Our year of oliveros
who is pauline oliveros?
Pauline Oliveros (1932-2016) was a groundbreaking composer and musician known for her pioneering contributions to experimental and improvisational electronic music. As one of the only female Mexican American LGBTQ+ artists of the 20th century, Oliveros continually challenged societal hierarchical norms throughout her life, particularly through her philosophy of Deep Listening.
Deep Listening explores the difference between the involuntary act of hearing and focused, conscious listening. It includes any and all sounds from daily life, the natural world, music, and/or the imagination. The Deep Listening philosophy combines scientific and spiritual influences, serving as a musical and meditative practice that aims to enhance awareness, inclusivity, empathy, and community.
Earth Ears
a sonic ritual (1982-1985)
DEc 15, 2024 (one performance only)
📍 Angels Gate Cultural Center, San Pedro
The journey with LBO’s ALL OLIVEROS year kicks off with an intimate introduction exploring Oliveros’ bold ritualistic operatic works: a daytime, one performance only special production taking place at the Angels Gate Cultural Center in San Pedro. Centered around Earth Ears: A Sonic Ritual, a meditative, interactive text score designed to engage both performers and the audience in a communal act of deep listening, the performance launches the new LBO and invites all to begin the journey into an exploration of sound, listening and bold new ideas.
Earth Ears: A sonic ritual Cast & Creative
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![Pauline Oliveros]()
Composer
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![James Darrah]()
Director
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![Chris Rountree]()
Music Director
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![Ariadne Greif — Trailblazing Soprano]()
Musician
El Relicario de los animales
(1979)
Feb 15 & 16, 2025
📍 The Heritage Square Museum, Los Angeles, CA
Renowned mezzo-soprano and bold artist Jamie Barton, hailed as "the leader of a new generation of opera stars" by The New York Times, makes a thrilling LBO debut in Del Relicarios De Los Animales as both a singer and conductor–guiding one of Oliveros’ most emotional scores that explores the interconnectedness of humans and animals through improvisational sound, with Barton as singer/conductor as a “leader, the piece blurs the expectations of operatic tradition while delving into themes of human instinct and the evocative power of the voice. Featuring staged performances and a large orchestral ensemble that includes the additional LBO debut of powerhouse soprano Brenda Rae, appearing as both singer and percussionist, this event showcases the power of one of Oliveros’ most inventive sonic landscapes in a historic outdoor/indoor setting rich with the history of Los Angeles County.
El Relicario de los animales Cast & Creative
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![Pauline Oliveros]()
Composer
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![Chris Rountree]()
Music Director
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![Jamie Barton]()
Singer
Jamie Barton
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![Brenda]()
Singer/Percussionist
Brenda Rae
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![James]()
Director/Producer
The Library of Maps
an opera in many parts (2001)
US West Coast Premiere and A New Performance Edition
April 12 & 13, 2025
📍RMS Queen Mary, Long Beach
The landmark premiere of a new performance edition of Oliveros and Roth’s staggeringly original opera The Library of Maps, and only the second ever performance of the work since its premiere, THE LIBRARY OF MAPS will be staged aboard the iconic RMS Queen Mary in Long Beach, moving the audience into multiple space with one of Oliveros’ most wildly inventive, improvisatory and poetic operas all set against the 1960s historic interior and rich past of the famed ocean liner. This new production will pay tribute to Pauline Oliveros' own experimentation with actors, singers, visual art, dance and deep poetic meaning and features a score for the rare orchestral ensemble of accordion, trombone and traditional Japanese koto. In two performances that will also differ slightly,, it promises to be an experience that channels decades of musical interplay within boundary-dissolving music making from Oliveros in one of Long Beach’s most iconic historic settings.
The Library of Maps
Cast & Creative
The Nubian Word for Flowers
A Phantom Opera (2016)
Pocket Edition
July, 2025
📍 LA LGBT Center, Los Angeles
LBO presents our 3rd Annual LBO Film Festival featuring live opera, talks, happenings and curated screenings—programming works by contemporary artists who are influenced by Oliveros.
The Nubian word for flowers
Cast & Creative
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Composer
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![James Darrah]()
Director
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![Christopher Rountree]()
Music Director
Ross Karre
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![Nuba Nour]()
Traditional Music
Nuba Nour Collective
