Downtown Los Angeles is about to get hit with a musical deluge. LA Opera is bringing two free performances of Benjamin Britten’s Noah’s Flood to the Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels on Friday, May 8, at 7:30 p.m. and Saturday, May 9, at 3 p.m. The family-focused staging pulls together hundreds of singers, student instrumentalists, and professional soloists for a community retelling of the biblical flood story.
Community staging and scale
LA Opera Music Director James Conlon will lead the production, which features more than 300 volunteer musicians performing alongside members of the LA Opera Orchestra, according to LA Opera. It is part of LA Opera Connects, the company’s community engagement program, and invites children’s choirs, student orchestras, and even some audience participation into the mix. The piece, based on a 15th-century play, is designed to be performed by community artists and to be accessible to families.
Cast and creative team
The professional cast is led by baritone Hyungjin Son as Noah, mezzo-soprano Peabody Southwell as Mrs. Noah, and actor Jamieson Price as the Voice of God, with Eli Villanueva directing the staging. As reported by NBC Los Angeles, they will be joined by hundreds of community singers and student musicians filling out the ark.
Tickets and logistics
Admission is free, with tickets available to reserve online. The cathedral’s event page notes the performance times and lists parking in the cathedral garage at $12, per Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels. LA Opera credits longtime support from the Dan Murphy Foundation for making the no-cost tickets possible. Reservations are encouraged but not required, according to MyNewsLA.
Why it matters
LA Opera has periodically turned the cathedral into a community opera house since 2007, using Noah’s Flood as a recurring way to bring newcomers into live classical music and to give young performers a shot at a large-scale production. Company leaders and critics have pointed to the project as a way to cultivate local talent and broaden access to opera, with past stagings drawing hundreds of amateur participants and playing to full houses. The Los Angeles Times has highlighted the blend of seasoned professionals and community performers as central to the outreach mission behind Noah’s Flood.
