LA Opera to Stream Free Live 'Carmen' Simulcast to Pier and Park

LA Opera will transmit Bizet's "Carmen" live and free to giant LED screens at 6 p.m. on Oct. 17, 2026, at William Steinmetz Park in Hacienda Heights and at the Santa Monica Pier.

The performance originates at the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion. Seven cameras will capture the production in high-definition video for projection at both outdoor sites. Subtitles will run in English and Spanish.

Music Director Domingo Hindoyan conducts. Thaddeus Strassberger directs and designs the new production. Rihab Chaieb sings the title role, with Joshua Guerrero as Don José, Kathleen O'Mara as Micaëla and Liam James Karai as the bullfighter Escamillo.

Los Angeles County provides support for the presentation. The event marks LA Opera's 13th "Opera at the Beach" simulcast at the Santa Monica Pier. It is also the company's first annual live simulcast in Hacienda Heights, branded there as "Opera in the Park" at William Steinmetz Park.

Los Angeles County Supervisor Lindsey P. Horvath addressed the pier audience in a statement: "I'm thrilled to welcome LA Opera back to the Santa Monica Pier for a free simulcast of Carmen, bringing world-class opera directly to our communities. Free events like this make the arts more accessible and create opportunities for Angelenos to come together and enjoy something special. Gather your friends and family, bring a blanket, and join us for an unforgettable night of music by the Pacific."

The dual-venue format extends LA Opera's outdoor broadcast strategy beyond the coastline for the first time. If the Hacienda Heights debut draws a crowd, the company's free simulcast model could become a fixture across more of Los Angeles County's public spaces.