Resilience and Reinvention: Los Angeles Classical Music Thrives Amidst Crisis in 2025
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Despite a tumultuous start to the year marked by wildfires and broader societal challenges, Los Angeles’ classical music scene demonstrated remarkable resilience and a spirit of reinvention in 2025. From groundbreaking performances at Coachella to innovative programming and the emergence of new artistic leadership,the city’s orchestras and opera companies navigated a complex landscape with creativity and determination.
The year began under a shadow.As the text notes, 2025 dawned with Los Angeles ablaze, impacting musicians and forcing concert cancellations. These disruptions occurred against a backdrop of ongoing struggles for arts institutions to regain pre-COVID audience levels, looming contract negotiations, dwindling government funding, and even the threat of censorship. A visible military presence in downtown Los Angeles further dampened the atmosphere for cultural events.
yet, within these challenges, a vibrant artistic ecosystem not only survived but flourished.New leaders are injecting vitality into the region’s arts organizations, empowering musicians and offering audiences renewed hope. Here are some of the highlights that defined Los Angeles classical music in 2025.
Dudamel’s Departure and a Coachella Triumph
2025 marked a year of transition for Gustavo Dudamel,as his long farewell to the Los Angeles Philharmonic began. The anticipation now builds for his upcoming role with the New york Philharmonic, a move that has prompted reflection on his legacy in Los Angeles. Notably,the New York Philharmonic is already wondering how to surpass the L.A. Phil’s electrifying performance at Coachella in April.
The L.A. Phil’s appearance at the music festival, drawing a crowd of 100,000, was a watershed moment. “L.A. Phil! L.A. Phil!” and “Gustavo! Gustavo!” echoed through the festival grounds,demonstrating the orchestra’s ability to connect with a new and diverse audience. This success was mirrored at Walt Disney Concert Hall, the Hollywood Bowl, and during an Asia tour, especially through Dudamel’s increasingly profound interpretations of Mahler. He led an impressive Mahler Grooves festival in late winter, followed by exhilarating performances of Mahler’s First Symphony in the summer and an extraordinary Second Symphony in the fall.
Salonen’s Vision and a New Creative Direction
Esa-Pekka Salonen concluded a reportedly unhappy five-year tenure as music director of the San Francisco Symphony with a dramatic rendition of Mahler’s Second Symphony – “The Resurrection.” Though,his vision found a new home with the L.A. Phil, which announced the creation of a new position of creative director for Salonen, tasking him with reimagining the role of the symphony orchestra in contemporary society.
As a preview of this ambitious undertaking,Salonen conducted a revelatory performance of Pierre Boulez’s “Rituel” in the spring. The performance, featuring both L.A. Phil musicians and dancers from L.A. Dance Project, spilled beyond the stage at Disney hall, blurring the boundaries between musical and physical space.
opera Leadership: Sellars and Sharon Chart New Paths
The operatic landscape also saw significant shifts. Peter Sellars, though largely based outside of Los Angeles in 2025, collaborated with Salonen on a powerful staging of Schoenberg’s “Erwartung” and the conclusion of M
