to celebrate the opening of our new season than with one of opera’s greatest masterpieces," said Christopher Koelsch, LA Opera's president and CEO. "Don Giovanni embodies everything that audiences love most about opera: music that goes straight to our hearts, extraordinary vocalism, thrilling drama, fascinating characters and enthralling visual spectacle. And following the rapturous response of audiences and critics to The Marriage of Figaro last season, I am excited that we can revisit the genius of Mozart and da Ponte so swiftly."
About the Opera
In the heat of the moment, the notorious Don Giovanni (aka Don Juan) murders the father of one of his conquests, unwittingly unleashing an ominous force from beyond the grave that can’t be stopped. Accustomed to getting away with anything and everything, he must now face the music as years of cruelty and debauchery come due.
Grammy Award-winning baritone Lucas Meachem returns as the ill-fated playboy, leading a dazzling ensemble of singers. James Conlon, renowned for his astonishing command of Mozart, conducts what many consider to be the greatest of all operas in a visually spectacular production by director Kasper Holten.
The Performers
Baritone Lucas Meachem will star as Don Giovanni, his fifth role with LA Opera. He has appeared as Mozart's Don with companies including San Francisco Opera, Lyric Opera of Chicago, the Glyndebourne Festival, Semperoper Dresden, Santa Fe Opera, the Ravinia Festival and Cincinnati Opera.
Bass-baritone Craig Colclough, who faced off against Meachem's Count last season as Figaro in The Marriage of Figaro, will appear as Don Giovanni's long-suffering servant, Leporello.
Soprano Guanqun Yu will appear as Donna Anna and mezzo-soprano Isabel Leonard makes her mainstage debut (after a recital last season) as Donna Elvira. Both will return for second appearances in the season: Isabel Leonard as Rosina in The Barber of Seville and Guanqun Yu as Liù in Turandot.
Soprano Meigui Zhang will make her company debut as Zerlina and Peixin Chen will perform the role of the Commendatore.
The cast also includes two members of the Domingo-Colburn-Stein Young Artist Program in major roles: tenor Anthony León as Don Ottavio and bass-baritone Alan Williams as Masetto.
The Creative Team
James Conlon conducts a production created by Danish director Kasper Holten, previously seen at London's Royal Opera House, Barcelona's Gran Teatre del Liceu, Houston Grand Opera and the Israeli Opera. The scenery was designed by designer extraordinaire Es Devlin, known for her innovative concert designs for Beyoncé, Adele, U2 and others. Anja Vang Kragh is the costume designer, Bruno Poet is the lighting designer, and Luke Halls is the projection designer. Jeremy Frank is the chorus director.
Click here to download production photos and artist headshots.
Performance Dates, Times and Address
There will be six performances of Don Giovanni at the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion, located at 135 North Grand Avenue, Los Angeles, CA 90012:
Saturday, September 23, 2023, at 6pm
Sunday, October 1, 2023, at 2pm
Wednesday, October 4, 2023, at 7:30pm
Saturday, October 7, 2023, at 7:30pm
Thursday, October 12, 2023, at 7:30pm
Sunday, October 15, 2023, at 2pm
Tickets
Tickets for Don Giovanni begin at $24 and are on sale now. Tickets can be purchased online at LAOpera.org, by phone at 213.972.8001, or in person at the LA Opera box office at the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion (135 N. Grand Avenue, Los Angeles CA 90012). For disability access, call 213.972.0777 or email LAOpera@LAOpera.org.
September 23 Simulcast
Through the generous support of Los Angeles County, LA Opera will present a live, high-definition video simulcast of the opening night of Don Giovanni, free of charge as a special gift to the community. Audiences can enjoy the simulcast at either of two outdoor locations: the Santa Monica Pier and La Mirada Community Regional Park. Click here to learn more about the simulcasts.
More information about the production is available at LAOpera.org/DonGiovanni.
About LA Opera
Los Angeles is a city of enormous diversity and creativity, and LA Opera is dedicated to reflecting that vibrancy by redefining what opera can be. Through imaginative new productions, world premiere commissions, and inventive performances that preserve foundational works while making them feel fresh and compelling, LA Opera has become one of America’s most exciting and ambitious opera companies.
In addition to its mainstage performances at the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion, the company explores unusual repertoire each season through the LA Opera Off Grand initiative, featuring performances in a variety of venues throughout Los Angeles. The LA Opera Connects initiative offers a robust variety of educational programming and community engagement offerings that reaches people throughout every corner of Los Angeles County. The company also offers a multitude of online content via its LA Opera On Now digital offerings, which launched in 2020. Learn more at LAOpera.org.
LA Opera Media Contact
Marlene Meraz
Director of Communications
mmeraz@laopera.org
213.972.7554
Production made possible by generous support from
Gregory Annenberg Weingarten, GRoW @ Annenberg
The Blue Ribbon
The Carol and Warner Henry Production Fund for Mozart Operas
Alfred and Claude Mann Fund
With special appreciation to
Régina and Gregory Annenberg Weingarten
Isabel Leonard’s appearance made possible by generous support from
The Eva and Marc Stern Principal Artists Fund
LA Opera’s Opera at the Beach made possible with generous support from
Los Angeles County and Supervisor Lindsey P. Horvath
LA Opera’s Opera in the Park made possible with generous support from
Los Angeles County and Supervisor Janice Hahn
LA Opera Orchestra generously underwritten by
Terri and Jerry Kohl
LA Opera is a nonprofit organization dedicated to serving the greater Los Angeles community.
