The Music Center. Dorothy Chandler Pavilion 14 November 2020 - The Anonymous Lover | GoComGo.com

The Anonymous Lover

The Music Center. Dorothy Chandler Pavilion, Los Angeles, USA
All photos (1)
Select date and time
5 PM
Important Info
Type: Opera
City: Los Angeles, USA
Starts at: 17:00
Duration:
Sung in: Finnish
Titles in: English

E-tickets: Print at home or at the box office of the event if so specified. You will find more information in your booking confirmation email.

You can only select the category, and not the exact seats.
If you order 2 or 3 tickets: your seats will be next to each other.
If you order 4 or more tickets: your seats will be next to each other, or, if this is not possible, we will provide a combination of groups of seats (at least in pairs, for example 2+2 or 2+3).

Overview

Company premiere

A brilliant 1780 comic romance long overdue for rediscovery

He's been hanging on to this secret for years.

LA Opera proudly presents The Anonymous Lover (L'Amant Anonyme), an unjustly neglected 1780 chamber opera by a true musical pioneer: Joseph Bologne, Chevalier de Saint-Georges, a contemporary of Mozart who is widely regarded as the first Black classical composer. 

The comic romance tells the story of Léontine, a beautiful young widow who has become disillusioned with love. Much to her surprise, she receives a steady stream of letters and gifts from an unknown man professing his undying passion. This amuses her friend Valcour, who also claims to have no interest in romance. But now, after hiding his true feelings for years, Valcour works up the courage to reveal that he himself is the devoted secret admirer. Will his (inevitably awkward) confession sway a woman sworn to resist all affairs of the heart? 

Conducted by Music Director James Conlon and directed by Bruce Lemon, Jr., in a socially distanced stage setting that blends both modern film and traditional opera staging, the performance will be streamed online on November 14, 2020, to reach a wide audience, with the cast and musicians performing at the Colburn School’s Zipper Hall. 

"Sparkling originality...astonishing musical and dramatic complexity...razor-sharp comic precision"

Callum John Blackmore – Parterre Box

History
Premiere of this production: 08 March 1780, Théâtre de Mme. de Montesson, Paris
Synopsis

Léontine and Valcour, the Vicomte de Clémengis, have known each other for years. When she was 15, her parents wanted to arrange a marriage between them, but Valcour gently declined the match, believing that she was too young at the time.  

She subsequently married a man whose passion did not equal hers. The disappointing marriage lasted only two years, however, leaving Léontine a beautiful young widow with no intention of ever falling in love again. She lives a quiet life of self-imposed solitude on her country estate, far from Paris. Through it all, Valcour remains a trusted family friend and confidant. Léontine considers him a kindred spirit: like her, he swears that he has no interest in pursuing matters of the heart.

But secretly, Valcour knows that he missed his great opportunity for happiness, for he has been hopelessly in love with Léontine for a decade. He concocts a plan to court her anonymously, sending her a steady stream of gifts, flowers and letters. Two co-conspirators assist him in his scheme: Ophémon, a scholar on Léontine's estate, and her close friend, Dorothée.

After eight months of anonymous courtship, Valcour finally feels ready to reveal the truth. For her part, Léontine has no idea who her secret admirer might be.

Léontine is hosting the wedding of two young villagers, Jeannette and Colin, on her estate, and Valcour sees the wedding as the perfect romantic background for his revelation. He sends her a bouquet of flowers along with one last anonymous letter. In it, he expresses his hope to see her holding the flowers at the wedding; if she does so, the “Anonymous Lover” will finally reveal his true identity.  

His fate is now entirely in Léontine’s hands. What will she do? And how will she respond to the revelation?

Venue Info

The Music Center. Dorothy Chandler Pavilion - Los Angeles
Location   135 N. Grand Avenue, 90012

As one of the nation’s largest performing arts centers, and as a cultural anchor in Los Angeles County, The Music Center convenes artists, communities and ideas with the goal of enriching the cultural lives of every resident.

With America’s most diverse population, Los Angeles is the cultural hub of the country and the location for more entertainment options and venues than anywhere else in the U.S. As one of the nation’s largest performing arts centers, and as a cultural anchor in Los Angeles County, The Music Center brings together artists, communities and ideas with the goal of enriching the cultural lives of every Angeleno. With our vision, The Music Center is poised to become a multidisciplinary arts center for the 21st century and a driving artistic voice for diversity and inclusion that reflects and responds to the ever-evolving landscape of Los Angeles. By offering compelling cultural and civic programs that are relevant to a wide range of audiences, The Music Center is both the home and the force behind some of the greatest creative expression today. 

The non-profit Music Center organization has three divisions: TMC Arts, TMC Ops and TMC Business Services. TMC Arts, The Music Center’s programming engine, provides year-round programming inside our four theatres, on Jerry Moss Plaza, outside at Grand Park—a 12-acre adjacent green space—in schools and neighborhoods all over Los Angeles County and on a variety of digital platforms. TMC Arts also has a comprehensive K-12 arts learning program. TMC Ops manages The Music Center’s four theatres, Jerry Moss Plaza and Grand Park on behalf of the County of Los Angeles, while TMC Business Resources includes services provided by our Advancement, Finance and Marketing and Communications teams. The Music Center has four renowned resident companies—Center Theatre Group, Los Angeles Master Chorale, LA Opera and LA Phil. 

Visit The Music Center, and you’ll find many ways you can experience arts and cultural experiences. The Music Center’s programming arm, TMC Arts, creates inclusive arts and cultural experiences across numerous genres—for, with and by the community—both on our stages and in our outdoor spaces including on Jerry Moss Plaza and in Grand Park. Our four resident companies offer world-class presentations on our stages with an emphasis on theatre, choral music, opera and classical music. 

Important Info
Type: Opera
City: Los Angeles, USA
Starts at: 17:00
Duration:
Sung in: Finnish
Titles in: English
Top of page