Five Quick Questions for Composer Gianopoulos

By Ted AYALA Local composer George N. Gianopoulos is already a busy man, but on Wednesday, Feb. 5 he will be busier still. At noon his “Hatzlacha Rabbah!!!” will form part of the program at the next installment of the Glendale Noon Concerts held at the First Baptist Church on Louise Street. Later that evening […]

Mansurian Tribute at UCLA Schoenberg Hall

By Ted AYALA Taking sorrow and pain, clothing it in acceptance, in affirmation of the triumph of life and truth – the music of Tigran Mansurian is something rare in today’s world jaded by commercialism and lucre; a world engrossed in itself, always hurrying to promote itself, always absorbed in its own ostentatiousness, always unable […]

‘Brothers: A Tale of Two Sons’

By Michael WORKMAN Developed by Starbreeze Studios, “Brothers: A Tale of Two Sons” is a downloadable title that may look like a simple indie adventure game, but it is clear that it is much more than that. Brothers is unique because it was created by a film director rather than a game developer. This has […]

Interview: Composer Tigran Mansurian reflects on his career and Armenian music on the eve of his 75th birthday

 By Ted AYALA Tigran Mansurian, though one of the great living composers of today, speaks with an unpretentious clarity that belies his stature. His voice, though a bit dry, is firm and youthfully emphatic. He gesticulates vigorously as he speaks, almost giving physical presence to the abstract ideas and concepts he is expressing. It is […]

POP Reaches New, Dark Plateau in Britten’s ‘The Turn Of The Screw’

By Ted AYALA Pacific Opera Project, or POP as its known to fans, has emerged in recent years as one of Southern California’s most exciting opera companies. Not the very least because of its irreverent and often outrageous productions of repertory classics. A “La Bohème” set among Highland Park hipsters? Check. “The Marriage of Figaro” […]

Next Great Leap in Gaming? The Oculus Rift

»Video Game Review By Michael WORKMAN Every year game companies tout better graphics and more realism for some of the game industries biggest releases. Better textures, higher resolutions or smoother shading are enough to grab the attention of many gamers on titles they are excited about. Heavy weights like “Skyrim” and “Portal 2” boast impressive […]

75th Birthday Tribute for Tigran Mansurian Brings Hope for Founding of Armenian Music Studies Program at UCLA

By Ted AYALA The local festivities for composer Tigran Mansurian’s 75th birthday, which Dilijan Chamber Series kicked off earlier this month, continues this Sunday at UCLA. Beginning at 2 p.m. at the school’s Schoenberg Hall, the Lark Music School Choir of Glendale will be joined by the VEM String Quartet and other performers in a […]

POP reaches new, dark plateau in Britten’s “The Turn of the Screw”

By Ted AYALA Pacific Opera Project, or POP as they’re known to their fans, has emerged in recent years as one of Southern California’s most exciting opera companies. Not the very least because of their irreverent and often outrageous productions of repertory classics. A La Bohème set among Highland Park hipsters? Check. The Marriage of […]

Umi Garett, Nicholas McGegan at the Pasadena Symphony

By Ted Ayala I used to be among those that believed that the day of the capital G Great conductors—the likes of Beecham, Furtwängler, Mengelberg, et al—was something that had gone the way of Quadraphonic sound, Dynagroove, and bell-bottom pants. OK, there might be just a handful of conductors—literally only about five or less—alive today […]