Award-Winning Composer/Conductor Bill Conti Leads the Los Angeles Philharmonic in Weekend Concerts Featuring Special Guests Dave Grusin, Monica Mancini and Brian Stokes Mitchell and a Special Appearance by Richard Chamberlain
FRIDAY AND SATURDAY, JULY 10 AND 11, 2009, AT 8:30 PM
July 10 Media Sponsor: KCET
July 11 Media Sponsor: Gelson’s
The Los Angeles Philharmonic’s 10-week 2009 Weekend Spectaculars series kicks off at the Hollywood Bowl with Ultimate Mancini!, a tribute to the unforgettable legacy of film, television and concert composer Henry Mancini, Friday, July 10, and Saturday, July 11, at 8:30 p.m. The LA Phil, under the baton of award-winning conductor/composer Bill Conti and joined by special guests Dave Grusin, Monica Mancini, and Brian Stokes Mitchell, perform the music that earned this impressive icon and Hollywood Bowl Hall of Famer his legendary status. As a special treat to audiences, selected works on the program feature accompanying film clips or montages on the Hollywood Bowl’s screens as the LA Phil performs Mancini’s music to classics such as Breakfast at Tiffany’s, Victor/Victoria, The Pink Panther and The Thorn Birds. As an added bonus, The Thorn Birds star, Richard Chamberlain, appears to provide commentary during the film montage of the classic television mini-series. The concerts also include a special video appearance by Julie Andrews, taped exclusively for these concerts. In true Hollywood Bowl-style the evenings culminate with a spectacular fireworks show, making for two unforgettable evenings.
“Performing Henry’s music with the LA Philharmonic at the Hollywood Bowl is truly a homecoming for us,” said Mancini’s daughter, Monica. “Dad conducted the orchestra many times over the years, and hearing the Los Angeles Philharmonic perform his music with these guest artists is very emotional for our family as well as the musicians, many of whom worked with Henry on his films.”
Other special treats of the evenings include the performance of the Oscar-nominated Charade, performed for the first time by Brian Stokes Mitchell, celebrated film composer and pianist Dave Grusin performing his own special jazz arrangement of Mr. Lucky (which he recorded on his album Two for the Road: The Music of Henry Mancini), and the appearance of Plas Johnson, the original saxophone player who on The Pink Panther soundtrack,
Henry Mancini was one of the first composers from the world of jazz to break into the world of movie scoring. During his illustrious 40-plus-year-career, he won four Oscars, 20 Grammys and two Emmy nominations, and many of his tunes have become standards. His commercial and critical success made him one of the first American film composers to become a household name.
One of the largest natural amphitheaters in the world, with a seating capacity of nearly 18,000, the HOLLYWOOD BOWL has been the summer home of the Los Angeles Philharmonic since its official opening in 1922, and is home to the best and brightest in all genres of music. The 2004 season introduced audiences to a revitalized Hollywood Bowl, featuring a newly-constructed shell and stage and the addition of four stadium screens enhancing stage views in the venue. To this day, $1 buys a seat at the top of the Bowl for many of the Los Angeles Philharmonic's concerts. While the Bowl is best known for its sizzling summer nights, during the day California's youngest patrons enjoy "SummerSounds: Music for Kids at the Hollywood Bowl," the Southland's most popular summer arts festival for children, now in its 42nd season. In January 2009, the Hollywood Bowl was named Best Major Outdoor Concert Venue for the fifth year in a row at the 20th Annual Pollstar Concert Industry Awards; the Bowl's summer music festival has become as much a part of a Southern California summer as beaches and barbecues, the Dodgers, and Disneyland.
EDITORS PLEASE NOTE:
FRIDAY, JULY 10, AT 8:30 PM
SATURDAY, JULY 11, AT 8:30 PM
HOLLYWOOD BOWL, 2301 N. Highland Ave.
ULTIMATE MANCINI! with Fireworks
LOS ANGELES PHILHARMONIC
BILL CONTI, conductor
MONICA MANCINI, vocalist
DAVE GRUSIN, piano
BRIAN STOKES MITCHELL, vocalist
Special appearance by RICHARD CHAMBERLAIN
July 10 Media Sponsor: KCET
July 11 Media Sponsor: Gelson’s
Tickets ($10 - $116) are on sale now at HollywoodBowl.com, at the Hollywood Bowl Box Office (Tuesday–Saturday, 12 p.m.–6 p.m.), or by calling Ticketmaster at 800.745.3000, and at all Ticketmaster outlets. Groups of 10 or more may be eligible for a 20% discount, subject to availability; call 323.850.2050 for further details or group sales. For general information or to request a brochure, call 323.850.2000.
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Sophie Jefferies, sjefferies@laphil.org, 213.972.3422; Lisa White, lwhite@laphil.org, 213.972.3408; For photos: 213.972.3034