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“Opera is an artwork of miracles in so many ways,” said Christopher Koelsch. The company’s President and CEO surprised many in the audience with his pre-curtain announcement that the originally scheduled star soprano would be replaced with another star soprano. Minor detail: the new star soprano would be singing from the side of the stage while the choreographer performed the blocking.

How many “geniuses” does it take to write an opera? The creative team who brought the world premiere of LA Opera’s newest opera (a co-commission with the Met), Eurydice, to life Saturday night includes three MacArthur “genius” grant recipients: composer, Matthew Aucoin; librettist, Sarah Ruhl; and director, Mary Zimmerman. Given the brilliance of the piece’s music, its moving and unique take on the Orpheus and Eurydice myth, and its deft execution, three “geniuses” make for one captivating opera.

As part of its 100th anniversary celebration the Los Angeles Philharmonic brought back its Conductor Emeritus, Zubin Mehta, for a season opening celebration. On Thursday night, it was the world premiere of From Space I Saw Earth by Daníel Bjarnason, written specifically to put Mehta, Conductor Laureate Esa-Pekka Salonen, and current Music Director Gustavo Dudamel to work simultaneously in a single piece. Subsequent evenings were headlined by each conductor in their signature works.