L.A. Music Center: Dorothy Chandler Pavilion

Plaza fronting the venue.

This is one of a series of posts about the Los Angeles Music Center.

The Dorothy Chandler Pavilion had become well known to viewers of the Academy Awards telecast. The venue hosted the ceremony for the movie awards 24 times from 1967 until the Kodak Theatre became permanent home of the Oscars.

Venue lobby

Walking in the theatre lobby, it is obvious the interior design of chandeliers, wide curving staircases and rich decor in gold and white is a product of another era in contrast to the much modern Ahmanson Theatre and Disney Concert Hall which are all part of the Los Angeles Music Center. The venue opened in 1964 seats 2,400 and is home to the Los Angeles Opera.

Founders Room

One unique stop of the Music Center is entry to the exclusive Founder Room. Donors to the L.A. Opera or Music Center making contributions of $100,000 or more or an equal multi-year commitment are given membership. Benefits include access to the luxury room offering pre-performance dining, intermission service, special parking privileges, ample room to lounge when at the venue and access to the Founders Rooms in the Disney Concert Hall and Ahmanson Theatre.

The theatre is named for Dorothy Chandler who the driving force to persuade the county to build an arts venue for Los Angeles and helped to raise the majority of funds necessary for construction.

View of venue from First Street.

L.A. Music Center: Mark Taper Forum

Mark Taper Forum with its unique relief exterior.

This is one of a series of posts about the Los Angeles Music Center.

Each venue at the Music Center has a specific purpose on the kinds of arts performances staged. The Mark Taper Forum hosts experimental or smaller scale theatre productions. Productions have included the pre-Broadway tryout of the rewritten "Flower Drum Song" musical starring Lea Salonga and more recently "Harps and Angels," a revue based on songs of Randy Newman ("Short People", "I Love L.A.", music & songs of the Disney/Pixar films) starring Michael McKean and Katey Segal. Photos are from 2009 when a West Coast production of the Donmar Warehouse revival of the musical "Parade" (starring T.R. Knight of "Grey's Anatomy") was about to open.

The Mark Taper Forum appears to be be a theatre-in-the-round based on the circular exterior. However the auditorium is a thrust stage configuration with the audience seated on three sides. Opened in 1967 and renovated in 2008, it has seating for 750. The relief on the exterior is supposed to be a representation of dance. The theatre is named for L.A. real estate developer Mark Taper. His 1962 gift to the Music Center resulted in the theatre being named for him.

From a tour of the National Theatre in London, thrust stages are among the most intimidating performance spaces for actors because of how much of the stage is surrounded by the audience and often how close they are seated to the stage.

Circular lobby

Auditorium with thrust stage (above two image: Architecture Things)

L.A. Music Center: Ahmanson Theatre

This is one of a series of posts about the Los Angeles Music Center.

The Ahmanson Theatre is the center's main venue for theatre productions. The theatre hosts a subscription series that includes major musicals and plays as well as pre-Broadway tryouts. Click here for the post about the theatre when I saw the musical "Next to Normal" at the venue.

L.A. Music Center: Disney Concert Hall in Film

"Iron Man" (image: Paramount)

With such an iconic look and Los Angeles a center of film and television production, it was only time before the Walt Disney Concert Hall would appear on celluloid. Recent appearances of the venue in popular film include "Get Smart" starring Steve Carrell and Anne Hathaway, "Iron Man" with Robert Downey, Jr. and "The Soloist" also starring Downey and featuring Jamie Foxx.

Featuring local landmarks prominently in big-screen films especially if those that become box office hits provides advertising for the city. If the film is popular enough fans will seek it out. In addition to landmarks this also happens with restaurants and stores featured on film.

"The Soloist" (image: DreamWorks)

"Get Smart" (image: Warner Bros.)

L.A. Music Center: Views Via Disney Concert Hall

Los Angeles Cit Hall

Smoke from fires rise above the mountains.

Above & below: the skyscrapers of Downtown L.A.

This is one of a series of posts about the Los Angeles Music Center.

One of the attractions of the Walt Disney Concert Hall are the views from the park and walkways that wrap around the center high above the sidewalk below. The hall should include signs pointing to "scenic point" or "photo spot." All photos taken from the concert hall in 2009.

My opinion for any metropolis that relies on visitors is to build an attraction that will offer clear and expansive views of the city. It can become a hub for tourists to the city. Obvious examples are the Sears Tower, Space Needle, CN Tower, Stratosphere and Empire State Building. The London Eye in England becomes both ride and viewing platform. Businesses near these attractions reap the benefits of the visiting crowds.

L.A. Music Center: Concert Hall Cafe & Patina

The frosted walls and light projected sign of the Concert Hall Cafe.

This is one of a series of posts about the Los Angeles Music Center.

Sometimes finding simple healthy food in a comfortable surrounding is hard to find especially in a city you are not familiar. If visiting a museum or arts venue, inquire about dining opportunities. Many of these places are still there to gouge visitors offering run of the mill food. But many fine art museums and performing centers offer the contrary.

The Disney Concert Hall has two options: the fine dining restaurant Patina and the contemporary Concert Hall Cafe. The Cafe provided the exquisite gourmet cafe foods found at the Spotlight Cafe near the Ahmanson Theatre. Also on a Sunday afternoon this part of Downtown Los Angeles lacks nearby dining options other than those at the Music Center. Rather than having a meal, a modest snack of fresh fruit and sparkling French lemonade was my fare while I waited for my tour of the Music Center to begin.

The cafe is like a scandinavian bistro with wood, glass, metals and uncluttered lighting setting the atmosphere. This design blends seamlessly into the the concert hall. An experience of dining at Patina would have to be saved for another opportunity.

The Concert Hall Cafe is located on the lobby level. Hours: daily 11:30am-2:30pm. During evening performances: from 5pm until intermission.  

Patina Restaurant is located on South Grand Ave fronting the concert hall. Hours: Tues-Sat 5-9:30pm. Visit patinarestaurant.com information and menu.

L.A. Music Center: Walt Disney Concert Hall Community Park & Memorial Fountain

Some of the park's flowering trees

A sign announces this public state park.

This is the second in a series of posts about the Los Angeles Music Center.

Example of Royal Delft
Porcelain

One of the hidden wonders of the Walt Disney Concert Hall is a one-acre park rising 34 feet from the street. Offering a serene repose for visitors, the garden is an eden in stark contrast to the stainless steel and office towers surrounding it.

Of particular interest is the rose fountain covered by broken pieces of Royal Delft porcelain vases and tiles where water gently flows around the petals. Officially named the Lillian Disney Memorial Fountain as an homage to the center's benefactor by its architect, Frank Gehry, to her love of the porcelain and roses.

Above and below: Lillian Disney Memorial Fountain.

L.A. Music Center: Disney Concert Hall

Walt Disney Concert Hall (corner of S Grand Ave & 2nd St)

First in a post series about the Los Angeles Music Center.

Perhaps it's because of my childhood enjoyment of Lego bricks that lay the foundation for my continued wonder of architecture when traveling. That wonder continues with the Walt Disney Concert Hall in Downtown Los Angeles and part of the city's Music Center. It is a perfect example of a building that sparks stares, curiosity and diverse comments.

Concert Hall steps leads to upper lobby.

Tours open the mystery of the unusual building for those interested in architecture or the performing arts. A garden park, an amphitheater, a porcelain rose-shaped fountain are among the worthwhile hidden delights to see within the structure's stainless steel curves. Explore the walkways on the building and spectacular views of Los Angeles appear. A must-see attraction. The only thing that would round off the tour is a performance at the center but that would have to be saved for another day.

Ground level lobby. Columns shape like tree also serves as air
conditioning ducts.

One of the interesting stories from the tour is about the highly reflective surface of the stainless steel exterior. It caused residents of nearby condominiums to suffer glare and rooms to become unbearably warm. This in turn caused air-conditioning costs for affected units to skyrocket. The building also caused hotspots on the sidewalk to raise temperatures to 140 °F (60 °C). The solution was to dull the suspect panels.

Main auditorium

Completed in 2003, the main auditorium of the $274 million building seats 2,256 seats. The hall is home to the Los Angeles Philharmonic and Los Angeles Master Chorale.  See the next post for photos of the garden park and views from the concert hall. Another post features the concert hall in popular entertainment.

Designed by architect Frank Gehry, some of his other well known designs include the Experience Music Project in Seattle, Washington and the Guggenheim Museum in Bilbao, Spain.

Curved walls & walkways lead to the center's amphitheater and park

Since all other visitors were doing the self or guided tour of the Concert Hall and I was the only lined up for the complete tour of all venues of the Music Center, I found myself having a private tour. All the photos in this post are from this 2009 tour.

A maze of walkways and stairs.

The Music Center includes the following venues: the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion, Ahmanson Theatre, Mark Taper Forum and Walt Disney Concert Hall. Three complimentary tours are offered. Two are of the Concert Hall, one guided and self-guided audio tour. Each run about 60 minutes. The third is the Symphonian tour, a guided tour of all four venues that runs about 90 minutes. It should be noted tours may be limited due to performances at the venues.

Another tour group heading to the viewing area of Dorothy Chandler Pavilion.

Visit the music center for the tour schedule as each tour does not occur daily. Click on these links for online brochures: History & Architecture of the Music Center; Architecture & Garden Highlights of Walt Disney Concert Hall.

The Ahmanson Theatre Seats "Next to Normal" - The Venue

Back in the summer of 1990 it was here at the Ahmanson Theatre where I saw Andrew Lloyd Webber's "The Phantom of the Opera" for the first time. Fourteen years later I would experience Baz Luhrman's "La Boheme" at this same venue. Today it would be viewing the dramatic musical "Next to Normal" on its North American Tour. See the next post for my review of the show.

As a modern built theatre, the Ahmanson is indeed quite plain and unstriking compared to the playhouses of the past such as those in London or New York. But it is modern, comfortable, spacious and appropriate to house both plays and musicals. After being renovated in 1995, the seating capacity can be reconfigured from 1,600 to 2,100 on three levels to host a variety of productions.

The plaza fronting the theatre makes it the perfect place to stretch during intermission. A concession stand is also set up outside.

The Ahmanson Theatre has been the tryout theatre and then the co-producer for several shows that eventually reached Broadway, most recently "9 to 5: The Musical" based on the Dolly Parton film of the same name. Earlier this fall the theatre hosted the premiere of the musical adaptation of the Steve Martin film "Leap of Faith." There is no word yet if it is to transfer to Broadway. "The Phantom of the Opera" holds the longest run at the Ahmanson playing from 1989 to 1993.

Auditorium (image: L.A. Music Center)

Construction of the Ahmanson was completed in 1967 and built with the generosity of its namesake, philanthropist Robert H. Ahmanson. The theatre posters within the theatre shows the remarkable past and diverse and popular productions it has hosted. The theatre is one of four venues at the Los Angeles Music Center. More info at centertheatregroup.org.