19 culture picks: Beethoven, Betty Buckley, Vanessa Williams, Our Lady of Guadalupe
A star-studded salute to Beethoven and two Broadway legends in a benefit show lead our weekly list of online concerts, streaming theater productions, virtual art exhibitions and other culture for your viewing consideration this weekend. Here’s our latest rundown, all times Pacific.
“Live With Carnegie Hall: Global Ode to Joy”
Cellist Yo-Yo Ma, pianist Emanuel Ax and mezzo-soprano Joyce DiDonato are among the classical-music stars helping to celebrate Beethoven’s 250th birthday in this webcast event hosted by conductor Marin Alsop. 4:30 p.m. Thursday. Free. carnegiehall.org, youtube.com
“I Miss the Music — Broadway Salutes the Erie Playhouse”
Tony winners Betty Buckley and Brian Stokes Mitchell headline a benefit for this century-old theater in Erie, Pa. 4 p.m. Thursday. Free; donations accepted. erieplayhouse.org
“The Re-Quest”
L.A.-based Heidi Duckler Dance has a two-part program of filmed highlights from an October series of in-person, site-specific performances staged at locations around the city. 6 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. $5-$120. heididuckler.org
The coronavirus crisis forced dance companies — folklórico, ballet, modern — to find ways to make money and reach audiences. Think screens, not stages.
“Appalachian Spring”
Pianist and Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra conductor laureate Jeffrey Kahane joins members of the ensemble for the Copland favorite. 6:30 p.m. Friday; available on demand afterward. Free. laco.org, youtube.com, facebook.com
“The Night of the Iguana”
Dylan McDermott and Phylicia Rashad head the cast of a benefit performance of Tennessee Williams’ dark drama set in Acapulco. Available on demand through Sunday. $10-$250, with proceeds going to benefit the Actors Fund. lafemmetheatreproductions.org
Vanessa Williams
The singer-actress closes out the three-concert series “Live From the West Side: Women of Broadway.” 5 p.m. Saturday; available on demand for 72 hours. $30 per household; three-concert subscription, $70; proceeds to benefit institutions including the Segerstrom Center for the Arts in Costa Mesa. scfta.org
“DreamBuilders: From Post Office to Box Office”
Nigel Lythgoe and Debbie Allen cohost this virtual gala for the Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts, featuring performances by Jeremy Irons, Adam Levine and jazz vocalist Patrice Rushen. 6:30 p.m. Thursday. $500 and up. TheWallis.org
Arturo Sandoval
The Grammy-winning Latin jazz artist and his band perform in a November concert filmed at the Broad Stage in Santa Monica. Anytime Friday through Dec. 13. $10 per household. thebroadstage.org
53rd Holiday Look-In Home Tour
Presented by the Women’s Committee of the Pasadena Symphony, this architectural tour of festively decorated Pasadena homes goes virtual for its latest iteration. Anytime Saturday through Dec. 31. Free; donations accepted. pasadenaholidaylookin.org
Our Lady of Guadalupe Celebration
Forest Lawn in Glendale marks the traditional Mexican holiday with a bilingual program that includes performances by Mariachi Juvenil Herencia Mexicana and Ballet Folklorico Internacional. 2 p.m. Sunday. Free. facebook.com
“Gloria Cheng — My Windows: Chinese Composers in America”
The pianist performs and leads a panel discussion in this Piano Spheres presentation. Free. Available through Monday at pianospheres.org and afterward on youtube.com
“Department of Dreams”
City Garage in Santa Monica streams its 2019 production of Jeton Neziraj’s surreal fable about a totalitarian regime and its alarmingly intrusive bureaucracy. An L.A. Times Critics’ Choice. 8 p.m. Friday through Dec. 11. Pay what you can. youtube.com
Jeton Neziraj was only a tween when he witnessed Serbian nationalist Slobodan Milosevic’s campaign of war and ethnic cleansing in the Balkans.
“Barbara Morrison: Standing on Their Shoulders”
The veteran vocalist salutes the great ladies of jazz and blues in this offering from the Wallis’ Sorting Room series. 8 p.m. Saturday; available on demand for 24 hours. $25 per household; series packages available. thewallis.org
“You Are Here: A Homebound Travelogue”
L.A.-based theater artist Marike Splint is your tour guide in this documentary-style production presented as part of the La Jolla Playhouse’s Digital Without Walls festival. Available anytime on demand. Pay what you wish. lajollaplayhouse.org
“David Benoit’s Tribute to A Charlie Brown Christmas!”
The Carpenter Center in Long Beach presents a livestream of the jazz pianist’s annual holiday concert celebrating the music of the Vince Guaraldi Trio. 6:30 p.m. Saturday. Free. carpenterarts.org
“The MisMatch Game: Zoom for the Holidays Edition”
Host Dennis Hensley’s campy sendup of the 1970s game show returns with Julie Brown, drag artist Jackie Beat and others. 8 p.m. Saturday; also Dec. 12 and 19. $15; proceeds to benefit the Los Angeles LGBT Center. Reservations at lalgbtcenter.org
“Tis the Season!”
Pacific Chorale’s annual holiday concert moves online and features a host of seasonal favorites. 5 p.m. Thursday. Free. pacificchoraleorg
ESMoA Video Art + Film Festival
The El Segundo Museum of Art’s annual showcase for short films from around the world moves online. Now through Sunday. Free. Register at esmoa.org
“A Tribute to Leonard Cohen”
Cohen biographer Michael Posner and singer-actor Rena Strober salute the late, great singer-songwriter and poet in this Zoom event presented by the Braid in Santa Monica. 11 a.m. Sunday. Free; donations accepted. the-braid.org
Our recurring coronavirus-era viewing recommendations are indexed in the same place arts event listings (sigh) used to post.
Make the most of L.A.
Get our guide to events and happenings in the SoCal arts scene. In your inbox once a week.
You may occasionally receive promotional content from the Los Angeles Times.
The biggest entertainment stories
Get our big stories about Hollywood, film, television, music, arts, culture and more right in your inbox as soon as they publish.
You may occasionally receive promotional content from the Los Angeles Times.
