The I-110 Freeway is a 20th Century river—a pulsing, powerful artery that unites communities, even as its construction destroyed homes and changed the city’s landscape forever. The 70th anniversary of this road is the flashpoint for a new opera from 4-time Emmy award winning composer Laura Karpman and writers M.G. Lord and Shannon Halwes.  The One Ten will be the first opera ever to sneak premiere on the internet. It is both a serialized tale and a riveting inside look at a creative work in progress. Through the eyes of four central characters, inspired by Angelinos past and present, The One Ten travels through time down this modern-day river, from the birth of the space program in Pasadena’s Arroyo Seco in 1939, to vibrant Downtown at mid-century, to the thriving international port in San Pedro today.  The monthly blog will feature streaming video, audio and written portions of LA Opera’s One Ten all leading up to the freeway’s 70th anniversary in December 2010. Based on true stories and gritty history, the opera captures the essence of LA life since the freeway was born. We will offer tidbits of LA’s past, uncovering little-known and fascinating facts. The music will clang with sounds recorded on the 110, creating beats from traffic, freeway sounds and overheard conversations. We will be posting excerpts of the

110 Freeway

opera--music as it is composed, words as they are written, and video as it is created—literally hot off the press. As in a soap opera, readers will want to find out what happens next. We will invite them to react to the material, contribute personal stories and texts, and join in this unusual creative process.

Check out the official project website