Mozart meets 'Star Trek' in an online watch party? Beam us up

Matt Cooper
·2 min read
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Robert Norman, right, and Brian Cheney, center, in Pacific Opera Project's staging of Mozart's "The Abduction From the Seraglio," set in the "Star Trek" universe. (Pacific Opera Project)

In 2016, Pacific Opera Project boldly went where no troupe had gone before with a one-off "Star Trek”-style staging of "The Abduction From the Seraglio," Mozart's 18th century musical melodrama that tells the tale of a young hero on a quest to rescue his beloved from a sultan's harem.

Now, the Los Angeles company is hosting a free watch party for a rebroadcast of this fantastical production, sung in English with a new libretto by artistic director Josh Shaw and recorded under the stars at the Ford amphitheater in Hollywood.

So don your favorite uniform — Federation, Klingon or other — for the costume contest, set your phasers to fun and tune in at 5 p.m. Wednesday at facebook.com/pacificoperaproject.

There are other ways to engage with a little culture during your coronavirus quarantine. We'll keep sharing picks for streaming concerts, online musicals, virtual art exhibitions and more. Here's Wednesday's list, all times Pacific.

"The Show Must Go Online"

British theater artist Rob Myles emcees this new series, with a global cast reading Shakespeare's complete works. Fresh content posts each Wednesday and is available anytime after that. Free. youtube.com

"Tiny Dorm Concert"

Students, faculty and alumni at the San Francisco Conservatory of Music play Bach, Beethoven and more in the Wednesday entry in this nightly series. 5 p.m. Free. sfcm.edu

"Move It!"

New York-based Parallel Exit’s showcase for physical theater, dance theater, mime and puppetry moves its act online. Available anytime. Free. vimeo.com

"Art Goes On"

This online project from Center Theatre Group includes clips of Bill Irwin, Alan Mandell, Carmen Cusack and others sharing songs, stories and soliloquies. Available anytime. Free. centertheatregroup.org/art-goes-on

"Sweatfest With Ryan Heffington"

The L.A.-based dance artist, known for choreographing music videos including Sia’s 2014 “Chandelier” with Maddie Ziegler, leads dance workouts on Instagram Live. 10 a.m. Tuesdays and Thursdays, 4 p.m. Wednesdays. Free. On Instagram @ryan.heffington

Play at ESMoA

The El Segundo Museum of Art offers a weekly, kid-friendly hour of storytelling and arts and crafts. 10 a.m. Wednesdays. Free. On Instagram @esmoaorgAmerican; youngsters can share their art using the tag #PLAYatESMoA

Past recommendations are indexed in the same place where our regular event listings (sigh) used to post.