As the fall season approaches, Los Angeles prepares for a dynamic lineup of classical music and dance performances marked by significant leadership changes and artistic premieres. Several major organizations in the region are welcoming new music directors, indicating a period of renewal amid ongoing global uncertainties, including economic pressures, geopolitical tensions, and health concerns.
Among the prominent changes, the Los Angeles Opera, Los Angeles Philharmonic, and Pacific Symphony introduce new music directors for the coming season. The Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra also anticipates a transition in leadership next year. At the same time, some established figures continue their roles, providing a blend of continuity and fresh perspectives across the region’s classical music institutions.
The Los Angeles Ballet will make its debut at the Hollywood Bowl from September 25 to 27, performing alongside the Los Angeles Philharmonic. The program features works influenced by both Mexican and American traditions and is conducted by Grammy-winning Carlos Miguel Prieto. The ballet company will also present "American Icons" at the BroadStage, celebrating the United States’ semiquincentennial with choreography inspired by innovators such as Jerome Robbins and Paul Taylor, alongside pieces by Artistic Director Melissa Barak.
On October 1 through 3, the Pacific Symphony will introduce its new music director, British conductor Alexander Shelley, who succeeds Carl St.Clair after more than three decades. Shelley’s inaugural program includes Gustav Mahler’s Second Symphony, known as the "Resurrection Symphony," signaling a season focused on classical mainstays and contemporary works, including Beethoven’s complete symphonies and a semi-staged production of John Adams’ “Nixon in China.”
October will also see a variety of events emphasizing new music and socially engaged themes. The collective Wild Up, under conductor and composer Christopher Rountree, will present three "Democracy Sessions" in early October, blending music with discussions and rituals related to the upcoming U.S. midterm elections. Other offerings include a two-hour performance by avant-garde artist Charlemagne Palestine at The Brick and a program by Ronald K. Brown’s Evidence dance company at The Wallis, showcasing African diasporic dance.
In mid-October, the Houston Ballet is set to perform “Sons de l’âme” at Costa Mesa’s Segerstrom Center for the Arts. Created by artistic director Stanton Welch, the piece combines live piano renditions of Chopin with contemporary choreography. The Los Angeles Opera will open its season on October 17 with a new production of Bizet’s "Carmen," led by their new music director Domingo Hindoyan and featuring mezzo-soprano Rihab Chaieb.
The fall ballet festival at the Ahmanson Theatre from October 23 to 25 pays tribute to longtime American choreographer Jerome Robbins. The program focuses on Robbins’ ballet works with participation from dancers representing major companies such as New York City Ballet, American Ballet Theatre, and Paris Opera Ballet.
Other notable events include a Steve Reich tribute by Japanese percussionist Kuniko Kato at Colburn School’s Zipper Hall on October 16, and a desert outdoor performance of Olivier Messiaen’s “From the Canyons to the Stars” in Borrego Springs on October 12, part of San Diego’s Art of Elan series.
Later in the season, Gustavo Dudamel returns to the Walt Disney Concert Hall in December for a “Simply Beethoven” festival, which includes performances of several Beethoven symphonies and piano concertos. Holiday programming features Handel’s “Messiah” performed by the Los Angeles Master Chorale with Emmanuelle Haïm and Le Concert d’Astrée, as well as Bach’s Christmas Oratorio performed by the Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra in two venues.
The upcoming season reflects both the resilience and adaptability of Los Angeles’ classical music and dance communities, embracing new leadership while honoring established traditions and reaching audiences across diverse settings.