U.S. Bishops' Assembly begins with an exhortation to unityOn March 11, the Cathedral of Our Lady of Los Angeles in California opened its doors to one of the largest and most important opera companies in the United States: The Los Angeles Opera (LA Opera), conducted by maestro James Conlon. The cathedral's large sanctuary became the stage where dozens of artists, professional and amateur musicians gave life to "Moses", an opera based on the biblical figure and composed by Henry Mollicone.
"Moses, a nation's struggle for freedom", presents the most relevant themes of the book of Exodus: the oppression of the people of Israel in Egypt, the birth of Moses, his election to free the people, the ten plagues in Egypt, the departure of the Israelites, the building of the golden calf and the giving of the tablets of the law.
Los Angeles, cathedral of art
This project is part of a community program between LA Opera and the Los Angeles Cathedral to bring opera to the Los Angeles community and give artists, dancers and musicians of all ages in Los Angeles the opportunity to interact with professionals from a world-class opera company.
The cathedral is located in the cultural center of Los Angeles. The physical proximity between the cathedral and the Music Center fostered collaboration between the two institutions. The Music Center is one of the largest performing arts centers in the country, with four major concert halls within its sprawling complex: the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion, home of the Los Angeles Opera (LA Opera); the Walt Disney Music Hall, home of the Los Angeles Philharmonic (LA Phil), which is one of the most modern architectural and acoustical centers in the country; the Mark Taper Forum; and the Ahmanson Theatre, where theatrical works are presented.
The presentation of operas at the Cathedral was one of the first initiatives that LA Opera's director, Maestro Conlon, implemented since his arrival in 2006. Previously, Benjamin Britten's "Noah's Flood" and Handel's "Judas Maccabeus", among others, have been presented at the Cathedral.
Accessible art
In a city like Los Angeles where there are more than 40,000 people wandering the streets homeless, with high rates of poverty and high rates of social inequality coupled with racial problems, presenting sacred operas in the cathedral free of charge, gives the general public the opportunity to approach opera.
These events are unaffordable for the average Angeleno given the high ticket prices. Tickets to opera or other theatrical events in the United States cost much more than in other countries that receive state subsidies. Unlike countries such as France, Italy or Mexico - where there are ministries dedicated to culture and where the state supports a large part of cultural activities, including opera companies - in the United States, tickets for opera and other theatrical events are much more expensive than in other countries that receive state subsidies. United States cultural institutions are independent and, therefore, must obtain their resources on their own, since there is practically no governmental financial support, nor of the same proportions as in Europe.
Although the National Endowment for the Arts, "National Endowment for the Arts" (NEA) receives resources from the federal government, it does not match the government support received by other European cultural institutions. For comparison, the Paris Opera received government subsidies in 2019 that equaled 60% of all the government support the NEA received in that same time frame. However, its funds went to hundreds of cultural projects: non-profits, writers, translators, state and regional arts agencies and not to a single institution.
