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 “Rent” changed the demographics of Broadway when it came out of nowhere in 1996. Kids who thought Rodgers & Hammerstein was a law firm were flocking in droves to musical theater to watch a bunch of poor East Village bohemes sing about their travails.

The show was doubly poignant: several of its characters were HIV-positive in an era when AIDS was a death sentence, and Jonathan Larson, its creator, died unexpectedly on the eve of its off-Broadway opening.

“Rent’s” long Broadway run finally ended Sept. 7. The tributes and retrospectives have been pouring in, including this interesting showing an assortment of actors who have tackled the show’s major roles. (I’d forgotten about Norbert Leo Butz, who’s more frequently associated these days with comic characters).

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Los Angeles Opera, always first out of the gate, launches its 2008-2009 season tonight and tomorrow with the latter in its U.S. premiere. Film directors William Friedkin and Woody Allen direct the Puccini; David Cronenberg directs “The Fly.” I’ll post reviews of both here, Sunday and Monday late morning, respectively.

Monday afternoon, I have an interview scheduled with Carl St.Clair, and I’ll have that for you later in the week. The Pacific Symphony’s , who I wrote about earlier this week, will wind up the Verizon summer season with a Tchaikovsky spectacular.

Tuesday night, I’ll drive up to the Hollywood Bowl to hear . Along with Thursday’s repeat performance, these are his last appearances at the Bowl as music director of the L.A. Philharmonic. Christine Brewer, the celebrated Wagnerian, is among his soloists. My Mahler review will be online Wednesday.

That is all. I now return you to your regular programming.

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