Carl St.Clair will lead the Pacific Symphony in Beethoven's "Wellington's Victory" and Symphony No. 8 and Rachmaninoff's Piano Concerto No. 2 with soloist Meng-Chieh Liu at Irvine Meadows Amphitheatre. Also July 24 at Pearson Park Amphitheatre, Harbor Boulevard and Cypress Avenue, Anaheim.
SUNDAY, JULY 24
Metallica, one of the most popular hard-rock groups, headlines a show that also features Alice in Chains at the Glen Helen Blockbuster Pavilion.
The second program in the annual "Dance Kaleidoscope" series at Cal State L.A. includes work by Ballet Pacifica, Los Angeles Modern Dance and Ballet, Katja Biesanz, Pasadena Dance Theatre, Winifred R. Harris, Mojalet Dance Collective and Susan Rose. Repeats July 29.
Vikki Carr, pop singer, performs at the Orange County Fair.
TUESDAY, JULY 26
Ivan Fischer conducts the touring Budapest Festival Orchestra in three separate musical programs at the Hollywood Bowl through July 28.
Two exhibitions open at the J. Paul Getty Museum in Malibu. "Ars et Ingenium: The Illuminator's Craft and Genius" features 20 manuscripts that reveal the variety of materials and techniques used in medieval and Renaissance illuminated books. "The Making of a Medieval Book" shows the entire process of how medieval manuscript books were made and illuminated. "Ars et Ingenium" ends Oct. 9; "The Making of a Medieval Book" ends Feb. 12.
WEDNESDAY, JULY 27
The Southern rock band Lynyrd Skynryd and hard-rocker Ted Nugent take no prisoners at the Greek Theatre.
Blue Palm presents a free, noontime performance piece about pregnancy, "Tell Me About It," at the Watercourt, California Plaza, downtown.
THURSDAY, JULY 28
Jazz piano giant Kenny Barron makes his first L.A. date in ages, leading a trio at the Jazz Bakery. Through July 30.
FRIDAY, JULY 29
Several artists, scientists, engineers, architects and environmentalists collaborated to create proposals and solutions to environmental problems. Their results, in a traveling show called "Fragile Ecologies: Artist's Interpretations and Solutions," go on view at the Laguna Art Museum in Laguna Beach. Through Oct. 9.
American soprano June Anderson joins the Budapest Festival Orchestra in a Viennese program at the Hollywood Bowl conducted by Ivan Fischer.
SATURDAY, JULY 30
The third program in the annual "Dance Kaleidoscope" series at Cal State L.A. offers work by California Ballet, Russell Scott, Mizerany/Soglin, KaRon Lehman, Shakti, Bambi Anderson, Rose Polsky and Ferne Ackerman. Repeats July 31.
It's Miller Time once again as comedian Dennis Miller takes the stage at the Ventura Theatre in Ventura for two shows.
Basia, the Polish pop vocalist who sings in a Brazilian style, performs at the Greek Theatre, Hollywood. Also July 31.
SUNDAY, JULY 31
"The Good Person of Setzuan," Tony Kushner's new version of the Brecht classic, directed by Lisa Peterson with original music by David Hidalgo and Louie Perez of Los Lobos and the Latin Playboys, opens at La Jolla Playhouse. Ends Aug. 28.
Country boys Travis Tritt, Joe Diffie and Lee Roy Parnell team up at Anaheim Pond. Also Aug. 4 at the Glen Helen Blockbuster Pavilion, Devore.
Metallica, Alice in Chains, Suicidal Tendencies and Candlebox play a hard-rock fest at Brown Field, San Diego.
Los Angeles Choreographers and Dancers perform in the Bing Theater, Los Angeles County Museum of Art. Dances of Peru and the Philippines share the stage at the Spiral Court, California Plaza, downtown, when the Inca and Silayan companies perform a free trans-Pacific folk program.
The Southwest Museum in Highland Park has added more than 300 works to its collection over the past three years. About 40 highlights are showcased in "Treasured Gifts: Recent Donations to the Southwest Museum Collection." Ends Oct. 9.
Veteran children's performer Dan Crow performs in concert at Sierra Madre Park. Also at Warner Park in Woodland Hills on Aug. 14.
MONDAY, AUG. 1
Pianist-crooner Harry Connick Jr., who performs songs big-band-era style, takes over the Hollywood Bowl. Also at the Open Air Theatre, San Diego State University, on Aug. 3.
TUESDAY, AUG. 2
Basia and Spyro Gyra, pop-jazz performers, play at Embarcadero Marina Park South.
Stalwarts of the '70s and early '80s, the Doobie Brothers and Foreigner star in a classic-rock show at the Greek Theatre.
WEDNESDAY, AUG. 3
Tonight's rhythmic Brazilian affair at the Hollywood Bowl boasts singers Gal Costa and Leny Andrade, guitarist Oscar Castro-Neves and guitarist-songwriter Ivan Lins.
Singer-songwriter Alan Jackson performs "Chattahootchie" and more of his pop-country hits at the Greek Theatre.
THURSDAY, AUG. 4
An exhibition of installations by video pioneers Steina and Woody Vasulka opens at Los Angeles Contemporary Exhibitions' new Hollywood space. Through Sept. 15.
FRIDAY, AUG. 5
Film composer and conductor John Williams returns to Hollywood Bowl to lead the L.A. Philharmonic in an entire program of his own music, with Burgess Meredith as narrator. Also Aug. 6
