Press Releases & Statements

October 30, 2023

Audra McDonald returns to LA Opera for December 2 concert

The legendary six-time Tony Award winner will return to perform with the LA Opera Orchestra on December 2

(Los Angeles) October 30, 2023 — Audra McDonald—winner of an Emmy Award, two Grammy Awards and a record-setting six Tony Awards—returns to LA Opera in a not-to-be-missed concert, joined by a brilliant featured ensemble as well as the magnificent musicians of the LA Opera Orchestra. The performance will take place at the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion (135 North Grand Avenue, Los Angeles CA 90012) on Saturday, December 2, at 7:30pm.

The Broadway legend will bring her luminous soprano voice to an intimate evening of favorite show tunes, classic songs and original pieces written especially for her. Ms. McDonald's longtime music director, Andy Einhorn, will conduct an ensemble featuring performers Jeremy Jordan on piano, Mark Vanderpoel on bass and Gene Lewin on drums.

About Audra McDonald
Audra McDonald is unparalleled in the breadth and versatility of her artistry as both a singer and an actor. The winner of a record-breaking six Tony Awards, two Grammy Awards and an Emmy, she received the National Medal of Arts from President Barack Obama in 2015 and was named one of Time magazine’s 100 most influential people. She won Tonys for her performances in Carousel, Master Class, Ragtime, A Raisin in the Sun, The Gershwins’ Porgy and Bess and    Lady Day at Emerson’s Bar & Grill, which also served as the vehicle for her Olivier-nominated 2017 West End debut. On television, she won an Emmy as the official host of PBS’s   Live From Lincoln Center, and is known for recurring roles on   Private Practice (ABC),   The Good Wife (CBS),    The Good Fight (Paramount+) and   The Gilded Age (HBO). Her film credits include Disney’s live-action    Beauty and the Beast and MGM’s 2021 Aretha Franklin biopic,   Respect.

A Juilliard-trained soprano, she maintains a major career as a Grammy-winning recording and concert artist. Her latest solo album,   Sing Happy, was recorded live with the New York Philharmonic for Decca Gold. She is a founding member of Black Theatre United, board member of Covenant House International, and prominent advocate for LGBTQIA+ rights.

Audra McDonald made her LA Opera debut in 2007 as Jenny in    Rise and Fall of the City of Mahagonny. The production was recorded on DVD and subsequently won the 2009 Grammy Awards for Best Classical Album and Best Opera Recording. She has returned to LA Opera for concerts in 2013 and 2018.

Tickets and Additional Information
Tickets begin at $29 and can be purchased online at LAOpera.org, by phone at 213.972.8001, or in person at the LA Opera box office at the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion (135 N. Grand Avenue, Los Angeles CA 90012). For disability access, call 213.972.0777 or email LAOpera@LAOpera.org.

About LA Opera
Los Angeles is a city of enormous diversity and creativity, and LA Opera is dedicated to reflecting that vibrancy by redefining what opera can be. Through imaginative new productions, world premiere commissions, and inventive performances that preserve foundational works while making them feel fresh and compelling, LA Opera has become one of America’s most exciting and ambitious opera companies.

In addition to its mainstage performances at the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion, the company explores unusual repertoire each season through the LA Opera Off Grand initiative, featuring performances in a variety of venues throughout Los Angeles. The LA Opera Connects initiative offers a robust variety of educational programming and community engagement offerings that reaches people throughout every corner of Los Angeles County. The company also offers a multitude of online content via its LA Opera On Now digital offerings, which launched in 2020. Learn more at LAOpera.org.

LA Opera Media Contact
Marlene Meraz
Director of Communications
mmeraz@laopera.org
213.972.7554

Piano graciously provided by Yamaha.

LA Opera is a nonprofit organization dedicated to serving the greater Los Angeles community.