It's been about two years since Gustavo Dudamel premiered as the L.A. Philharmonic's newest musical director, and he's since brought vibrancy to the city's classical music scene. I caught a wonderful performance from him and the Phil last summer at the Hollywood Bowl, and Dudamel surely lived up to the hype.
If you haven't gotten a chance to hit up the Walt Disney Concert Hall or the Bowl to catch a performance, or can't afford fancy seats, here's your chance to see Dudamel in action. He will be conducting an
all-Tchaikovsky program this Sunday as part of
L.A. Phil Live, which will broadcast the performance in movie theaters across the country. Even just across L.A. County, you'll have a plethora of options among movie theaters (AMC and Rave theaters, mostly). The music this weekend will also be supplemented with performances from Shakespeare's
Romeo and Juliet, Hamlet and
The Tempest by some well-known actors, like Orlando Bloom and Malcolm McDowell. And on top of all that, you'll see some great behind-the-scenes stuff and get to know Dudamel better through a Q&A.
So really, there's no excuse. Time to check out one of L.A.'s great new music forces, in a fun, interactive way.
L.A. Phil Live is taking place this Sunday, March 13, at 2pm at participating theaters around Los Angeles County. Check here for more info.-- Chau Tu
Drive is the best movie I've seen in a long long time. An unexpected end-of-summer treat, Ryan Gosling is at his absolute coolest as a stunt driver / getaway driver in Los Angeles. The film is beautifully shot, and I think Angelenos will especially appreciate the opening driving scene. Carey Mulligan is perfect as Irene, a subtle and sweet neighbor down the hall. There's so much to love about Drive. See it! Now playing at the ArcLight Hollywood (my favorite), and other theaters worldwide. 
