One of the biggest operatic events of the season takes place this weekend at the Hollywood Bowl, when Gustavo Dudamel conducts the Los Angeles Philharmonic and a cast that includes Christine Brewer in a performance of Puccini’s “Turandot.”
Problem is, it will occur during the complete shut down of the 405 freeway between the 10 and the 101. Predictions are dire for the weekend — an apocalyptic traffic jam engulfing not only the 405, but the freeways around it, including the 101, upon which sits, a few miles from the shutdown interchange, the Hollywood Bowl.
Getting to the Bowl under normal circumstances is no walk in the park. Sunday, it could be horrific.
However, I really have no idea what will happen, and do not foretell anything. Last time massive gridlock was predicted for L.A. — during the 1984 Olympics — everyone stayed off the freeways, and getting around was a dream. It might happen Sunday too. Certainly, everyone has been warned.
classical life 
It”s not much help if you’re coming from Orange County but you can get to the Bowl via the Metro Red Line subway to either Hollywood/Highland or Universal City and then shuttling to the Bowl from there. Plus, it’s a lot cheaper than driving and parking.
It’s true that many people stayed off the freeways during the Olympics, but that didn’t involve any freeway closures, major or minor. Closing the 405 between the 101 and the 10 is well beyond a big deal. Very curious to hear how that all plays out.
I know that I’m not going anywhere near it.
Too bad the people at the Los Angeles Opera couldn’t blame the shutdown of the 405 Freeway on the following, which was posted in today’s LA Times. But I guess they can blame the economy, because it’s so much better for others this year (for example, our neighbors to the north) than it was for the LA area last year. [rolls eyes]
The dwarves onstage in San Francisco Opera’s recently concluded performances of Richard Wagner’s “Ring” cycle probably outnumbered empty seats in the 3,148-capacity War Memorial Opera House. The company announced this week that it sold 99.96% of the seats for 14 performances…
Attendance totaled 44,055 for the so-called “American Ring,” in which director Francesca Zambello transposed Wagner’s rendering of Germanic myths into American historical settings, starting with the Gold Rush. The company said that 18% of the audience came from 46 other states and 21 foreign countries. About one of every 20 San Francisco “Ring”-goers traveled from outside the U.S.
Los Angeles Opera went ahead last year with its avant-garde “Ring” directed by Achim Freyer, and company officials cited the poor economy as the primary reason it suffered a $6-million deficit for the three full cycles performed in late spring 2010. L.A. Opera sold about 27,000 tickets for the “Ring” cycles, 73% of capacity in the 3,156-seat Dorothy Chandler Pavilion. Many of those went at deep discounts.
The L.A. “Ring” cost $31 million, while the San Francisco budget was $24.3 million. But L.A. Opera gave 36 performances, compared to 24 up north, making the Bay Area “Ring” only about 9% more expensive on a per-show basis.