Professional singers team with aspiring youths in ‘The Festival Play of Daniel’

They dashed up the wet steps that led into the Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels, careful not to be late. Some were in jeans and sneakers. Others in their finest attire. Each made her or his way inside and through the pews.

Then Msgr. Kevin Kostelnik appeared. Standing at the altar, which was transformed into a stage with draperies and movable set pieces, Kostelnik clearly wasn’t there to begin another Mass service. On this day, the cathedral was a theater. And Kostelnik was there to help introduce the show.

Hundreds gathered on a rainy Saturday inside the space for a production of “The Festival Play of Daniel,� conducted by Los Angeles Opera Music Director James Conlon. It was L.A. Opera’s fourth free, hourlong production, part of its community outreach program.

“A society without music does not have a soul,� Conlon said. “Classical arts is not a frill or an elitist toy; it is an essential part of our American society and a part of our civilization. Great music resonates with people.�

That message -- and the music -- certainly got through to attendee Ruth Several of Los Angeles. “It was just amazing,� Several said afterward, “a great community event that brought people of all ages and backgrounds together. Truly amazing.�

Cathedral performances were among the first initiatives Conlon brought to the company after his 2006 arrival as music director. The idea, he said, grew out of his experience as music director for the Cincinnati May Festival, a choral festival for which he had instituted performances at a basilica.

“There’s a very special place for music in churches� Conlon said, “and I thought it would be a great thing for L.A. Opera to take part in.�

When it came time to decide on this year’s work, Conlon thought back to his youth. He recalled watching New York Pro Musica Antiqua perform “The Festival Play of Daniel,� conducted by Noah Greenberg, at a church when he was 15.

“I remember being so moved by it,� Conlon said. The piece, whose original composers and writers are unknown, dates from the early 13th century. The liturgical drama with music recounts the Old Testament story of the prophet Daniel. It was translated from its original Latin libretto into English for Saturday’s performance.

The cast included three current members of L.A. Opera’s Domingo/Thornton Young Artist Program. Conlon led an ensemble made up of the L.A. Opera Orchestra and members of the Hamilton High School Academy of Music Orchestra and the Colburn School String Orchesta. The chorus featured child and adult singers from the Choir of St. John Eudes Church and School, the Colburn School Children’s Choir, Pueri Cantores San Gabriel Valley Children’s Choir, Central High School No. 9 Theater Academy, the Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels Choir, teachers from L.A. Opera’s Opera for Educators program, and students from L.A. Opera’s Youth Opera Camp program.

“It was so cool,� said Joshua Smith, 13, a student at Excellence in Education and member of the Colburn Children’s Choir and Opera Workshop, “ ‘cause, like, I got to sing with professional singers. That’s not normal.�

Pairing students with professionals is part of the goal, Conlon said. But exposing youth to the classical world is the main focus.

“I believe every child that is exposed to classical music would whistle to Bach and Brahms,� Conlon said. “They just need to be given the chance. Exposure is key.�

The kids weren’t the only ones getting in on the action. The audience also became a part of the performance, chiming in with the chorus during the final verse in the production:

“Ho-ly fa-ther, ho-ly son, ho-ly spir-it . . . ,� they sang as Conlon waved his baton.

A community experience in every sense.

yvonne.villarreal @latimes.com