The Philadelphia Orchestra Returns to Beloved Summer Homes with Diverse Performances Featuring Renowned Guest Artists

The Philadelphia Orchestra Summer 2025 Calendar June 17–August 23, 2025 

Beethoven's Fifth 

June 17 at 8:00 PM—Tuesday evening—Mann Center for the Performing Arts, Philadelphia 

Lina Gonzalez-Granados Conductor  

Jonathan Biss Piano 

 
Beethoven Coriolan Overture

Beethoven Piano Concerto No. 4

Beethoven Symphony No. 5   

Pack a picnic and join us for a night of Beethoven’s music under the stars as The Philadelphia Orchestra, led by Lina Gonzalez-Granados, returns to TD Pavilion at the Mann on June 17. The evening will begin with Beethoven’s Coriolan Overture, which was inspired by the story of Roman general Coriolanus and was written for Austrian dramatist Heinrich Joseph von Collin’s tragedy, Coriolan. Beethoven’s Piano Concerto No. 4 will follow, with piano virtuoso Jonathan Biss playing alongside the Fabulous Philadelphians. Following intermission, we will be treated to Beethoven’s Symphony No. 5, one of his most famous symphonies with its iconic four-note motif that has been adapted in pop culture in everything from the Electric Light Orchestra to Fantasia 2000 to the Judge Judy theme music. 

Tickets are on sale now via MannCenter.org, Ticketmaster.com, and the Mann Ticket Office. 

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Star Wars: A New Hope in Concert 

June 20 at 8:00 PM—Friday evening—Mann Center for the Performing Arts, Philadelphia 

Damon Gupton Conductor  

Williams Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope (complete with film) 

The Philadelphia Orchestra will play Oscar-winning composer John Williams’s musical score live as the film is projected on three giant screens. Pack a picnic and join us for a perfect summer night under the stars! 

Set 30 years after Star Wars: The Phantom Menace, Star Wars: A New Hope returns to the desert planet of Tatooine in the fourth episode of the saga. While searching for a lost droid, a young Luke Skywalker (Mark Hamill) begins to discover his destiny when he is saved by reclusive Jedi Obi-Wan Kenobi (Alec Guinness). As civil war rages in the galaxy, and Rebel forces struggle against the evil Galactic Empire, Luke and Obi-Wan enlist the aid of hotshot pilot Han Solo (Harrison Ford). Joined by the quirky droid duo R2-D2 and C-3PO, the unlikely team sets out to rescue Rebel leader Princess Leia (Carrie Fisher) and use stolen plans to destroy the Empire’s ultimate weapon. In a legendary confrontation, the rogue group mounts an attack against the Death Star for a climactic battle with the evil Sith Lord Darth Vader.  

Tickets are on sale now via MannCenter.org, Ticketmaster.com, and the Mann Ticket Office. 

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Cynthia Erivo with The Philadelphia Orchestra 

June 21 at 8:00 PM—Saturday evening—Mann Center for the Performing Arts, Philadelphia  

Steven Reineke Conductor 

Cynthia Erivo Vocalist—Philadelphia Orchestra Debut  

Join us for a magical evening as GRAMMY Award winner Cynthia Erivo takes the stage with the GRAMMY Award–winning Philadelphia Orchestra on June 21 at TD Pavilion at the Mann! Her appearance promises an evening of unparalleled artistry as she gives voice to music made famous by the greatest female singers of all time, including an array of beloved Broadway hits and soul-stirring standards. 

Cynthia Erivo is a GRAMMY, Emmy, and Tony Award–winning actress, singer, and producer, as well as an Academy Award®, Golden Globe®, and SAG Award nominee. She burst onto West End and Broadway stages in The Color Purple and has since taken the world by storm. Erivo most recently starred as Elphaba opposite Ariana Grande’s Glinda in Universal’s record-breaking film adaptation of the hit musical Wicked from director Jon M. Chu. Part 1 was released on November 22, 2024, with Part 2 releasing on November 21, 2025. Wicked Part 1 opened at number one and has since become the highest grossing movie ever based on a Broadway musical at the domestic box office. Erivo has received widespread critical acclaim and rave reviews for her performance, including Golden Globe, SAG, Critics’ Choice, NAACP, BAFTA, and Academy award nominations. 

Tickets are on sale now via MannCenter.org, Ticketmaster.com, and the Mann Ticket Office. 

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Mozart Violin Concerto 

July 6 at 6:00 PM—Sunday evening—Gerald R. Ford Amphitheater, Vail  

Marin Alsop Conductor 

Randall Goosby Violin  

 
Frank Picaflor: A Future Myth  

Mozart Violin Concerto No. 3 

Brahms Variations on a Theme of Joseph Haydn   

Philadelphia Orchestra Principal Guest Conductor Marin Alsop is convinced that music has the power to change lives. She’s also enormously entertaining to watch, as you’ll see in this program that features Mozart’s charming Violin Concerto No. 3. Performing this bravura display of the instrument’s range is the astonishing young violinist Randall Goosby, who “plays like an angel with nothing to prove” (Los Angeles Times). 

The Mozart is flanked by a pair of dazzling works: Brahms’s intricate Variations on a Theme of Haydn, whose contrapuntal shifts present a brilliant puzzle for the artists of the Orchestra to solve, and composer Gabriela Lena Frank’s Picaflor: A Future Myth, a vibrant new work that retells a traditional Peruvian creation myth. 

Tickets are available through the Box Office, by calling 877.812.5700, or by visiting www.bravovail.org. 

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Alsop Conducts Shostakovich 

July 7 at 6:00 PM—Monday evening—Gerald R. Ford Amphitheater, Vail  

Marin Alsop Conductor 

Wu Man Pipa 

Beethoven Leonore  Overture No. 3  

Zhao Pipa Concerto No. 2 

Shostakovich Symphony No. 5   

Written in 1937, in the midst of Stalin’s cruel artistic purges, Shostakovich’s Symphony No. 5 shows little of the terrible strain the composer and his compatriots felt. The government defined truth and beauty, and the consequences of coloring outside those lines were dire. Seemingly on a whim, an artist’s work could be condemned, and the artist himself banished. Despite the overriding climate of fear, his Fifth was a triumph; the Leningrad premiere received an ovation that lasted more than half an hour. It remains an extraordinary tribute to inspiration that defies restraint. Principal Guest Conductor Marin Alsop leads the program, which also includes Beethoven’s Leonore Overture No. 3 and Zhao’s Pipa Concerto No. 2 performed by virtuoso Wu Man. 

Tickets are available through the Box Office, by calling 877.812.5700, or by visiting www.bravovail.org. 

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Vivaldi The Four Seasons 

July 10 at 6:00 PM—Thursday evening—Gerald R. Ford Amphitheater, Vail 

Gil Shaham Conductor and Violin 

Bach Violin Concerto No. 1  

Mozart Adagio in E major, for violin and orchestra 

Mozart Rondo in C major, for violin and orchestra 

Vivaldi The Four Seasons 

Audience favorite violinist Gil Shaham leads the Orchestra and takes center stage in this program of instrumental virtuosity. At the heart of the program is Antonio Vivaldi's The Four Seasons. Composed just before his move from Italy to Vienna, these four spectacular violin concertos stand as the pinnacle of Baroque music. Each concerto unfolds with vivid imagery and emotional depth, painting a vibrant musical portrait of nature's ever-changing moods and landscapes. The concert is a brilliant showcase for Shaham demonstrating him to be “a virtuoso and a player of deeply intense sincerity.” (The New York Times) 

Tickets are available through the Box Office, by calling 877.812.5700, or by visiting www.bravovail.org. 

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Berlioz Symphonie fantastique 

July 11 at 6:00 PM—Friday evening—Gerald R. Ford Amphitheater, Vail  

Stéphane Denève Conductor 

Pablo Sáinz-Villegas Guitar 

Chabrier España 

Rodrigo Fantasía para un gentilhombre, for guitar and orchestra 

Berlioz Symphonie fantastique 

In this enchanting program, French conductor Stéphane Denève and Spanish guitarist Pablo Sáinz-Villegas make an indelible connection with romance and Spanish dances. Berlioz’s most famous work, his Symphonie fantastique, conjures up a dark tale of love and madness, while Rodrigo’s virtuosic Fantasía para un gentilhombre is a boldly exuberant, brilliantly colored work—the perfect showcase for a soloist who has “ascended to the upper echelon of successful classical guitarists.” (acousticguitar.com) 

Conducting this vivid program is former Principal Guest Conductor Stéphane Denève, hailed for his “fabulous ear, staggering mastery of his scores, and a buoyant, bubbly personality” so popular with audiences they’ve coined the term “Stéphanomania” (St. Louis Post-Dispatch). 

Tickets are available through the Box Office, by calling 877.812.5700, or by visiting www.bravovail.org. 

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Music of the Movies 

July 12 at 6:00 PM—Saturday evening—Gerald R. Ford Amphitheater, Vail 

Stéphane Denève Conductor 

David Kim Violin 

Strauss “Dawn,” from Also sprach Zarathustra 

Vivaldi First movement from “Spring,” from The Four Seasons 

Beethoven Fourth movement from Symphony No. 6 (“Pastoral”) 

Wagner “The Ride of the Valkyries,” from Die Walküre 

Tchaikovsky Scene, from Suite from Swan Lake 

Dukas The Sorcerer’s Apprentice 

Newman 20th Century Fox Fanfare 

Steiner Theme from King Kong—First Philadelphia Orchestra Performance 

Korngold Overture to The Sea Hawk 

Herrmann Prelude and “The Murder,” from Psycho 

Herrmann “Love Scene,” from Vertigo—First Philadelphia Orchestra Performance 

Williams “The Raiders March,” from Raiders of the Lost Ark 

Williams “Helena’s Theme,” from Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny 

Williams Main Title, from Star Wars: Suite for Orchestra 

Time to break out the popcorn! In this delightful program, Stéphane Denève leads The Philadelphia Orchestra as they perform beloved themes from iconic films. 

Tickets are available through the Box Office, by calling 877.812.5700, or by visiting www.bravovail.org. 

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Pictures from an Exhibition 

July 13 at 6:00 PM—Sunday evening—Gerald R. Ford Amphitheater, Vail  

Stéphane Denève Conductor 

Jean-Efflam Bavouzet Piano—Philadelphia Orchestra Debut 

Holmès “La Nuit et l’amour” (Interlude), from Ludus pro patria 

Ravel Piano Concerto for the Left Hand 

Musorgsky Pictures from an Exhibition 

Pianist Jean-Efflam Bavouzet joins The Philadelphia Orchestra for Ravel’s Piano Concerto for the Left Hand. The evening, conducted by Stéphane Denève, also features Holmès’s enchanting “La Nuit et l’amour” from Ludus pro patria and Musorgsky’s timeless Pictures from an Exhibition. 

Tickets are available through the Box Office, by calling 877.812.5700, or by visiting www.bravovail.org. 

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125 Years of The Philadelphia Orchestra 

July 23 at 8:00 PM—Wednesday evening—Mann Center for the Performing Arts, Philadelphia  

Naomi Woo Conductor  

Bach/orch. Stokowski Toccata and Fugue in D minor 

Still Mother and Child 

Dukas The Sorcerer's Apprentice 

Sibelius Symphony No. 2 

Join us in celebrating the 125th anniversary of The Philadelphia Orchestra as it returns to its summer home at the TD Pavilion at the Mann on July 23 for an evening of classical music hits, led by Assistant Conductor Naomi Woo. 

The evening will begin with two of the most iconic musical segments from Walt Disney’s 1940 classic Fantasia, the score of which was originally recorded by The Philadelphia Orchestra in 1939 at the Academy of Music: Johann Sebastian Bach's Toccata and Fugue in D minor and Paul Dukas’s The Sorcerer's Apprentice. Following intermission, the Orchestra will perform Jean Sibelius’s Symphony No. 2, which the composer himself described as “a confession of the soul.” Pack a picnic and enjoy this exciting celebration of classical music and Your Philadelphia Orchestra under the stars!  

Tickets are on sale now via MannCenter.org, Ticketmaster.com, and the Mann Ticket Office. 

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A Championship Season with The Philadelphia Orchestra  

July 24 at 8:00 PM—Thursday evening—Mann Center for the Performing Arts, Philadelphia  

Anthony Parnther Conductor 

Merrill Reese Host 

The Mann Center, the Philadelphia Eagles, and NFL Films take center stage this summer to celebrate another Eagles Championship Season with this special concert event hosted by the “Voice of the Eagles,” Merrill Reese. Relive NFL Films’ stunning video highlights of the Philadelphia Eagles 2024 Championship Season on three giant screens alongside the great Philadelphia Orchestra, performing the inspiring, uplifting, and wonderfully symphonic music of NFL Films. 

Tickets are on sale now via MannCenter.org, Ticketmaster.com, and the Mann Ticket Office. 

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Nas—Illmatic: Live

July 25 at 8:00 PM—Friday evening—Mann Center for the Performing Arts, Philadelphia  

Steven Reineke Conductor 

Nas Rapper 

Timeless poet and rhyme-master Nas delivered his first full-length album, Illmatic, in 1994. He went on to release 14 subsequent albums, eight of which are multi-platinum and platinum including Nastradamus, Stillmatic, God’s Son, and Street’s Disciple. With 16 GRAMMY nominations, Nas released King’s Disease in 2020, giving him his first ever GRAMMY win for “Best Rap Album,” and released King’s Disease II, a sequel to the GRAMMY Award–winning album, produced by Nas and Hit-Boy.  

Most recently, Nas released the third installment of the King’s Disease series. With no features, King’s Disease III was produced by Hit-Boy and executive produced by Nas and Hit-Boy. Most recently, they released Magic 3, featuring 15 brand new tracks, also marking the final chapter of the legendary run for the prolific rapper-producer duo. Magic 3 serves as the duo’s sixth album together in the last three years and serves as the third installment to the Magic series. 

Tickets are on sale now via MannCenter.org, Ticketmaster.com, and the Mann Ticket Office. 

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Tchaikovsky Spectacular 

August 6 at 7:30 PM—Wednesday evening—Saratoga Performing Arts Center, Saratoga Springs 

Marin Alsop Conductor 

Hai-Ye Ni Cello  

 
Tchaikovsky Selections from Suite No. 1 from The Nutcracker

Tchaikovsky Variations on a Rococo Theme, for cello and orchestra

Tchaikovsky Hamlet  Overture 

Tchaikovsky 1812 Overture 

Philadelphia Orchestra Principal Guest Conductor Marin Alsop returns to SPAC for the first time since 2017 leading the Orchestra in a dazzling evening of Tchaikovsky featuring the 1812 Overture with live cannon fire and a brilliant fireworks display. Philadelphia Orchestra Principal Cello Hai-Ye Ni performs Tchaikovsky’s beautiful and elegant Variations on a Rococo Theme, inspired by the composer’s love for Mozart. And the Hamlet Overture, originally conceived as incidental music to Shakespeare’s play, receives its SPAC premiere.  

Tickets are available from the Saratoga Performing Arts Center Box Office, by phone at 518.584.9330 (handling fees apply), or at www.spac.org. 

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The Planets 

August 7 at 7:30 PM—Thursday evening—Saratoga Performing Arts Center, Saratoga Springs 

Marin Alsop Conductor 

Randall Goosby Violin 

Sopranos and Altos from Albany Pro Musica    

José Daniel Flores-Caraballo Director 

Clyne Masquerade

Mendelssohn Violin Concerto  

Holst The Planets  

One of the foremost conductors of our time, Marin Alsop leads Gustav Holst’s iconic The Planets, a work that has inspired generations of sci-fi film composers, featuring the ferocity of “Mars, the Bringer of War,” the high-spirited “Jupiter, the Bringer of Jollity,” and the ghostly suspense of “Neptune, the Mystic.” Holst’s exciting, cosmic score features a seven-movement orchestral suite, with each movement named after a planet of the solar system and its corresponding astrological character as defined by Holst. 

Following his highly acclaimed SPAC debut in 2022, American violinist Randall Goosby returns to SPAC, performing Mendelssohn’s Violin Concerto, the first performance of the work at SPAC in over a decade. Goosby has been heralded by the New York Times for his “sheer virtuosity” and “exquisite tone” and in recent seasons has enjoyed a robust performance schedule with many of the world’s leading ensembles including The Philadelphia Orchestra, New York Philharmonic, Los Angeles Philharmonic, and the Boston Symphony Orchestra.  

Tickets are available from the Saratoga Performing Arts Center Box Office, by phone at 518.584.9330 (handling fees apply), or at www.spac.org. 

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Gershwin & Bernstein 

August 8 at 7:30 PM—Friday evening—Saratoga Performing Arts Center, Saratoga Springs 

Marin Alsop Conductor  

Clayton Stephenson Piano—Philadelphia Orchestra Debut 

Gershwin Cuban Overture 

Bernstein Symphonic Dances from West Side Story 

Gershwin Piano Concerto in F 

Philadelphia Orchestra Principal Guest Conductor Marin Alsop returns to SPAC leading the Orchestra in Leonard Bernstein’s Symphonic Dances from West Side Story. Bernstein mentored and inspired Alsop throughout her career, establishing her as one of the foremost conductors of his music. 

The program is bookended by the music of another American icon, George Gershwin. The evening begins with his rousing Cuban Overture, inspired by a trip to Havana and combining traditional Cuban rhythms with Gershwin’s original themes.  

The program closes with Gershwin’s Piano Concerto in F featuring American pianist Clayton Stephenson. At just 26 years old, Stephenson has been praised for his joyous charisma on stage and natural ease at the instrument. In 2022, he became the first Black finalist at the Van Cliburn International Piano Competition and has received critical acclaim for his “extraordinary narrative and poetic gifts” and interpretations that are “fresh, incisive and characterfully alive” (Gramophone).  

Tickets are available from the Saratoga Performing Arts Center Box Office, by phone at 518.584.9330 (handling fees apply), or at www.spac.org. 

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Laufey: A Night at the Symphony with The Philadelphia Orchestra 

August 9 at 7:30 PM—Saturday evening—Saratoga Performing Arts Center, Saratoga Springs  

Ross Jamie Collins Conductor—Philadelphia Orchestra Debut 

Laufey Vocalist—Philadelphia Orchestra Debut 

GRAMMY-winning jazz singer, composer, multi-instrumentalist, and producer Laufey brings a spell-binding sonic journey performing alongside The Philadelphia Orchestra for her new “Night at the Symphony” program. 

Last summer, Laufey (pronounced lāy-vāy) made her SPAC debut at our Saratoga Jazz Festival. Now, the “Gen Z It Girl” (The New York Times) will return to the SPAC stage for her Philadelphia Orchestra debut with her “Night at the Symphony” program, which premiered at the Hollywood Bowl and was made into a film directed by Sam Wrench (Taylor Swift |The Eras Tour).  

Breaking through with her 2023 album Bewitched, which earned her a GRAMMY Award and broke the record as the biggest debut for a jazz album on Spotify in history, Laufey writes songs inspired by jazz greats and classical masters while possessing a point of view that could only be conveyed by a 21st-century twentysomething. Her brand of jazz is rooted in the classic stylings of Billie Holiday, Ella Fitzgerald, and Chet Baker, but it’s also bright and modern, equal parts confessional and inspirational. This romantic and trailblazing approach has captured audiences worldwide, growing a global community of “Lauvers” and selling out every tour date that she has put on sale.  

As NME puts it, “Laufey can serenade an audience with deep, pitch-perfect vocals while effortlessly rotating between cello, piano, and guitar, countless hours of practice stored in her nimble hands.” Those songs are infused with her approach to life: “I definitely romanticize a lot of things,” she recently said. “I think it comes out of seeing the beauty in the small things.” Her ability not only to see that beauty but to share it and make it feel personal has made her a favorite at jazz festivals and a star in the eyes of music fans around the world.  

Tickets are available from the Saratoga Performing Arts Center Box Office, by phone at 518.584.9330 (handling fees apply), or at www.spac.org. 

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Stravinsky, Rachmaninoff, & Still 

August 13 at 7:30 PM—Wednesday evening—Saratoga Performing Arts Center, Saratoga Springs 

Yannick Nézet-Séguin Conductor 

Beatrice Rana Piano 

Stravinsky Suite from The Firebird 

Rachmaninoff Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini, for piano and orchestra 

Still Symphony No. 2 (“Song of a New Race”) 

Philadelphia Orchestra Music and Artistic Director Yannick Nézet-Séguin returns to Saratoga to lead two unique programs that can only be heard at SPAC. 

The program opens with the Suite from Igor Stravinsky’s The Firebird. One of the most beloved ballets of all time, The Firebird was originally written by a then relatively unknown Stravinsky for Sergei Diaghilev’s Ballets Russes in the early 1900s. The imaginative score is equal parts thrilling and ethereal, bringing to life an old Russian tale and launching the composer’s now storied career.  

Italian pianist Beatrice Rana returns to SPAC for the first time in a decade, performing Rachmaninoff’s inventive Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini. Since her first visit to SPAC, she has become one of the most sought-after pianists of her generation, earning praise for her “underlying calm command” (The New York Times) and refined approach. 

Through SPAC’s and The Philadelphia Orchestra’s continued efforts to explore works by underrepresented composers, the program closes with the rarely performed Second Symphony by William Grant Still. A prolific composer who produced dozens of major orchestral works over his 50-year career, he had a storied relationship with The Philadelphia Orchestra and longtime maestro Leopold Stokowski who proclaimed Still as “one of our greatest American composers.”  

Tickets are available from the Saratoga Performing Arts Center Box Office, by phone at 518.584.9330 (handling fees apply), or at www.spac.org. 

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Verdi’s Requiem with Yannick 

August 14 at 7:30 PM—Thursday evening—Saratoga Performing Arts Center, Saratoga Springs 

Yannick Nézet-Séguin Conductor 

Ailyn Pérez Soprano—Philadelphia Orchestra Debut 

Sasha Cooke Mezzo-Soprano 

Matthew Polenzani Tenor 

Alfred Walker Bass-Baritone—Philadelphia Orchestra Debut 

Albany Pro Musica  

José Daniel Flores-Caraballo Director 

Verdi Requiem 
 

Called “one of the most sublime and terrifying works in the repertoire” (NPR), Verdi’s Requiem is filled with transcendent moments from the ineffably sorrowful “Lacrymosa,” to the heavens-shaking final judgement of the “Dies irae,” to the hushed finale blessed by grace. The evening-length work features an all-star cast with soloists from the Metropolitan Opera stage alongside the Albany Pro Musica chorus. Philadelphia Orchestra Music and Artistic Director Yannick Nézet-Séguin returns to lead the program, bringing the score to life with his masterful interpretation.  

Tickets are available from the Saratoga Performing Arts Center Box Office, by phone at 518.584.9330 (handling fees apply), or at www.spac.org. 

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Renée Fleming with The Philadelphia Orchestra 

August 15 at 7:30 PM—Friday evening—Saratoga Performing Arts Center, Saratoga Springs  

Robert Moody Conductor 

Renée Fleming Soprano 

One of the most beloved and celebrated singers of our time, five-time GRAMMY-winner Renée Fleming returns to SPAC with an all-new program alongside The Philadelphia Orchestra. 

This breathtaking performance begins with inspiration from the GRAMMY Award–winning album Voice of Nature: the Anthropocene, in which Fleming explores humankind’s evolving relationship with nature, performing works ranging from Handel to Björk and The Lord of the Rings, with a beautiful projected film created for the program by National Geographic. The second half of the program features beloved arias and songs, from Puccini to Rodgers and Hammerstein.  

Tickets are available from the Saratoga Performing Arts Center Box Office, by phone at 518.584.9330 (handling fees apply), or at www.spac.org. 

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Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince™ in Concert 

August 16 at 7:30 PM—Saturday evening—Saratoga Performing Arts Center, Saratoga Springs  

Justin Freer Conductor  

Hooper Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince (complete with film)—First Philadelphia Orchestra Performance  

Displayed on a giant screen and accompanied by The Philadelphia Orchestra, audiences can relive the magic of Harry’s sixth year at Hogwarts™ School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Watch Harry become a wiz at potions, win Felix Felicis, and uncover the meaning of Horcruxes.  

Nominated for the 2010 GRAMMY™ Award, Nicholas Hooper returns to the Harry Potter series with this magical score that features soaring and unique motifs that could only represent the grandeur and scope of The Wizarding World.  

Tickets are available from the Saratoga Performing Arts Center Box Office, by phone at 518.584.9330 (handling fees apply), or at www.spac.org. 

WIZARDING WORLD and all related trademarks, characters, names, and indicia are © & ™ Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. Publishing Rights © JKR. (s24)  

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Beethoven’s Fifth  

August 20 at 7:30 PM—Wednesday evening—Saratoga Performing Arts Center, Saratoga Springs  

Naomi Woo Conductor 

Sheku Kanneh-Mason Cello  

Coleridge-Taylor Ballade in A minor 

Saint-Saëns Cello Concerto No. 1

Beethoven Symphony No. 5   

With perhaps the four most famous notes in classical music, Beethoven’s Fifth Symphony has captured the attention of concertgoers for more than 200 years. It is a wide-ranging work that journeys from wonderful intensity to euphoric triumph, showcasing the composer’s brilliance. 

One of classical music’s biggest rising stars, cellist Sheku Kanneh-Mason makes his SPAC debut performing Camille Saint-Saëns’s Cello Concerto No. 1. Kanneh-Mason was propelled into the spotlight after he performed at the wedding of the Duke and Duchess of Sussex at Windsor Castle in 2018, an event watched by nearly two billion people worldwide. Since then, he has maintained an active performance calendar, appearing with many of the world’s leading orchestras including multiple engagements with The Philadelphia Orchestra. Most recently, he made his Carnegie Hall debut with his sister Isata, who made her SPAC and Philadelphia Orchestra debut in 2023. 

The program opens with the SPAC premiere of English composer Samuel Coleridge-Taylor’s beautiful and lyrical Ballade in A minor. 

Tickets are available from the Saratoga Performing Arts Center Box Office, by phone at 518.584.9330 (handling fees apply), or at www.spac.org. 

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Copland & Bates with Time for Three and Teddy Abrams 

August 21 at 7:30 PM—Thursday evening—Saratoga Performing Arts Center, Saratoga Springs 

Teddy Abrams Conductor—Philadelphia Orchestra Debut 

Time for Three  

Barber Adagio for Strings 

Copland Appalachian Spring Suite  

Bates Silicon Hymnal—First Philadelphia Orchestra Performance  

Experience iconic works by Aaron Copland and Samuel Barber, and a SPAC premiere by contemporary composer Mason Bates, featuring genre-bending trio Time for Three.  

Opening the program is Samuel Barber’s Adagio for Strings, one of the most recognizable pieces of classical music in the world. The piece has been a mainstay of pop culture in films such as Lorenzo’s Oil and Platoon, has marked somber occasions with performances at the funerals of FDR and JFK, and even experienced a rediscovery by younger generations when it was performed as a dance music anthem by Dutch DJ Tiësto in the early 2000s. 

Following is Aaron Copland’s Appalachian Spring Suite, a joyous and evocative work that reflects the spirit of the frontier. Originally composed as a ballet to accompany the choreography of Martha Graham, the piece draws inspiration from the Shaker hymn “Simple Gifts.” 

The program closes with the SPAC premiere of Mason Bates’s newest work, Silicon Hymnal. Written for GRAMMY and Emmy-winning trio Time for Three, the work is an “electro-acoustic book of songs” that showcases Time for Three’s versatility, merging classical, Americana, and singer-songwriter styles. The work was co-commissioned by SPAC and follows SPAC’s previous commission for Time for Three in 2022, Kevin Puts’s Contact, a recording of which earned the group its first GRAMMY Award. 

Tickets are available from the Saratoga Performing Arts Center Box Office, by phone at 518.584.9330 (handling fees apply), or at www.spac.org. 

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An Evening with Cynthia Erivo & The Philadelphia Orchestra 

August 22 at 7:30 PM—Friday evening—Saratoga Performing Arts Center, Saratoga Springs  

Steven Reineke Conductor 

Cynthia Erivo Vocalist 

Known for her powerhouse performances on both stage and screen, Cynthia Erivo is a Tony, Emmy, and GRAMMY Award-winner and three-time Oscar nominee, celebrated for her transformative roles in numerous works, including The Color Purple, Harriet, and most recently, the widely celebrated film adaptation of Wicked. Her appearance alongside the full Philadelphia Orchestra promises an evening of unparalleled artistry as she gives voice to music made famous by the greatest singers of all time, including Nina Simone, Aretha Franklin, Etta James, and Tina Turner, in addition to Broadway hits and her original songs.  

Tickets are available from the Saratoga Performing Arts Center Box Office, by phone at 518.584.9330 (handling fees apply), or at www.spac.org. 

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Back to the Future in Concert 

August 23 at 7:30 PM—Saturday evening—Saratoga Performing Arts Center, Saratoga Springs  

Steven Reineke Conductor 

Silvestri Back to the Future (complete with film) —First Philadelphia Orchestra Performance  

Celebrating the 40th anniversary of the unforgettable movie classic, Back to the Future is the 1.21-gigawatt blockbuster that topped the 1985 box office chart, spawned two wildly successful sequels, and stamped an enduring imprint on pop culture. 

Join Marty McFly (Michael J. Fox), Doc Brown (Christopher Lloyd), and a time machine for the adventure of a lifetime as they travel to the past, present, and future, setting off a time-shattering chain reaction that disrupts the space-time continuum! Now, fans old and new will experience the thrill of Back to the Future like never before—on a big high-def screen with the full Philadelphia Orchestra performing Alan Silvestri’s dazzling musical score live in synch with the movie.  Audiences will also be in for an exclusive treat: approximately 20 minutes of brand-new music added by award-winning composer Alan Silvestri to the film’s score especially for these unique live orchestra presentations.  

Tickets are available from the Saratoga Performing Arts Center Box Office, by phone at 518.584.9330 (handling fees apply), or at www.spac.org/tickets.