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 The Hammer Museum Partnership
Nights at the Hammer
The Hammer Museum, an invaluable site of cultural and intellectual discovery on the LA art scene, has a number of exciting events slated for the upcoming Ring Festival LA. In collaboration with LA Opera, the Hammer will present a series of lectures, performances, and conversations centered on the Ring cycle and its composer, Richard Wagner. On February 9, scholars Leon Botstein, David J. Levin, Kenneth Reinhard, and Marc A. Weiner will engage in a discussion that focuses on Wagner and anti-Semitism. This free conversation explores the question of anti-Semitism in Wagner's life and works in order to illuminate the role that Wagner's political views play in contemporary interpretation, appreciation, and production of his music.
On a different note, Wagnerian singers Linda Watson and John Treleaven make an appearance at the Hammer on Thursday, March 11. This soprano and tenor, who perform the famous roles of Brünnhilde and Siegfried, respectively, discuss their experiences as part of the LA Opera Ring Cycle, as well as the challenges of singing Wagnerian opera.
The Hammer is the site for the Sundance Institute's presentation of the critically-acclaimed 1999 documentary, Sing Faster: The Stagehands' Ring Cycle. The film presents another behind-the-scenes perspective on the production of the 19th-century opera, this time from the point of view of a stagehand. The Hammer screening will be followed by a Q&A with the film's director, Jon Else.
On Tuesday, April 13, the Hammer welcomes yet another musical persona from the Ring Cycle: world-famous conductor and Richard Seaver Music Director of LA Opera, James Conlon. Maestro Conlon will deliver a lecture about opera, Wagner, and his role as the conductor of the Ring cycle.
As summer approaches, the museum gears up for a two-day symposium that travels to the frontier of Wagnerian academia and contemporary philosophy titled, "Wagner in LA: The Music of the 21st Century?" On Tuesday, June 1, and Wednesday, June 2, famous philosophers and musicologists from both the United States and Europe convene for an interdisciplinary conference on the emerging role of Wagner's works in the future of both contemporary art and critical theory.
Films: A Festival within Ring Festival LA Ring Festival LA represents a milestone in the history of LA Opera. The company, barely twenty-five years old, has spent those years carving out a space for opera in Angeleno culture. The festival stands as a testament to how far this remarkable organization has come in a few short decades. But Ring Festival LA also pays homage to the art form that has defined Los Angeles for almost a century: the art of film. During the festival, a number of LA Opera's partners invoke this tradition through a series of screenings that showcase intersections between the Wagnerian world of opera and the world of film.
The first of these screenings take place in April, at the beginning of the ten-week Ring Festival. On April 17, the Armand Hammer Museum of Contemporary Art presents the Sundance Film Festival documentary, Sing Faster: The Stagehands' Ring. Made in 1999, the film offers a stagehand's perspective on the strange and complex 19th-century operatic tradition. The film's director, John Else, will discuss his award-winning work after the screening.
What could be better than an arts festival in LA, except, perhaps, a festival within a festival? On April 24, the City of Los Angeles Department of Cultural Affairs will host the Ring Around San Pedro Festival, an all-day celebration of all things Wagner. Families and children can enjoy the films and videos for opera lovers of all ages, held for free throughout the day, while adult aficionados can catch the evening screenings of more mature films related to Wagner and opera.
For a deeper look at Wagner's influence on film, join The Opera League of Los Angeles for their Tony Palmer Film Festival. This tribute to the British film director, author, and composer will present and introduce three of his films relating to Wagner. On May 22, a screening of Palmer's Parsifal-The Search for the Grail will be followed by the world premiere of The Wagner Family. This new work by Palmer chronicles the ups and downs of the Wagner family, their struggles with the Bayreuth Festival, and the fights amongst themselves. A discussion of the film's explosive contents lead by Mr. Palmer follows the film. On the second day of the festival, May 23, Palmer introduces his 1983 film, Wagner, which was described by the LA Times as "one of the most beautiful films ever made."
The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences will join the 'film fest' as well, with a number of events centered on Wagner and film. During Wagner, Classical Music and the Animation Soundtracks, composer Michael Giaccchino hosts an evening of animated short subjects with soundtracks influenced by Wagner, such as What's Up Opera Doc? The Band Concert, The Rabbit of Seville, and Musicland. And in May, the Academy will team up with the Goethe Institut and LACMA to present the classic 1924 films of director Fritz Lang: Die Nibelungen 1 on May 7, and Kriemhilde's Revenge: Die Nibelungen 2 on May 8.
In June, American Cinematheque will round off the film fest with a screening of Francis Ford Coppola's iconic 1979 Vietnam War drama, Apocalypse Now Redux, including two scenes excluded from Coppola's original film. On June 4, this special screening will take place at the Egyptian Theatre, followed by a discussion of Coppola's use of Richard Wagner's Ride of the Valkyries for one of cinema's most memorable moments, as well as Wagner's impact on cinematic scores.
 Highways
Highways Performance Space is Southern California's boldest center for new performance. In its 21st year, Highways continues to be an important alternative cultural center in Los Angeles that encourages fierce new artists...
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 The Latino Museum of history, Art, and Culture
The Latino Museum is committed to building a broader understanding of the rich history of Latino art and to increasing public awareness of outstanding works of contemporary Latino artists.
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It is 2010, the year of Ring Festival LA! The Festival was featured in two important New Year celebrations, the Rose Parade and LA Arts Month. The City of Los Angeles float in the Rose Parade was devoted to the arts in Los Angeles. It depicted in flowers the homes of several Ring Festival LA partners, including the Getty Center, Walt Disney Concert Hall and the Hollywood Bowl. Crowds along the parade route and national and international television audiences saw the float pass by playing Richard Wagner's The Ride of the Valkyries in honor of the upcoming premier of LA Opera's Ring cycle and Ring Festival LA. Nine local and national television stations covered the float and described the Festival to their audiences in voice-overs as it traveled along. 
Road to the Ring Events
