Good things can come from bad. Landmark's Ken Cinema almost closed and now Landmark is working with San Diego Opera on a fundraiser to help that organization stay open as well. Woo-hoo!
When I was covering the news about the lease dispute involving Landmark Theaters and the owners of the Ken Cinema, I spoke repeatedly with Landmark president Ted Mundorff. Fortunately, that dispute was worked out and Mundorff stated in a press release "the community spoke and we listened. Because of the outrage to the closing of this beloved theatre, it caused Landmark and the Berkun family to sit down and get it done.”
Event Details
San Diego Opera and Landmark Cinemas Present: A Benefit Screening of the Marx Brothers “A Night at the Opera”
Monday, May 19 at 8 p.m.
Ken Cinema, 4061 Adams Ave., 92116
Seeing how the community impacted the situation, Mundorff expressed interest in doing something to help another arts organization that was also looking at the possibility of closing its doors, San Diego Opera. He said he wanted to offer the Ken Cinema for a night to do a benefit. So I put him in touch with Edward Wilensky, San Diego Opera's director of public relations, and suggested that maybe the Marx Brothers' "A Night at the Opera" would make a nice film to rally the troops around. Wilensky liked the idea and Mundorff set about getting the Ken and a 35mm print of the film for the event. Wilensky immediately thought about getting the San Diego Opera Chorus to come out to the theater to lead the audience in the Anvil Chorus from Il Trovatore, the opera the Marx Brothers sabotage in the film. I love the fact that San Diego Opera could see the benefit of the Marx Brothers in a serious situation like this. It only goes to prove their point that opera is not stuffy.
Here's a sample of the mayhem.
San Diego Opera's press release stated: "Landmark Theatre’s Ken Cinema and San Diego Opera have both been in the news recently having made the announcement of their sudden closure to large showings of public support. The Ken Cinema recently announced they have averted their closure and the San Diego Opera’s board of directors is working on options to avert theirs before the May 19 deadline. San Diego Opera’s Geisel director of education and outreach, Dr. Nicolas Reveles will be your host and members of San Diego Opera’s Chorus will perform the Anvil Chorus from Verdi’s Il Trovatore, the opera featured in the film. All proceeds for this pay-what-you-can event will be a donation to the opera."
Reserve your seat here.
If you cannot attend but would still like to donate then click here to make a donation to San Diego Opera or call (619) 533-7000.
As of May 13, half the seats already had been reserved.
