Candide

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Leonard Bernstein's Candide is the rare piece that refuses to sit still in one genre: part opera, part Broadway musical, part gleeful philosophical cartoon, racing its wide-eyed hero across a world determined to prove that this is decidedly not the best of all possible worlds. The showstopper Glitter and Be Gay is worth the price of admission alone, a coloratura fireworks display that leaves audiences roaring. LA Opera stages it November 21 through December 13, 2026, at the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion in downtown Los Angeles. It is witty, tuneful, and far more fun than opera's stuffy reputation would suggest, making it a perfect holiday-season night out for the curious and the devoted alike. Bring someone who thinks opera is not for them, and watch this delicious, wickedly smart romp change their mind. Come laugh where you expected to be lectured.