LA Opera will present two special Halloween weekend performances of “Hercules vs Vampires,” bringing a live operatic score to the 1961 cult fantasy film “Hercules in the Haunted World.” Performances are scheduled for 8 p.m. on both October 30 and October 31 at the United Theater on Broadway, located at 929 S. Broadway in downtown Los Angeles, according to LA Opera.
The unique presentation synchronizes live singers and an orchestra with a screening of the Mario Bava-directed film. “Hercules in the Haunted World” features former Mr. Universe Reg Park in the title role and Christopher Lee as Lycos, a ruler with an interest in immortality. The plot follows Hercules on a journey to the underworld in an attempt to rescue the woman he loves.
The operatic score for this cinematic experience was composed by Patrick Morganelli, who also adapted the film’s original dialogue for the live singers. Officials stated that the work was initially commissioned by Opera Theater Oregon and first premiered in 2010. Morganelli later revised and reorchestrated the piece specifically for nine singers and a 26-piece orchestra for a previous LA Opera presentation in 2015. The production has also been staged by other companies, including North Carolina Opera, Arizona Opera, and Nashville Opera.
Blair Salter, LA Opera’s head of music, will lead members of the LA Opera Orchestra in what will be her conducting debut with the company. The cast for these performances includes baritone Joel Balzun as Hercules, with soprano Alexis Seminario performing as Dianara. Baritone Gabriel Manro will take on the role of Lycos. Other featured singers include tenor Roy Hage as Theseus, soprano Gabrielle Turgeon in the roles of Medea and other characters, mezzo-soprano Gretchen Krupp as Persephone, and bass James Hayden as the God of Evil and Procrustes. Tenor Orson Van Gay II will perform as Kyros, and tenor Robert Norman as Telemachus.
These performances are part of LA Opera’s Off Grand initiative, which showcases works at various venues across the city, extending beyond the company's primary residence at the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion.
The Halloween performance on October 31 will be followed by an afterparty and a costume contest. The grand prize for the contest is $10,000, along with two VIP tickets to an LA Opera performance and a private tour for two of the LA Opera Costume Shop, officials said. The second-place winner will receive $2,500 and two VIP tickets, while the third-place prize includes $500 and two VIP tickets. Admission to the afterparty and contest is included with a ticket to the October 31 performance.
