Upcoming opera fundraiser blends silent film and new classical

VINEYARD TOURING OPERA (VTO) will present an unusual, interdisciplinary fundraising event on March 4th, combining two of Southern California’s artistic passions: cinema and music. "The Sound of Silents" provides a screening opportunity for carefully curated silent films from the early 20th century, with new scores to accompany these pieces of cinematic history, the unique experience takes place at Glendale’s equally historic Crucifixion-Resurrection Hall at Forest Lawn Memorial Park.

The evening includes a pre-screening talk, films accompanied by live orchestra, raffle, a silent auction, refreshments, and a reception after the screenings, so attendees can meet the creators of this new music, written for movies that are more than a century old.

Tickets are $30 in advance (available through the company’s website), or $35 at the door. Funds raised will support VTO’s ongoing mission to bring new and treasured operas to underserved communities, including a program that provides tickets for their performances to local military veterans. Artistic director Alan Medak cites this sort of local involvement as an important part of the mission of the opera company, which was founded in 2009. “As a company, we’re all about giving back,” he says, and the group’s continued support of young, emerging artists is an equally important reason for founding the company.

This exciting film-focused event, too, is an effort to spotlight the many talented artists in the area, and the composers involved are all part of the vibrant and rapidly-growing contemporary classical scene in Los Angeles. The fundraiser showcases vintage silent films with new scores performed by full orchestra. These new scores feature local composers including a new score by L.C. Harnsberger, written for D.W. Griffith’s 1909 film Corner in Wheat. Harnsberger is also the composer of Golondrina, the original opera VTO will premiere in May of 2017. Additional film scores for the event are provided by composers Amy Gordon, Daniel Levin, Jeffrey Elmassian and others.