The Dorothy Chandler Pavilion
is one of the halls in the Los Angeles Music Center (which is one of the three largest performing arts centers in the United States). The Music Center's other halls include the Mark Taper Forum, Ahmanson Theatre, and Walt Disney Concert Hall.
The Pavilion is an impressive building with its 3,197 seats spread over four elegant tiers, its chandeliers, its wide curving stairways and its rich décor. The auditorium's sections are the Orchestra (divided in Premiere Orchestra, Center Orchestra, Main Orchestra and Orchestra Ring), Circle (divided in Grand Circle and Founders Circle), Loge (divide in Front Loge and Rear Loge), as well as Balcony (divided in Front Balcony and Rear Balcony).
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DOROTHY CHANDLER PAVILION TICKETS
| EVENT | DATE | AVAILABILITY |
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| Los Angeles Opera: The Magic Flute Tickets 6/11 | Jun 11, 2026
Thu, 7:30 PM |  | | Renee Fleming Tickets 6/13 | Jun 13, 2026
Sat, 7:30 PM | | | Los Angeles Opera: The Magic Flute Tickets 6/14 | Jun 14, 2026
Sun, 2:00 PM | | | Los Angeles Opera: The Magic Flute Tickets 6/17 | Jun 17, 2026
Wed, 7:30 PM | | | Los Angeles Opera: The Magic Flute Tickets 6/21 | Jun 21, 2026
Sun, 2:00 PM | |
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History
Construction started on
March 9,
1962, and it was dedicated
September 27,
1964. The Pavilion was named for
Dorothy Buffum Chandler who “led (the) effort to build a suitable home for the Los Angeles Philharmonic and rejuvenate the performing arts in Los Angeles. The result was Mrs. Chandler’s crowning achievement, the Music Center of Los Angeles County. Her tenacious nine-year campaign on behalf of the Music Center produced more than $19 million in private donations” noted Albert Greenstein in 1999.
In order to receive approval for construction from the
Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors, Mrs. Chandler promised
Kenneth Hahn that the building would be open free for the public for one day a year. The result was the
Los Angeles County Holiday Celebration
, a Christmas Eve tradition sponsored the Board of Supervisors. The program is broadcast on
KCET-TV and an edited version of the prior year's show is syndicated to public television stations via
PBS.
[1]
The opening concert was held on December 6,
1964 with
Zubin Mehta conducting the Los Angeles Philharmonic with soloist
Jascha Heifetz. The program included
Fanfare
by Richard Strauss,
American Festival Overture
by William Schuman,
Roman Festivals
by Ottorino Respighi, Beethoven's Violin Concerto.
The
Los Angeles Master Chorale, under Music Director
Roger Wagner, was the other founding resident company at the Pavilion. Before creation of the
Los Angeles Opera company, the
New York City Opera came regularly on tour and performed in the Pavilion. One such tour, in
1967, consisted of two performances of
Madama Butterfly
, one of
La Traviata
, and two of
Ginastera's
Don Rodrigo
, each with
Plácido Domingo singing the main tenor role.
The
Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences held its annual
Academy Awards in the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion from 1969 to 1987 and, according to the Academy's web site showing the locations of all Awards ceremonies, again from 1990 to 1994, in 1996, and, finally, in 1999.
Since the
Los Angeles Philharmonic Orchestra and
Los Angeles Master Chorale have moved to the newly-constructed and adjacent
Disney Hall which opened in October 2003, the Pavilion is home of the
Los Angeles Opera and the
Music Center Dance.
Los Angeles County's Holiday Celebration
Since 1964, a Christmas eve tradition for the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion is the annual free Holiday Celebration funded by
Los Angeles County. It is six hours (from 3 pm to 9 pm) of music and dance by groups from all around Los Angeles county. The performances are also broadcast on the
KCET public television station (with a one hour version broadcast on
PBS since 2002).
See also
- Los Angeles Opera
- List of opera houses
References
- http://www.lacountyarts.org/hc2007/national/background_PBS.pdf