Advice from you west coasters about an opera, please!
Advice from you west coasters about an opera, please!
Advice from you west coasters about an opera, please!#1
Posted: 12/12/14 at 2:02pm
So I'm going to see Patti LuPone in The Ghosts of Versailles at the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion on March 1st.
I was wondering if you guys could give me advice on cheap hotels that are around (or relatively close) to there? The ones they list on their website are a bit expensive, and I've already dished out a lot for the tickets. I'm only staying for two nights. I've obviously looked on Kayak and other hotel websites, but I trust you guys more than I do the comments section.
Also, what in the world does one wear to an opera? I live near D.C., and I've only experienced theatre and ballet, unfortunately! I listen to opera music frequently but have never physically been to one.
Any help would be MUCH appreciated, and I'm sorry if this is in the wrong area for this website but I know some of you have mentioned living in Cali.
Advice from you west coasters about an opera, please!#2
Posted: 12/12/14 at 4:22pm
At most events save the Oscars, you will see all sorts of dress at any occasion in Southern California. We run the gamut from casual to formal. I probably wouldn't wear shorts and a t-shirt, but I'd have no problem attending the opera in what they call "business casual". (Admittedly, I'm not very self-conscious about such things.)
The hotels I know in downtown LA are all ones where we put lawyers and clients traveling on expense account, so I doubt any of them are cheap. But the firms I used to work for used the Bonaventure, the Hilton and Checkers (the latter for a nice, small-hotel feeling). It's been a decade since I moved, so all of the above may have new names or management.
I assume you know LA is VERY spread out. If you're not driving, you'll want to stay close to downtown to avoid huge taxi fees.
Advice from you west coasters about an opera, please!#2
Posted: 12/12/14 at 4:37pm
"Also, what in the world does one wear to an opera? I live near D.C., and I've only experienced theatre and ballet, unfortunately! I listen to opera music frequently but have never physically been to one."
As a former Los Angeleno and now proud New Yorker, I have noticed that people in LA tend to dress up a little bit more for things like opera (and theater) than New Yorkers do. I attend the Met roughly twice a month and LA Opera about once a year and notice more ball gowns and tuxes in LA. Certainly no shorts or t-shirts and I would also avoid denim. GavestonPS is spot on with business casual: a suit or slacks and button up (or nice sweater) for men and a nicer (perhaps a bit longer) dress or pant suit combo for women.
Again, there are no rules, per se, but typically, that's what one finds many people dressing like at the opera.
Enjoy the production! I'm going to try and make it myself (love Corigliano and the opera is really not done enough) but work travel may get in the way. Please report back!
Advice from you west coasters about an opera, please!#3
Posted: 12/12/14 at 4:42pmThe downtown Standard usually has deals. I've seen rooms under 200 a night which I think is good for a decent metropolitan hotel. Otherwise there are tons of cheaper things farther away... and know that the subway stop is very close to the Dorothy Chandler so you can always stay in the valley and take a subway to the show. Check the areas around the subway stops. it goes all the way to universal studios and up into North Hollywood.
Advice from you west coasters about an opera, please!#4
Posted: 12/12/14 at 4:59pm
You guys are an AWESOME help.
I noticed that about the metro. Since I'm only staying two nights, I might just try and find one under $200 in the downtown area but I'm definitely going to look all over now as well.
And thanks for the clothes comments! I figured no denim, etc. Just wasn't sure how fancy to go with the dress. I figure since it's the last performance then I'll go a half step more than business casual.
You guys are wonderful!
Broadway Legend Joined: 7/9/12
Advice from you west coasters about an opera, please!#5
Posted: 12/12/14 at 6:55pmThere's a Hilton Doubletree Downtown (120 South Los Angeles Street) about 6 blocks from Dorothy Chandler that has a weekend rate of $189/night (before taxes) the weekend of your trip and as an added bonus, you can also get that rate for the Sunday night (if you stay there Saturday night) which is usually considered a weekday and charged at a higher rate by most hotels. I've not stayed there but Hilton is my preferred chain and Doubletrees are usually consistently good. It's also 2 blocks from LA's Japantown which has some great sushi places.
Advice from you west coasters about an opera, please!#6
Posted: 12/12/14 at 7:17pm
Promises - I lived in downtown for three years. I LOVED it. There's such an amazing concentration of great restaurants there and it's the closest you'll get to a big city urban feel on the west coast. In fact, very often, when you see a film/tv show set in "Manhattan", it's actually been filmed in dtla.
The new(ish) Ace Hotel in downtown is a great boutique hotel which is now, with its restaurants and newly refurbished theatre, one of the hottest spots in the city. Depending upon specials, I've seen rooms here as low as $179
The Standard is pretty central - you can walk to anything in downtown from there. It's also got a younger (sometimes louder) crowd, and its rooftop pool offers a really great 360-degree view of the surrounding skyscrapers. Seen rooms as low as $150.
The Westin Bonaventure is a quick walk to the Music Center (up a very steep hill, mind you) or a $0.50 bus ride on the DASH bus. You'll probably recognize its iconic cylindrical towers from a lot of films (or from Kylie Minogue's "Step Back in Time" video), but it's charmless inside. A confusing maze of concrete. Somewhere between hotel and prison. Seen rooms as low as $150
The Omni Hotel at California Plaza is also a close walk to the Music Center and located on the same grounds as MOCA (Museum of Contemporary Art). Never booked there, so not sure about lowest rates, but should be close to their closest competition, The Westin.
The Biltmore is probably downtown's most historically significant hotel. If you want a taste of old LA glamour, it's worth checking out. I've found surprisingly reasonable rates there for colleagues. It's also very central in downtown, allowing you to easily walk to excellent restaurants.
If you want some other tips - restaurants, perhaps - let me know.
Broadway Legend Joined: 7/9/12
Advice from you west coasters about an opera, please!#7
Posted: 12/12/14 at 7:46pm
"The Westin Bonaventure is a quick walk to the Music Center... but it's charmless inside. A confusing maze of concrete. Somewhere between hotel and prison."
If that's what you say about the hotels you're recommending, I'd hate to see what you say about the ones you don't like. 
Advice from you west coasters about an opera, please!#8
Posted: 12/12/14 at 8:12pm
The rooms themselves are just like any other standard Westin hotel, but the rest of the hotel is so drab and depressing. A labyrinth of concrete spirals and stairwells, dreadful quick service restaurants with stale food sitting under heat lamps, tacky "gift" shops etc. It looks like a soon-to-be-abandoned shopping mall.
Broadway Legend Joined: 7/9/12
Advice from you west coasters about an opera, please!#9
Posted: 12/12/14 at 8:20pm
"dreadful quick service restaurants with stale food sitting under heat lamps"
I've eaten several times at the Bonaventure Brewing Company. A great burger at a pretty reasonable price. Besides, when you're within walking distance of so many great L.A. restaurants, who wants to eat at the hotel anyway?
Advice from you west coasters about an opera, please!#10
Posted: 12/12/14 at 8:23pmYes, the Bonaventure Brewing Company is good and the top floors of the hotel offer some great views, but I just find the interior design with all that concrete really off-putting. The only reason so many colleagues have stayed there was because of its proximity to our office.
Advice from you west coasters about an opera, please!#11
Posted: 12/12/14 at 9:20pm
I wouldn't worry about getting real dressed up to go to the opera. Some do, and inevitably they are the ones who have never been before and think white tie is mandatory. Dress like you would to a nice restaurant. If male/male-attired, throw on a jacket. I usually forgo a tie. Be comfortable...you're going to be sitting for three hours in a fairly cramped seat.
Ghosts of Versailles is a great choice for a first opera. It's a weird, weird piece, and has a little bit of "something for everyone." I would advise familiarizing yourself with The Marriage of Figaro before going, as the opera-within-the-opera is a sequel to that work.
I would advise taking a pair of binoculars. the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion is a Barn and unless you're sitting in the first 10 rows of the orchestra, you're going to want them.
Advice from you west coasters about an opera, please!#12
Posted: 12/12/14 at 9:41pmI really like Checkers A hIlton Hotel, have got it as cheap as 145.00 plus tax ( Use the AAA box ) . Love the Vodka Bar in Downtown
Advice from you west coasters about an opera, please!#13
Posted: 12/13/14 at 4:15am
HorseTears describes the Bonaventure very well. When I spent a week there 30 years ago it was exactly the same.
I would trust any of his recommendations. (And, sorry, OP: I completely forgot about the subway. It never got anywhere near my house in Venice.)
Advice from you west coasters about an opera, please!#14
Posted: 12/13/14 at 6:15am
Thank you for taking the time to write those out, Horsetears!
When I get home from work today I am going to sit down and actually write down the rates for the dates that I'm going for each of those that you described!
And thanks for the advice about not going too fancy. I don't own an evening gown or anything of that sort so I'm definitely going to go business casual with maybe some nice jewelry if I can find any. And I dished out money so I'm actually in the second row! If I'm going to fly to LA just to see Patti, I'm gonna fricken SEE Patti!
And great advice about familiarizing myself with The Marriage of Figaro!
Advice from you west coasters about an opera, please!#15
Posted: 12/13/14 at 1:42pmAre you familiar with the opera? The character Ms LuPone is playing has only one scene in it.
Advice from you west coasters about an opera, please!#16
Posted: 12/13/14 at 2:26pm^its more of a vacation for me to get away by myself than anything. And no one in my family can stand opera so I'd rather go all out now because the chances of me seeing one again anytime soon is low. I don't care if she's only on there for a second! I just love operatic voices.
Advice from you west coasters about an opera, please!#17
Posted: 12/13/14 at 5:19pm
I HAD NO IDEA that PATTI LUPONE will be LIVE ON A STAGE here in L.A. Thanks so much for this post.
I've never been to the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion cause it's so expensive and their rush policy is so complicated, I'll definitely find a way to go. Do they have a stage door and where is it???
Advice from you west coasters about an opera, please!#18
Posted: 12/14/14 at 2:23amYou are certainly welcome! And I have no idea!
Advice from you west coasters about an opera, please!#19
Posted: 12/14/14 at 6:36amJose, the Pavilion is rather vast, but their operas are often as good or better than the musical shows across the plaza. Their "Britten season" (PETER GRIMES and BILLY BUDD) was as good as anything I've seen on stage in the past 20 years. (Yes, I enjoy opera up to a point, but, no, I'm not a fanatic.)
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