L.A. Opera is set to unveil a new curtain titled “The Things We Know” at the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion, a creative departure from the traditional starburst design that has adorned the theater for 63 years. Created by Los Angeles artist Enrique Martínez Celaya, the curtain features a boy and girl depicted in black against an off-white background, engaging with a caged bird and a fish tank, respectively.
Martínez Celaya, who speaks to themes of childhood, containment, and transformation in his work, aims to evoke a sense of the gray area between childhood and adulthood through this piece. The curtain, measuring 70 feet wide, will transition to a vibrant cosmic scene filled with blooming flowers four minutes before the opera begins, adding a performative aspect to the experience.
This collaboration stems from a conversation between L.A. Opera Chief Executive Christopher Koelsch and Martínez Celaya that dates back about ten years. Koelsch sought an artwork that would reflect Los Angeles’s creativity, free from ties to specific operas. The top half of the curtain draws from Martínez Celaya’s personal history, depicting his daughter and referencing his grandfather’s pet birds from their family’s past in Cuba.
The artist, who began his career with a strong foundation in physics and philosophy before pivoting to art, hand-painted the curtain directly onto canvas-like fabric in acrylic and water-based paints. This is not his first venture into the intersection of art and classical music; he previously created a notable installation for the Berlin Philharmonic.
Although there were initial plans to cut the curtain into pieces for fundraising after the season, those ideas are now being reconsidered in light of the creative investment involved. Koelsch hopes to preserve parts of the curtain and even commission a new one for future seasons.
