Santa Monica Sees Rise in Shelter Placements
as Regionwide Homelessness Declines, 2025 Count Shows
The Santa Monica data comes on the heels of LAHSA’s citywide 2025 Homeless Count released last week, which revealed a historic second consecutive year of declining homelessness
Santa Monica recorded a rise in the number of unhoused individuals moving into shelters in 2025, according to new data from the Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority, reflecting localized progress in line with broader regional and citywide declines in homelessness.
The annual Point-in-Time Count found 202 people living in shelters in Santa Monica—up from 173 in 2024—while the number of people living outdoors or in makeshift structures slightly decreased, with 475 individuals counted, down by four from last year. In total, LAHSA counted 812 people experiencing homelessness in the city, a modest increase from 774 the year prior, driven by a rise in individuals living in vehicles.
The Santa Monica data comes on the heels of LAHSA’s citywide 2025
Homeless Count released last week, which revealed a historic second consecutive year of declining homelessness in Los Angeles—the first such streak since the agency began counting in 2005. Citywide, there has been a 17.5% reduction in street homelessness since Mayor Karen Bass took office in December 2022, with major gains attributed to her Inside Safe initiative and expanded interim housing efforts.
“These results aren’t just data points— they represent thousands of human beings who are now inside, and neighborhoods that are beginning to heal,” Mayor Bass said in a statement last week. She praised the collaboration with LAHSA and local leaders for resolving over 100 encampments and achieving the largest two-year drop in unsheltered homelessness on record.
Santa Monica officials echoed similar sentiments, citing the city’s own targeted strategies and partnerships. A key contributor to the increase in shelter placements has been Santa Monica’s collaboration with Los Angeles County through the Pathway Home encampment resolution program, which added 25 transitional shelter beds in the city.
“This increase in unhoused individuals moving indoors reflects the progress of our efforts,” said Heather Averick, Santa Monica’s Director of Housing and Human Services. “With our new Homelessness Strategic Plan as a guide, and continued local and regional investments and
collaboration, we will remain nimble and flexible, using data to make shifts in programming as needed.”
Other local programs, like Project Homecoming, have played a long-term role in helping individuals reconnect with out-of-town support networks. Since 2006, the initiative has helped over 3,200 people experiencing homelessness in Santa Monica return to family and communities elsewhere.
Santa Monica is part of LAHSA’s Service Planning Area 5, which also includes West LA, Venice, Malibu, Beverly Hills, and other Westside communities. The region reported a 21% drop in homelessness since 2023, with 5,265 individuals counted in 2025—down from 6,669 two years ago— marking another bright spot in a region long challenged by rising homelessness
What We Know So Far About the Santa Monica-Linked Explosion That Killed Three Deputies
The probe traces back to Thursday, when residents of an apartment complex on the 800 block of Bay Street in Santa Monica were evacuated
An investigation is underway into a deadly explosion that killed three Los Angeles County sheriff’s deputies, with authorities focusing on a Santa Monica condo complex as a potential source.
The blast occurred Friday morning at the Sheriff’s Department’s Biscailuz Center Training Academy in East Los Angeles, claiming the lives of Detectives Joshua Kelley-Eklund, Victor Lemus, and William Osborn, who together had 74 years of service.
The probe traces back to Thursday, when
residents of an apartment complex on the 800 block of Bay Street in Santa Monica were evacuated after a homeowners association email warned of a possible explosive device in the garage, The New York Times noted.
The deputies, part of the elite Arson Explosives Detail, responded, seizing what appeared to be explosive devices, including two inert hand grenades after a tenant found them in a storage unit. A search Friday night yielded no significant materials.
rates.
Despite improvements in shelter placements, Santa Monica saw a notable rise in the number of people living in vehicles. This year’s count identified 84 cars, vans, and RVs used as dwellings— up from 63 in 2024. Outreach teams are working to connect this population with safe parking programs in Culver City and the broader Los Angeles area.
Tents and makeshift shelters declined slightly, with 20 tents and 31 improvised structures documented, compared to 21 tents and 40 makeshift shelters in 2024.
City officials said they will continue to assess policy and programmatic shifts to support unhoused populations—especially those living in vehicles—as part of Santa Monica’s broader strategic plan to address housing insecurity and homelessness.
It remains unclear if these devices caused the explosion, though homicide detectives are exploring the link, Los Angeles Times said.
Sheriff Robert Luna called the unit “fantastic experts” handling 1,100 calls yearly, while Governor Newsom and Acting Governor Eleni Kounalakis honored the fallen, ordering flags at half-staff. Residents described a tense evacuation, as federal agents from the FBI and ATF assisted.
Santa Monica Reports 54% Carbon Emissions Drop, Sets Ambitious 2030 Goals
The report highlights successes across three key sectors: zero net carbon buildings, zero waste, and sustainable mobility
The City of Santa Monica has achieved a 54% reduction in carbon emissions since 1990, marking significant progress toward its Climate Action and Adaptation Plan (CAAP) goals, according to the latest 5-Year Progress Report released in June 2025 by the Office of Sustainability and the Environment (OSE).
Adopted in 2019, the CAAP aims for an 80% emissions reduction below 1990 levels by 2030 and carbon neutrality by 2050, but the city must cut emissions by an additional 26% in the next five years to meet the interim target.
The report highlights successes across three key sectors: zero net carbon buildings, zero waste, and sustainable mobility.
Santa Monica’s enrollment in the Clean Power Alliance, which defaults customers to 100% clean electricity, has slashed residential electricity emissions by 92%
since 1990. Transportation, still accounting for 60% of emissions in 2023, has seen a 48% reduction, driven by increased electric vehicle (EV) adoption, the transition of Big Blue Bus to electric models, and the expansion of bike lanes to 123 miles.
Building efficiency has improved with heat pump technologies and induction cooking, while the 2024 Low-Carbon Concrete Ordinance is projected to reduce embodied carbon in construction by 20-40%.
Notable projects include the world’s most sustainable municipal building, City Hall East, certified under the Living Building Challenge in 2025, and the Sustainable Water Infrastructure Project (SWIP), which has captured 50 million gallons of water since 2022. Beach nourishment efforts have restored 8 acres of dune habitat, with 37 more acres planned by year-end. Despite these advances, challenges remain, with commercial and industrial sectors lagging due to some opting for less renewable energy from Southern California Edison.
The OSE’s forecast, using ICLEI’s planning tool and data from SCAG and CARB, outlines three scenarios. The Business-as-Usual (BAU) projects a 5% emissions drop by 2050, while the Adjusted BAU, factoring in California’s 2045 clean electricity mandate, predicts an 11% reduction. The Target Scenario,
modeling high-impact strategies like Building Performance Standards and EV growth, forecasts a 67% reduction by 2030 and 87% by 2050—still short of the 80% and neutrality goals by 13%.
The city is exploring Scope 3 emissions tracking and new policies like time-of-sale
electrification mandates by 2028. City officials stress community action is vital. “From choosing to drive an electric vehicle, to switching out gas appliances in the home, to biking or walking instead of driving, these seemingly small decisions make a big difference,” the report notes.
Multiple Drug Arrests Reported in Palisades Park in Recent Weeks
SMPD Reported
Several of the Arrests
Between June 29 and July 5
The Santa Monica Police Department reported several drug-related arrests in Palisades Park between June 29 and July 5, according to the department’s Blue Book release.
In the 1300 block, an individual cited for
an encampment violation was found with a methamphetamine pipe and approximately 1.99 grams of the drug in plain view. The person, on parole for robbery, was arrested after a parole hold was issued.
In the 1400 block, two individuals were detained, one on Post-Release Community Supervision (PRCS) for robbery, possessing methamphetamine and subject to a $55,000 LAPD warrant for narcotics. A search of the second individual, identified as the caretaker, uncovered a meth pipe, methamphetamine, and fentanyl. Both,
with extensive criminal histories, were cited and released after LAPD declined to take custody.
Further incidents in the 1500 block included a parolee detained for smoking, found with a no-bail probation violation warrant, and another on parole for assault with a deadly weapon, arrested on a parole revocation warrant after drinking alcohol in the park. Additionally, a PRCS violator smoking in the same area was found with a concealed dagger, leading to a PRCS hold and arrest.
Smash-and-Grab Burglary at The RealReal Involved Over a Dozen Suspects, No Arrests Made
Police said the group forced entry and stole a large quantity of high-end merchandise before fleeing in several vehicles
More than a dozen suspects were
involved in a smash-and-grab burglary at
The RealReal on Santa Monica’s upscale 26th Street shopping corridor Friday afternoon, according to the Santa Monica Police Department.
Officers responded to multiple 911 calls reporting the sound of breaking glass at the luxury consignment retailer around 1:30 p.m. on July 18. When police arrived at the scene in the 200 block of 26th Street, they found the store’s front glass door shattered and display cases broken.
Police said the group forced entry and stole a large quantity of high-end merchandise before fleeing in several vehicles. Witnesses reported that all the vehicles involved had their license plates removed.
The total value of the stolen goods is still being determined but is considered “significant,” according to SMPD. Investigators are reviewing surveillance footage and working with regional law enforcement agencies to determine
whether the incident is connected to similar robberies in the area. No arrests have been announced as of Tuesday, and the investigation remains ongoing.
Reed Park Rebirth
Santa Monica Architects for a Responsible Tomorrow
Last Thursday, July 17th, the City of Santa Monica held a different kind of State of the City address. Normally that annual event would be held in a large rented auditorium with a bunch of talking heads backed by a flashy power point presentation. But this time the State of the City address was re-envisioned by the Mayor Lana Negrete, as a city wide garden party at Reed Park (at Lincoln Blvd and Wilshire Blvd). This brought a very different feel to this traditional City event. This successful event was free, and open to everyone which symbolized a more accessible and transparent City. There were booths of all kinds, musicians, speeches, swag, food, games and other festive activities. The State of the City discussed by the mayor, is not surprisingly, still in a fiscal crisis but with good prospects for improvement. Essentially the City has not yet recovered from the austerity imposed the Covid pandemic and its collapse of retail sales, by the lack of tourism, by the continuing homelessness crisis, and by its large pedophilia legal penalties. These fiscal constraints make it hard for the City
to fully return to “normal” operations (e.g. the libraries are still closed) and to respond to opportunities on our immediate horizon (e.g. the 2026 World Cup or the fast approaching 2028 LA Olympics).
We are however, still a city in a desirable location: at the beach with its benign climate and upwind of Los Angeles. We have essentially a stable population in a diversified economy: hospitals, car sales, education, high artistic employment, abundant tourist facilities, and software industries. This desirable location and diversified economy translates to high property values and to the ability to survive previous fiscal crises: the depression of the thirties, the loss of our biggest employer, Donald Douglas, in the early sixties, the earthquake of 1994, and the recession of 2008 among others. Because our economic fundamentals are still good, we will slowly climb out of the hole we are in. How slowly we recover depends on the skill of our newly installed City manager, Oliver Chi (welcome aboard Oliver) and to the skill of the City Council knowing full well that many things are out of their direct control: eg the Trump turbulence (assault on immigrants and twisting tariffs), the interest rates and the relentless global warming/sea level rise.
So last week’s outdoor garden party at
Photo courtesy of Miles Playhouse
Continue from page 6
Reed Park was a refreshing reset for our City. It kicked off our year long 150th anniversary celebration. Our City was laid out a century and a half ago and the first lots were sold in that summer of 1875. Those first sales were the birth of Santa Monica’s powerhouse real estate industry we see today. As discussed above, while the City does not have the funds for elaborate 150th year festivities, it can celebrate with such simple fun events which capture the intimate charm of our small City. Holding the annual State of the City event in Reed Park, also symbolizes the public’s recapture of this City owned resource. For about a decade it has been overrun by homeless residents with the attendant ills of mental illness, of substance abuse and of antisocial behaviors. As such, many residents and visitors, particularly those with children, avoided this centrally located park because it felt unsafe. This created a vicious circle: the less frequented this Park became, the more the homeless moved in which made it feel even less safe for visitors and residents further reducing its public utility. So with modest improvements (fencing off the Miles playhouse) and improved enforcement, this important park can resume its critical central open space role in a densifying downtown.
The other significant park improvement is the reopening of the Miles Playhouse. This City landmark has been closed for refurbishment and is now reopened ready to resume its role as an intimate cultural Mecca for performances, parties, music, reunions exactly as it was conceived of by its founder almost a century ago. It was built in 1929 with $25,000 donated primarily by John Euclid Miles, a leading businessman and City Council member. Designed by a self taught Santa Monica architect, John Winford Byers, it is a prime example Spanish Colonial Revival architecture. Byers, a former high school Spanish teacher, advocated for that style throughout Santa Monica and established a business designing and fabricating the bricks, roof tiles, and other construction elements needed for this traditional design style. This adobe styled building was battered but has survived three significant earthquakes: 1933, 1971 and 1994. It was designed, from the beginning, as a multipurpose building. The name “playhouse” refers to its role both as a recreation center literally for play and its theatrical role e.g. for staging plays. Its nominal 200 person flexible space has been used for countless meetings, plays, classes, exhibitions, practice sessions, performances and dramas. As such it was and is again an important cultural destination for the entire City of Santa Monica. Finally the reopened Playhouse will increase the pedestrian traffic in Reed Park altering the visitor to homeless ratio thus increasing its feeling of safety. This will help break the current vicious circle of the homeless driving out the visitors.
In a sense the Miles Playhouse is
the twin cousin of another closed City landmark, the multi purpose Civic Auditorium (sometimes simply called the “Civic”) at Pico and Main Street. Like the Miles playhouse this nominal 3000 seat multipurpose space needs massive refurbishment for seismic, ADA accessibility, and for modern acoustic and thermal performance. It has been closed for the last 12 years because of seismic safety issues. Designed by the noted architectural firm of Santa Monica resident Welton Becket, the chief project architect was Loius Nadorf who is still alive today and expressed an interest in the successful reawakening of the Civic. For two thirds of a century, this now abandoned building has symbolized the City’s prominent national and even international cultural role. For 8 years in the 1960s it was the sexiest public auditorium where the Academy Awards were held. It also has a distinguished pedigree of innumerable rock stars, bands, musicians, singers and other luminaries who played there. Not to mention our countless public school children who also played there every year in an extravaganza called Stairway to the Stars (one of those public school performances was even conducted by Leonard Bernstein). Of course the scale of the required rehab is much bigger than the Miles Playhouse and our broke City cannot afford the multi million dollar rehab price tag. So the City has entered into an on going negotiating agreement
with a private consortium to lease, rehab, and return the Civic to its original role as a premier multi purpose music venue.
Needless to say, bringing back the Civic would be an incredible boost to the City finances with its attendant major cash increase for the restaurant and hotel business sector.
The welcome resurrection of the Reed Park and the Miles Playhouse is a small step in the right direction. It augers well for the thousands of steps needed to bring back the Civic and eventually to put our entire City on solid financial footing. Its a long road back but the longest journey begins with a single step.
By Mario Fonda-Bonardi AIA
S.M.a.r.t Santa Monica Architects for a
Responsible Tomorrow
Mario Fonda-Bonardi AIA former Planning Commissioner, Robert H. Taylor AIA, Architect, Dan Jansenson, Architect & former Building and FireLife Safety Commission, Samuel Tolkin Architect & former Planning Commissioner, Michael Jolly, AIRCRE Jack Hillbrand AIA Landmarks Commissioner Architect. Phil Brock SM Mayor (Ret), Matt Hoefler NCARB For previous articles see www. santamonicaarch.wordpress.com/writing
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The Third Place Reinvented: Why Kavahana Is Becoming LA’s New Favorite Hangout Spot
In a city full of coffee shops that close too early and bars that don’t cater to the sober (or sober-curious) crowd, Kavahana is carving out something new: a place to be. More than just a spot for drinks, work, or weekends, Kavahana is quickly becoming Santa Monica's go-to "third place" for any occasion—from morning coffee to date nights.
Tucked on Pico Boulevard just blocks from the beach, Kavahana blends cozy café comfort with the spark of a community hub. It opens early, stays open late, and draws everyone from sunrise surfers to midnight creatives. But it’s not just the hours that make it special.
Kava Nectar: The Tingly Drink That Actually “Works”
At the center of the Kavahana experience is Kava Nectar, a natural, non-alcoholic beverage made from the root of the kava plant. Long used in ceremonial settings across the South Pacific Islands and Hawaii, kava is a family drink known for its relaxing, smile-inducing properties. Kavahana’s version, Kava Nectar, is cold-pressed, potent, and one-of-a-kind in the United States.
You’ll feel it. Most people notice a gentle tingle on the tongue, followed by a wave of relaxed energy and ease. Some describe it as “a mental massage” or “a hot tub for your mind.” Others just say it helps them feel
genuinely happy, social, and present without alcohol or anything synthetic. Whether it’s your first time or your fiftieth, the feeling doesn’t fade.
Kavahana’s signature cocktails showcase kava nectar with real, natural ingredients like mango, ginger, spirulina, and coconut cream. They’re delicious, effective, and zero-proof. This is one wellness drink you can actually feel working.
Not Into Kava Nectar Yet? No Problem.
Kava not your thing (yet)? Kavahana’s menu goes beyond. Their Hawaiian-sourced Kona coffee is low-acid, smooth, and bold without bitterness. Or try hojicha, a roasted green tea from Japan that’s rich, nutty, and naturally low in caffeine.
The team is friendly and happy to walk you through the options. You’ll probably try something new, and you’ll probably love it. Food-wise, Kavahana offers island-inspired snacks that hit the sweet spot between satisfying and light.
Where You Can Hang Past 5 PM
With plenty of seating, fast Wi-Fi, and an unusual abundance of power outlets, it’s ideal for remote work, studying, or just posting up with a book. The vibe is welcoming and relaxed, with just the right level of background buzz. And unlike most cafés that close by late afternoon, Kavahana stays open late, often until 1 AM on weekends. It’s one of the only places on the Westside where you can hang out after dark without drinking alcohol.
Every week, Kavahana hosts free events like Open Mic Night (Tuesdays) and Comedy Night (Wednesdays). Regulars say it’s one of the most welcoming crowds in town.
Whether you’re there to perform, support a friend, or just unwind after work, there’s a sense of shared energy and presence that’s hard to find elsewhere.
Visit Kavahana
306 Pico Blvd Santa Monica, CA 90405
Open daily (morning to late night)
Tuesdays: Open Mic Night
Wednesdays: Comedy Night
Website: Kavahana.com
Instagram: @kavahanabar
Venice Ale House is Now the European-Inspired ‘Venice Beach Club’
The menu features items like steak frites, crudo, and housemade pizzas, under the direction of Executive Chef James Samuel
A familiar corner of the Venice Boardwalk has changed hands. Venice Ale House, known for its organic menu and commitment to local craft brews, has closed after 15 years in business. In its
place, a new concept called Venice Beach Club officially opened Tuesday at the intersection of Rose Avenue and Ocean Front Walk.
The change marks the end of an era for the Ale House, founded in 2010 by Tom Elliott and a business partner, who imagined a space where “locals and tourists alike could enjoy a great meal, raise a glass, and catch the sunset.” The closure followed Elliott’s departure earlier this year. “The ship has just about sailed, and what a journey it’s been,” the restaurant posted in April as it announced its farewell.
Venice Beach Club now occupies the prominent beachfront space, offering a
menu described as European-inspired and a design aesthetic that references Mediterranean coastal destinations like the Amalfi Coast and South of France.
The restaurant is led by hospitality veteran Abdi Manavi, whose previous projects include Dive Palm Springs and Sparrows Lodge.
Interior renovations were overseen by designer Amir Taj, incorporating nautical elements and upscale materials. The menu features items like steak frites, crudo, and house-made pizzas, under the direction of Executive Chef James Samuel, a veteran of Charleston’s Husk and Venice’s Dudley Market.
VNC Reorganizes for 2025-27 Terms
Eight new members will join the thirteen incumbents that were reelected last spring
By Nick Antonicello
The newly constituted Venice Neighborhood Council reorganized Tuesday evening to a crowd of about 50 or so stakeholders as local community advocate Dr. Naomi Nightingale performed the oath of office as well as offering advice and guidance to the 21-member, grass roots democracy.
The board also offered a moment of silence to former VNC Vice-President Marc Saltzberg who passed on June 27th. Words of remembrance and good thoughts were offered by Mike Newhouse, a past VNC president who currently serves
as Vice-President of the Los Angeles City Planning Commission.
The new members include:
• Gary Pearl as Vice-President
• Mark Mack as Chairman of Land Use & Planning (LUPC)
• Jim Fitzgerald, Community Officer
• Joe Garcia, Community Officer
• Sarah Mahir, Community Interest Officer
• Brennan Lawson, Community Officer
• Kenya Lee, Community Officer
• Richard Stanger, Community officer
According to government reports, LAPD Officer Samuel Gill reported over 1,245 calls of service in Venice of which 21 were firearms related, 30 arrests and 15 for aggravated assaults. Overall, a 20% decrease in crime activity was reported.
Sean Silva, the Venice Deputy for Councilwoman Traci Park (CD-11) noted that the city council is not in session which leaves the office to do extended
outreach during the coming weeks. Silva also presented Proclamations to longtime members of the VNC both past and present to Jay Handel, Frank Murphy, Liz Wright and Yolanda Gonzalez for their long and dedicated service to the Venice community.
Under the President’s report, Brian Averill thanked the outgoing officers for their service and welcomed the newly elected members to the VNC.
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Investigators Probe Marina del Rey Site in Deadly LA Sheriff’s Facility Explosion
The explosion, which occurred Friday morning at the training academy, claimed the lives of Detectives
Joshua Kelley-Eklund, Victor Lemus, and William Osborn
Investigators probing the deadly explosion at the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department’s Biscailuz Center Training Academy in East Los Angeles, which killed three deputies, executed a search warrant Monday at a Marina del Rey address as they pursue leads on the origin of the explosive devices linked to the blast, according to NBC 4. The search at a residence in the 13900 block of Marquesas Way involved sheriff’s homicide investigators, the Los Angeles Police Department, and the
Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
Sources familiar with the investigation told NBC Los Angeles that the Marina del Rey address is connected to an individual previously residing at a Santa Monica apartment searched last week.
On Friday, a search warrant executed at a condo complex on the 800 block of Bay Street in Santa Monica led to the recovery of explosive materials, including grenades, after residents were evacuated Thursday due to a homeowners association alert about a possible explosive device in a garage.
The explosion, which occurred Friday morning at the training academy, claimed the lives of Detectives Joshua KelleyEklund, Victor Lemus, and William Osborn, members of the elite Arson Explosives Detail with a combined 74 years of service.
The deputies had responded Thursday to the Santa Monica complex, seizing what appeared to be explosive devices, including two inert hand grenades, found in a storage unit. It remains unclear if those devices directly caused the blast.
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Going for the throat
Coach Bill Schuman expects protégé Golda Zahra to hold
back
nothing
By Linda Chase
World famous competitors hire special coaches to make sure they are ready for critical events. These experts concentrate on specific muscles that are vital for success.
Bill Schuman focuses on “two pieces of gristle in the throat.”
That’s how Schuman described vocal cords in a recent interview. For his young client, Golda Zahra, they aren’t for chatting on her phone or making Tik-Tok videos. She will need them to be flexible and powerful for her performance in Puccini’s Turandot in Disney Hall on Aug. 16.
Zahra is playing the role of Liu in a concert version of the opera being presented by Pacific Music Festival. The cast also features Nina Warren in the title role, Alfred Kim as Calaf and Andrew Potter as Timur, plus the Opera Chorus of Los Angeles and the Los Angeles Dream Orchestra, conducted by Daniel Suk.
Schuman looks at Zahra’s voice as an instrument she plays, but which she can never put away. “She carries that Stradivarius around with her all day,” he said.
Nedra Zachary, who runs the prestigious Loren L. Zachary National Vocal Competition, introduced Zahra to Schuman, and he discovered, “Her voice was beautiful.”
But that’s just the beginning for an aspiring performer, according to Schuman, a vocal coach who’s worked with opera stars Marcello Giordani, Lisette Oropesa, Stephen Costello, Michael Fabiano and Angela Meade -- and also with singers from the worlds of Broadway and pop music, such as Judy McLane, Anne Crumb, Michael Jackson and Michael Bolton. Did Zahra have the three essential
qualities that he knows are the keys to success — humility, discipline, and curiosity? “Not everyone has the openness to learn,” he noted. As he began to work with her, he found that Zahra was willing to put in the work and make the necessary sacrifices.
“Bill cleaned up the rough edges,” Zahra said in an interview. “He has the magic touch.”
Schuman’s approach asks the singer to seek out the emotion in music and make each aria unique. For Turandot, he’s preparing her for a role that requires fragility as well as vocal beauty. “She will be stunning as Liu,” he asserted.
The story of Turandot’s first performance is as dramatic as the opera itself. Puccini was interested in Asian motifs – one of his most famous operas is Madame Butterfly –and he chose a play with a Chinese setting by German writer Friedrich Schiller to set to music. “I have placed, in this opera, all my soul,” he told a friend, and then he died of throat cancer before he could finish it.
Another composer was hired to fill in the missing work, but on opening night at La Scala in 1926, conductor Arturo Toscanini dropped the baton in the final act and turned to the audience, announcing, “This is the end of the opera, because the Maestro died here.”
The version at Disney Hall will be minus elaborate opera sets and stage effects, but the unamplified singers will have the benefit of the venue’s world-renowned acoustics. Curved walls of vertical-grain Douglas fir and terraced vineyard-style seating create a space where someone sitting in the top row can hear a pin drop on stage.
It will be the third time Zahra has appeared at Disney Hall. In 2015, she sang there in the Spotlight Awards competition and became the youngest winner in the Classical Voice category. In 2024, she performed Liu there in a different production of Turandot.
Schuman supports Zahra’s goal of bringing new audiences to opera. “The music world has changed,” he asserts.
“Opera needs to be made more accessible, especially for the younger generation.”
Recalling the great tenor Luciano Pavarotti being criticized for singing in different genres before wider audiences, Schuman notes that “he helped to increase the popularity of opera.” It was Pavarotti who popularized the aria “Nessun Dorma” (none shall sleep), which will be sung by Alfred Kim as Calaf in the third act.
Even though there isn’t a lot of action in a concert presentation of an opera, audiences can expect Zahra, who is a huge fan of horror films, to come up with something special when she sacrifices herself to love. It’s probably not exactly what Schuman has in mind when he tells his singers to “bring the drama.”
He has high hopes for his protégé. “She
can go to the very top, if she wants it,” he said, because “that mystical thing that we call charisma: Golda has it.”
Linda Chase is a freelance writer based in Santa Barbara specializing in the arts, travel and lifestyle. This feature is produced by the Journalism Arts Initiative, which is underwritten by donations from arts organizations and others interested in supporting excellence in arts journalism.
INFO BOX
“Turandot in Concert,” presented by Pacific Festival, Aug. 16 at 7 p.m. at Walt Disney Concert Hall, 111 S. Grand Ave., Los Angeles. Ages 9 and older. Tickets, $33 to $105, including all fees, are available at www.TurandotConcert.com
Venice Beach to Host First Medal at 2028 Olympics
Venice Beach, known for its vibrant boardwalk, will kick off the 844 ticketed events, hosting the triathlon along its coastline
The LA28 organizing committee released the first draft of the 2028 Olympic competition schedule Monday, marking three years until the Games begin, with
Venice Beach set to award the first medal in the triathlon.
The schedule, unveiled as the Olympics return to Los Angeles for the third time, shifts athletics to the first week at the LA Memorial Coliseum, with swimming concluding the Games on July 30 at the 2028 Stadium in Inglewood. Venice Beach, known for its vibrant boardwalk, will kick off the 844 ticketed events, hosting the triathlon along its coastline.
LA28 CEO Reynold Hoover highlighted the schedule’s design for global viewership, while Mayor Karen Bass noted Venice’s role in showcasing the city’s diversity.
“I’m proud that the first medal will be awarded at the iconic Venice Beach,”
Bass said in a statement. “When the world comes here for these Games, we will highlight every neighborhood as we host a Games for all and work to ensure it leaves a monumental legacy”, tying the event to the million PlayLA enrollments, a legacy effort with local recreation programs.
The venue shift, detailed three months ago, leverages existing infrastructure, with marathon and road cycling also starting in Venice, though routes remain pending.
Councilwoman Traci Park, a former Olympic committee chair, has pushed for minimal disruption, proposing fan zones and cultural highlights like street art. LA28’s John Harper said volunteer and test event details will emerge in 18
months, with sustainability plans including a mobility hub to support a car-free Games vision.
