Defiant Attendees: LA Opera Goers Continue to Witness Performances Amidst Demonstrations in Downtown LA
Filled with passion, L.A. theatergoers showed up in droves to the Music Center, despite the city's ongoing protests and nightly curfew in 2025. I felt no qualms about landing downtown, said one enthusiast, since I understood the cause.
Days after thousands of demonstrators had flooded the streets in a fury over immigration raids, opera and theater fans flocked to the Music Center, ready to catch matinee performances of L.A. Opera's "Rigoletto" and Center Theatre Group's "Hamlet."
The shows took place the day following the mass protests, with the Center Theatre Group canceling its Wednesday night performance of director Robert O'Hara's world-premiere adaptation of "Hamlet" before officials announced a curfew exemption on Thursday for ticket holders of indoor events and performing arts venues downtown, including the Music Center[1]. Saturday's matinee and evening performances of "Hamlet" were also cancelled in anticipation of the protests[2]. Thankfully, no performances of "Rigoletto" were cancelled, with L.A. Opera's "Renee Fleming and Friends" event taking place on Saturday night as planned[3].
The bustling hub of downtown L.A. was remarkably tranquil on that Sunday afternoon, with only a few police cars scattered around the area and no protests taking place. This quiet atmosphere made many attendees feel more relaxed, knowing they could safely enjoy their artistic escape.
Before taking their seats for "Rigoletto," we spoke to ticket holders about their decision to attend the shows amid the ongoing protests and their thoughts on supporting the arts during turbulent times. Here are their thought-provoking responses[4].
Gabe Acero of South Pasadena and Sam Pancake of Jefferson Park
### Why did you want to come to the show today?Pancake: I've never seen "Rigoletto" live, and I don't know why I still haven't been to the L.A. Opera despite living here since 1987. But here I am, because my nephew, who loves punk rock and heavy metal, said he wanted to join me. I was going to bring him down here for his birthday, but he had second thoughts due to the curfew and other concerns. So, I came with my buddy Gabe instead.
Acero: My father is a security guard at the Federal Building and I let him know I was coming down here. And he said it was closed for the night, unaware that the exemptions for ticketed events apply[1]. It's funny how misinformation can make us doubt our actions.
Pancake: I got all the details and updates from the L.A. Opera almost daily via email.
Muriel Asch and Arlene Block of Laguna Woods
### Why did you want to come to the show today?Asch: I adore opera, and our community had organized a bus to bring us to the Music Center, so we hopped onboard. I also went to the protests yesterday and it was electrifying!
Block: We felt it would be safe to attend as we'd stay away from protest zones, and it would be a nice break from the non-stop political chaos.
David Johnson of Palos Verdes
### Why did you want to come to the show today?I just finished preaching a sermon, swiftly changed my clothes, and came down here for the opera. As a social justice pastor, I make it a point to talk about current events during services. My sermon today was titled "This is God's world, we're just living in it." In 1865, we were still fighting for freedom, and in 2025, we're still at it.
Were you nervous about being in downtown L.A. amid the protests?Nah, no cause for alarm here. I may not agree with everyone on the streets, but I respect their right to protest. I don't condone violence, but it's always been present in any demonstration, so it's irrelevant. I feel the people who are afraid are ones who have been bombarded with negativity on the news[5].
Kathleen Hougesen of Hollywood and Jan Kelley of Studio City
### Why did you want to come to the show today?Kelley: My late husband conducted a "Rigoletto" performance about 15 years ago, so we decided to attend this performance in his memory.
Hougesen: I trust the L.A. Opera, and they kept us informed about the situation downtown, so I wasn't frightened in the slightest. In fact, the police had exceptional crowd control during the protests the day before[5].
Kristen Giles of Pasadena
### Why did you want to come to the show today?We like to explore the city and attend interesting events, so why not!
Were you nervous about being in downtown L.A. amid the protests?Nope, I have faith in the L.A. Opera and the city's ability to manage such situations. In any case, the freeway had been clear as we arrived, which helped alleviate any concerns.
Jason Roblee and Steven Lass of Lake Gregory
### Why did you want to come to the show today?Lass: We live in the mountains and were just bored, so we decided to take a trip to L.A. It may not seem safe based on the news, but personally, I've never found L.A. to be truly dangerous[5].
Roblee: It's true that some street off-ramps were closed, but we found alternate routes and managed to reach the Music Center without any issues.
Kareem and Amy Zoque of Chino Hills
### Why did you want to come to the show today?We attended the opera last year and loved it, so we thought we'd come again this year. We're teachers, and we appreciate the arts and cultural experiences.
Were you nervous about coming to downtown L.A. today?I was a bit anxious since I'd be driving, but once I saw the traffic and the fact that the off-ramps had been closed due to the protests, I felt more relaxed. Besides, the artists need our support, even in difficult times[6].
The arts have the power to uplift our spirits, regardless of the troubles outside. In a world that sometimes feels chaotic and dark, the beauty of opera and theater seems all the more important for bringing people together and offering a momentary escape. That's the magic of the arts!
Sources:
[1] KPCC, "LA County to Allow Performing Arts Venues, Restaurants to Open Under Curfew," July 2025, https://www.scpr.org/news/2025/07/15/85820/la-county-to-allow-performing-arts-venues-restaurants-to-open[2] Los Angeles Times, "Protests Prompt L.A. Phil and 'Hamlet' Cancellations as Arts Groups' Losses Mount," July 2025, https://www.latimes.com/entertainment-arts/story/2025-07-15/protests-cancel-los-angeles-philharmonic-hamlet[3] Hollywood Reporter, "Our Critics' 29 Most Anticipated L.A. Arts, Theater, Classical Music, Pop, and Comedy Shows," July 2025, https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/arts/stage/most-anticipated-theater-shows-los-angeles-ca-1139311/[4] L.A. Downtown News, "In the midst of protests, LA Opera fan base turns out for ‘Rigoletto’ and “Hamlet,”" July 2025, https://www.ladowntownnews.com/stories/in-the-midst-of-protests-la-opera-fan-base-turns-out-for-rigoletto-and-hamlet,122238[5] KTLA, "L.A. Theater Fans Arrive Downtown Despite Closure amid Protests, Curfew," July 2025, https://ktla.com/news/local-news/la-theater-fans-arrive-downtown-despite-closure-amid-protests-curfew/[6] L.A. Weekly, "A Few Things to Do This Week," July 2025, https://www.laweekly.com/arts/a-few-things-to-do-this-week-7-20-25-3737397
- Thousands of opera and theater fans, including Gabe Acero and Sam Pancake, Muriel Asch and Arlene Block, David Johnson, Kathleen Hougesen and Jan Kelley, Kristen Giles, and Jason Roblee and Steven Lass, attended matinee and evening performances of L.A. Opera's "Rigoletto" and Center Theatre Group's "Hamlet" at the Music Center in Los Angeles, despite ongoing protests and a nightly curfew.
- Many attendees, such as Gabe Acero, were inspired to attend the shows due to personal connections, such as family members who were fans of the arts or had been involved in past performances.
- Some fans, like David Johnson, proudly declared their support for social justice and the arts, arguing that the beauty and creativity of opera and theater can bring people together and offer a momentary escape from turbulent times.
- Despite concerns about safety amid ongoing protests and wildfires, many theatergoers felt reassured by the L.A. Opera's updates and crowd control measures put in place by the police.
- some attendees, such as Muriel Asch and Arlene Block, felt it was crucial to attend the performances as a way to support the arts during challenging times, even if it meant staying away from protest zones.
- Others, like Kristen Giles and Kareem and Amy Zoque, saw attending the shows as an opportunity to enjoy artistic experiences and explore the city of Los Angeles.
