Central Coast conductor Brian Asher Alhadeff will direct the Lompoc Pops Orchestra during its next concert at the First United Methodist Church in Lompoc on Sunday, Sept. 22, at 4 p.m.
Alhadeff is widely known for his longtime work with the local orchestra, as well as his full-time conductor role with Opera San Luis Obispo, which will present its production of French composer Georges Bizet’s Carmen at the Performing Arts Center (PAC), with performances of the iconic opera on Saturday, Oct. 19, and Sunday, Oct. 20. Both performances start at 2 p.m.
Geared toward families, the music selection Alhadeff chose for the upcoming Lompoc Pops Orchestra show will highlight various songs from Disney films, including Snow White, Bambi, Cinderella, Peter Pan, Frozen, and other animated musicals. Attendees of the performance, open to all ages, are encouraged to dress as their favorite Disney characters.
Admission to the Lompoc concert is free for children ages 12 and under, $5 for students with a student ID, and $25 for adults. Active military are eligible for a special discount. Call (805) 733-1796 for more details on the show. The First United Methodist Church is located at 925 N. F St., Lompoc.
Tickets to Opera San Luis Obispo’s production of Carmen, directed by Joshua Wentz and choreographed by Drew Silvaggio, range from $30 to $87. According to the PAC’s website, Carmen is “widely accepted as the most famous opera of all time,” and this local iteration features an internationally acclaimed cast of opera and ballet performers, spectacular sets and costumes, and more.
Conducted by Alhadeff, the Opera San Luis Obispo orchestra is collaborating with local performance arts groups, including Civic Ballet San Luis Obispo and Applause Children’s Theater, to bring Carmen to life.
Set in Spain during the 1820s, Carmen follows a soldier who is seduced by the show’s titular character, a woman with “an appetite for smuggling,” according to the PAC’s website. After abandoning his childhood sweetheart and ending his military career, the former soldier joins Carmen’s band of thugs but must eventually compete with a champion bullfighter for Carmen’s affection.
Fans of Carmen can find a past performance of the opera’s overture from Opera San Luis Obispo’s orchestra with Alhadeff at the helm on the ensemble’s YouTube Channel, as part of its Memorable Performances series.
Visit operaslo.org for more details on the upcoming Carmen production. The PAC is located at 1 Grand Ave, San Luis Obispo.
This article appears in Sep 12-22, 2024.
