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Entertainment & Arts

Photos: Disney Hall: 10 years of memorable performances

Although it is now celebrating its 10th anniversary, Walt Disney Concert Hall has been in operation during 11 calendar years, and in each one history has been made. Here are examples from each Disney year of how the hall has mattered not only to L.A. but also to the art of music.

Although it is now celebrating its 10th anniversary, Walt Disney Concert Hall has been in operation during 11 calendar years, and in each one history has been made. Here are examples from each Disney year of how the hall has mattered not only to L.A. but also to the art of music.  (Kirk McKoy / Los Angeles Times)

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From ‘Resurrection’ to ‘Neruda Songs’ to ‘The Gospel According to the Other Mary,’ here are examples of how Disney Hall has mattered to L.A. and the art of music.

While the Phil's three-night gala was easily the most artistically satisfyingly opening of a concert hall in modern memory, it was only after the celebrities and dignitaries had cleared out that the Hall's potential for rejuvenating the musical life in this city became palpably apparent.

While the Phil’s three-night gala was easily the most artistically satisfyingly opening of a concert hall in modern memory, it was only after the celebrities and dignitaries had cleared out that the Hall’s potential for rejuvenating the musical life in this city became palpably apparent.  (Anacleto Rapping / Los Angeles Times)

The question for the L.A. Phil after its initial season at Disney Hall was how to top the sheer excitement that the opening had caused. The answer was the "Tristan Project."

The question for the L.A. Phil after its initial season at Disney Hall was how to top the sheer excitement that the opening had caused. The answer was the “Tristan Project.”  (Lawrence K. Ho / Los Angeles Times)

'Atlas' (2006)

For its contribution to the L.A. Phil’s historic Minimalism Jukebox festival, the Master Chorale invited Meredith Monk to present excerpts from her opera “Atlas,” an invocation through exotic ritualistic vocalism of a female explorer’s spiritual journey in Tibet.  (Steven Henry / Getty Images)

As a follow-up to Minimalism Jukebox, the L.A. Phil invited Terry Riley to re-create on the Disney Hall organ one of his improvisatory, alternate-consciousness all-night concerts he was noted for giving in the '60s and '70s.

As a follow-up to Minimalism Jukebox, the L.A. Phil invited Terry Riley to re-create on the Disney Hall organ one of his improvisatory, alternate-consciousness all-night concerts he was noted for giving in the ‘60s and ‘70s.  (Jay L. Clendenin / Los Angeles Times)

Salonen's final concert of his 17-year L.A. Phil tenure -- a Stravinsky program, staged by Sellars -- turned into a memorable love-in.

Salonen’s final concert of his 17-year L.A. Phil tenure -- a Stravinsky program, staged by Sellars -- turned into a memorable love-in.  (Gary Friedman / Los Angeles Times)

Dudamel's fall 2009 gala took a musical toll with performances that were full of fire but not yet fully focused. By the time Dudamel repeated the program the following spring, the players had become more familiar with him, and the conductor had intensified his interpretations of the scores.

Dudamel’s fall 2009 gala took a musical toll with performances that were full of fire but not yet fully focused. By the time Dudamel repeated the program the following spring, the players had become more familiar with him, and the conductor had intensified his interpretations of the scores.   (Robert Durell / For The Times)

A memorial to Ernest Fleischmann, managing director of the L.A. Phil and the mastermind behind the hall, brought out the best from two of the notable conductors Fleischmann had helped foster -- Salonen and Lionel Bringuier.

A memorial to Ernest Fleischmann, managing director of the L.A. Phil and the mastermind behind the hall, brought out the best from two of the notable conductors Fleischmann had helped foster -- Salonen and Lionel Bringuier.   (Lawrence K. Ho / Los Angeles Times)

Dudamel's ongoing three-year project of staging Mozart operas with sets and costumes by famed architects and designers has been the most ambitious undertaking at Disney yet. It began with a site-specific "Don Giovanni" enacted amid crumpled paper sculptures by Frank Gehry.

Dudamel’s ongoing three-year project of staging Mozart operas with sets and costumes by famed architects and designers has been the most ambitious undertaking at Disney yet. It began with a site-specific “Don Giovanni” enacted amid crumpled paper sculptures by Frank Gehry.  (Ricardo DeAratanha / Los Angeles Times)

Adams' immense opera/oratorio had a shaky debut just after the "Don Giovanni" performances. But the work's greatness was unmistakable. Over the next several months, the composer streamlined the powerfully moving score, and "The Other Mary" was and taken on tour to Europe and New York.

Adams’ immense opera/oratorio had a shaky debut just after the “Don Giovanni” performances. But the work’s greatness was unmistakable. Over the next several months, the composer streamlined the powerfully moving score, and “The Other Mary” was and taken on tour to Europe and New York.   (Katie Falkenberg / Los Angeles Times)

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