GREAT MUSIC IN THE GREAT OUTDOORS From Classical Favorites to a Broadway Superstar, The Philadelphia Orchestra Opens Its Summer at the Mann June 27
The Philadelphia Orchestra opens its summer residency at the Mann on June 27th with three concerts celebrating classical music’s masters and the best of Broadway. The June 27th concert features Beethoven’s monumental masterwork, the 9th Symphony. On June 29th, an all-Tchaikovsky spectacular closes with the 1812 Overture and fireworks. Glee and Broadway’s bewitching Idina Menzel, returns to the Mann on June 30th, in an all new concert, including songs from her smash hit PBS special.
“Named two years in a row as one of North America’s top concert venues, the Mann is Philadelphia’s great summer place for the entire family to enjoy music,” said Catherine M. Cahill the Mann’s President and CEO. “For the same price as a movie, you can hear the Philadelphia Orchestra live under the stars. Whether you’re a lawn fan or prefer close up seating under our shed, the relaxed, casual, accessible feel of the Mann encourages people to make the experience all their own.”
Tickets are on sale for all Mann shows. Here are the details:
WEDNESDAY, JUNE 27: The Philadelphia Orchestra – Beethoven 9th
The Philadelphia Orchestra returns to its summer stage at the Mann on June 27 with programming that includes Beethoven: Symphony No. 9 in D minor, under the direction of conductor Xian Zhang in her Philadelphia Orchestra debut. Zhang is in her third year as music director of Orchestra Sinfonica di Milano Giuseppe Verdi (Italy). She has also served as associate conductor for the New York Philharmonic.
The performance begins with John Stafford Smith’s The Star Spangled Banner and then in celebration of The Philadelphia Orchestra’s superb musicianship, two of its violinists, Juliette Kang and Kimberly Fisher, will be featured soloists for Bach: Double Concerto in D minor. The evening closes with one of the greatest pieces of music of all time, Beethoven 9th, featuring soloists from the Academy of Vocal Arts – soprano Othalie Graham, mezzo soprano Margret Mezzacappa (debut), tenor Zachary Borichevsky (debut) and baritone Luis Ledesma – and The Philadelphia Singers.
Showtime: 8 p.m. Tickets: $49.50, $25, $17.50, $12.50 (Terrace/Lawn)
FRIDAY, JUNE 29: The Philadelphia Orchestra – 1812 with Fireworks!
The Philadelphia Orchestra reprises its all-Tchaikovsky spectacular, including a fireworks finale, on Friday, June 29. Last season’s performance of the 1812 Overture delighted the biggest audience ever for this concert, and this year will mark the Mann debut of the Orchestra’s new, young assistant conductor Cristian Macelaru. A native of Romania, Macelaru comes to the Orchestra following recent seasons at Tanglewood Music Center, Aspen Music Festival and the Dallas Opera. The program also continues the Mann’s relationship with the Curtis Institute of Music with the debut of 21-year-old pianist Alexander Ullman, performing Tchaikovsky Piano Concerto No. 1.
Showtime: 8 p.m. Tickets: $49.50, $25, $17.50, $12.50 (Terrace/Lawn)
SATURDAY, JUNE 30: Idina Menzel Barefoot at the Mann with The Philadelphia Orchestra
Tony Award-winning actress, singer and songwriter Idina Menzel, star of Broadway’s Wicked, the original stage production of Rent, and FOX TV’s smash hit Glee, returns to the Mann on Saturday, June 30 to perform with The Philadelphia Orchestra under the direction of conductor Steven Reineke. Two seasons ago, Idina Menzel’s performance with The Philadelphia Orchestra was a high point of the Mann’s summer. Punctuated by her powerhouse voice and fun-loving personality, Menzel continues to captivate sold-out audiences from London’s Royal Albert Hall to New York’s Lincoln Center.
Her Mann concert will be a collection of her favorites from the Broadway hits she’s starred in to the popular music she loves – all reminiscent of her just-released CD and DVD entitled IDINA MENZEL LIVE: BAREFOOT AT THE SYMPHONY, which premieres nationally on PBS stations this month.
This is Reineke’s second season at the Mann. One of the nation’s most sought-after pops conductors, composers and arrangers, he is the newly appointed principal pops conductor of the Toronto Symphony Orchestra, music director of The New York Pops at Carnegie Hall and principal pops conductor of the National Symphony Orchestra at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts.
Showtime: 8 p.m. Tickets: $95, $69.50, $55, $49, $19.50 (Terrace/Lawn)
To purchase tickets for any Mann concert and for more information on the Mann’s 2012 season, please visit www.manncenter.org.
About the Mann
As one of the most important outdoor music centers in the country, the Mann Center for the Performing Arts presents top artists in a world-class, entertainment destination in association with AEG Live and Princeton Entertainment. Each summer season, renowned symphony orchestras, iconic rock stars and the latest touring artists in indie rock, hip hop, R&B and pop take the stage here, and today’s success is a nod to the venue’s storied history. The Mann has been the summer home of The Philadelphia Orchestra since the 1930s and presented critically acclaimed performers in every decade since then. Located in the heart of Philadelphia’s Fairmount Park, the Mann hosts more than 170,000 visitors annually. Signature concert experiences are surrounded by Philadelphia’s stunning nighttime skyline and include seats beneath the Mann’s magnificent shed; picnics, blankets and music under the stars on its famous lawn; and dining in Crescendo, the venue’s spectacular tented restaurant. For more information, visit www.manncenter.org.
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