Cal Phil presents Broadway's Best from Mamma Mia to Merry Widow
Jenine Baines
August 05, 2009
Fans of Broadway musicals who would like to include a ´visit´ to Manhattan´s famed theater district in their summer travel plans may want to consider joining the California Philharmonic at its season finale concert, "Broadway´s Best", on Saturday, August 22 at 7:30 p.m. at The Arboretum in Arcadia and Sunday, August 23, at 2 p.m. at Walt Disney Concert Hall. The orchestra, under conductor Dr. Victor Vener, will perform excerpts from such blockbusters from "The Great White Way" as Gypsy, Wicked, Hairspray, and Mamma Mia!
"There have been hundreds of musicals written for Broadway since its first ´long-run´ musical was produced in the mid 19th century – so many that we´ll never run out of great music to share with our audiences," says Vener, founder and music director of the California Philharmonic.
Also on the program are selections from two operettas not normally associated with Broadway – Die Fledermaus by Johann Strauss and Franz Lehár´s The Merry Widow.
"The Merry Widow was a huge hit in both Austria and London," explains Vener. "And guess where it opened when it came to the US? On Broadway! The same is true of Die Fledermaus, which held its American debut at the historic Stadt Theatre on Broadway."
Wicked, with songs and lyrics by Stephen Schwartz and book by Winnie Holzman. has broken box office records worldwide, winning three Tony Awards and six Drama Desk Awards. Hairspray, by Marc Shaiman and Scott Wittman, broke records as well, winning 11 Olivier Awards in London and eight Tonys on Broadway while numerous critics believe Gypsy – with music by Jule Styne and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim – is, quite simply, the greatest American musical. As for the jukebox musical Mamma Mia!, which is based on songs by the musical group ABBA, over 30 million people had seen it as of a 2007 study.
"Now, thanks to Cal Phil, that number will be even higher," Vener adds with a smile.
Guest artists soprano Khori Dastoor and tenor Danny Gurwin will join Cal Phil. Dastoor, a native of Pasadena, California, is a rising star in the operatic world. After her performance in the title role of Lucia di Lammermoor with Opera San Jose, Opera News hailed her performance as "the stuff of art" while the San José Mercury News applauded Khori for "one of the most exciting performances seen, on any stage, in the past several years."
Tenor Danny Gurwin is a Broadway veteran, having appeared in Broadway productions of Little Women, Urinetown, The Full Monty, The Scarlet Pimpernel, Kismet, and A Little Night Music. Of a recent performance, the Chicago Sun Times wrote, "Gurwin gave a transcendent performance."
Tickets for Cal Phil Festival on the Green at The Arboretum start at just $20 and can be purchased by calling the Cal Phil box office at 1120 Huntington Drive in San Marino at 626.300.8200 from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday or by visiting the website, www.calphil.org. The Arboretum is located at 301 No. Baldwin Avenue in Arcadia.
Patrons are encouraged to arrive at 5:30 p.m. when the gates at The Arboretum open, and picnic beforehand. Vendors are on site to provide food or orders can be made in advance online at www.calphil.org. Live jazz will be performed prior to the concert as well.
This year, for the first time at Cal Phil at Walt Disney Concert Hall, pre-concert lectures with Dr. Victor Vener will take place at 1 p.m.
Tickets for Cal Phil at Walt Disney Concert Hall are available by calling TicketMaster at 213.363.3500, Tuesday through Friday, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. or online, 24 hours daily, at www.ticketmaster.com. Prices range from $35 to $90/person. Walt Disney Concert Hall is located at 111 South Grand Avenue in Los Angeles.
The mission of the Cal Phil Foundation is to bring excellent and professional performances of great music to the widest possible audience. To achieve its mission, Cal Phil works to: provide access to performances, serve as a major cultural resource, achieve regional, national and international recognition for the orchestra, provide free and low-cost educational outreach concerts and programs for all people, and encourage community involvement in the organization beyond concert attendance – through volunteer participation, network groups and leadership role opportunities. For more information, call 626.300.8200 or visit www.calphil.org.
ABOUT KHORI DASTOOR:
Fast-rising soprano Khori Dastoor has delighted audiences in venues throughout the country and abroad. Her recent debut as the title role in Donizetti's Lucia di Lammermoor was described by Opera News as "moving, increasingly distraught portrayal that offered agile acting and gripping fragility and anguish that was the stuff of art" and hailed by the San José Mercury News as "one of the most exciting performances I've seen, on any stage, in the past several years."
Dastoor returns to California after graduating with honors from the New England Conservatory of Music. She recently appeared as Miss Wordsworth in Albert Herring at the Aspen Music Festival under the baton of Maestro Robert Spano and in the role of Gabrielle in Offenbach's La Vie Parisienne with Lake George Opera. Khori has frequently appeared with the community programs division of the Los Angeles Opera, and has performed the role of "Sophie de Palma" in the critically acclaimed revival of Terrence McNally's Master Class at the Lobero Theatre in Santa Barbara. Other favorite roles include the title role in Lakmé, Pamina in Die Zauberflöte, Gretel in Hansel and Gretel, Gilda in Rigoletto, and Maria in West Side Story.
Deeply committed to new music, Dastoor created the role of La Novia in the world premiere of Lorca: Child of the Moon at the Freud Playhouse and also recently originated the title role in the world premiere of The Tree at the Los Angeles Theatre Center. She also appeared as Mary in the world premiere of Paul Chihara's Magnificat with the Angeles Chorale and Debut Orchestra this past year.
A native of Pasadena, Dastoor is currently a principal artist in residence with Opera San José whilst concluding doctoral studies at the University of California, Los Angeles, where she is the recipient of the Dean's Award for the School of Arts and Architecture.
Upcoming engagements include a performance as the soprano soloist in the Brahms' Requiem with the Angeles Chorale, the roles of Despina (Cosi Fan Tutte), Adina (L'elisir d'Amore), and Micaela (Carmen) with Opera San José, and a return to the Lake George Opera Festival as Mabel (The Pirates of Penzance) and Lauretta (Gianni Schicchi and Buoso's Ghost).
ABOUT DANNY GURWIN:
Originally from Southfield, MI, tenor Danny Gurwin has been performing on and off-Broadway for the last 11 years. He made his New York debut playing the Nurse in the off-Broadway hit SHAKESPEARE´S R & J, a 4-man re-telling of the Tragedy of Romeo & Juliet. Other off-Broadway credits include THE THING ABOUT MEN, THE MOST FABULOUS STORY EVER TOLD, Manhattan Theatre Club´s CAPTAINS COURAGEOUS, as well as the original companies of KUNI-LEML, A MAJORITY OF ONE with Phyllis Newman, A NEW BRAIN at Lincoln Center and FORBIDDEN BROADWAY 2001: A SPOOF ODYSSEY.
On Broadway, Gurwin made his debut as Hal in THE SCARLET PIMPERNEL. He also stood stark naked onstage for over 500 performances as Malcolm in THE FULL MONTY. Other Broadway appearances include URINETOWN, Laurie in the musical adaptation of the classic LITTLE WOMEN, and most recently the Encores! revival of KISMET as the all-mighty Caliph. The tenor also played Henrik in the New York City Opera´s A LITTLE NIGHT MUSIC, a role he recreated later at the Los Angeles Opera. He originated the same role in the Kennedy Center´s Sondheim Celebration production, culminating in an all-star concert at Avery Fisher Hall.
Numerous recordings and regional productions include plays and musicals at the Philadelphia, Delaware, Source, and Pioneer Theatre Companies, as well as the La Jolla Playhouse, Muny and McCarter Theatres, Sacramento Music Circus, Moonlight Amphitheatre, the Great Lakes Theatre Festival, the Geffen and La Jolla Playhouses as well as the O´Neill Theatre Center and Sundance Theatre Lab. Gurwin has also performed at the Library of Congress, twice with Chicago´s Grant Park Symphony, the New Haven Symphony and guest starred on NBC´s "Law & Order" and recently on ABC´s "Desperate Housewives". As a guest artist, Gurwin has taught at UCLA, Western Michigan University, Youngstown University, the Las Vegas High School of Performing Arts, the Showchoir Camps of America, and is currently on the faculty of AMDA in Los Angeles. Gurwin holds a BFA in Musical Theatre from the University of Michigan.
ABOUT CAL PHIL:
In 1995, Music Director and Conductor Victor Vener and a small group of enthusiastic, dedicated music lovers based in Pasadena, California founded The CalPhil Foundation. The Foundation, a nonprofit community benefit organization, supports the California Philharmonic in its quest to expand awareness of classical music, thus increasing the interest and support for great timeless music with wide audience appeal, from the classical and operatic repertoire to diverse genres of jazz, pops, Hollywood and Broadway. Also, with a strong commitment to new music and to expanding the symphonic repertoire, the California Philharmonic has presented numerous world premieres of both orchestral and chamber works.
The California Philharmonic began in 1997 with a five-concert inaugural summer season of Cal Phil Festival on the Green on the grounds of the Los Angeles County Arboretum & Botanic Garden in Arcadia. Now, Cal Phil presents twenty-four concerts per year in five different, but equally impressive, venues throughout Los Angeles County. These series include Cal Phil at Walt Disney Concert Hall (downtown Los Angeles), Cal Phil at the Ambassador (Pasadena), Cal Phil Music, Martinis and the Maestro (Castle Green Hotel in Pasadena), Cal Phil Festival on the Green, and Cal Phil at The Mill (The Old Mill in San Marino). For more information, visit www.calphil.org or call 626.300.8200.
"There have been hundreds of musicals written for Broadway since its first ´long-run´ musical was produced in the mid 19th century – so many that we´ll never run out of great music to share with our audiences," says Vener, founder and music director of the California Philharmonic.
Also on the program are selections from two operettas not normally associated with Broadway – Die Fledermaus by Johann Strauss and Franz Lehár´s The Merry Widow.
"The Merry Widow was a huge hit in both Austria and London," explains Vener. "And guess where it opened when it came to the US? On Broadway! The same is true of Die Fledermaus, which held its American debut at the historic Stadt Theatre on Broadway."
Wicked, with songs and lyrics by Stephen Schwartz and book by Winnie Holzman. has broken box office records worldwide, winning three Tony Awards and six Drama Desk Awards. Hairspray, by Marc Shaiman and Scott Wittman, broke records as well, winning 11 Olivier Awards in London and eight Tonys on Broadway while numerous critics believe Gypsy – with music by Jule Styne and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim – is, quite simply, the greatest American musical. As for the jukebox musical Mamma Mia!, which is based on songs by the musical group ABBA, over 30 million people had seen it as of a 2007 study.
"Now, thanks to Cal Phil, that number will be even higher," Vener adds with a smile.
Guest artists soprano Khori Dastoor and tenor Danny Gurwin will join Cal Phil. Dastoor, a native of Pasadena, California, is a rising star in the operatic world. After her performance in the title role of Lucia di Lammermoor with Opera San Jose, Opera News hailed her performance as "the stuff of art" while the San José Mercury News applauded Khori for "one of the most exciting performances seen, on any stage, in the past several years."
Tenor Danny Gurwin is a Broadway veteran, having appeared in Broadway productions of Little Women, Urinetown, The Full Monty, The Scarlet Pimpernel, Kismet, and A Little Night Music. Of a recent performance, the Chicago Sun Times wrote, "Gurwin gave a transcendent performance."
Tickets for Cal Phil Festival on the Green at The Arboretum start at just $20 and can be purchased by calling the Cal Phil box office at 1120 Huntington Drive in San Marino at 626.300.8200 from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday or by visiting the website, www.calphil.org. The Arboretum is located at 301 No. Baldwin Avenue in Arcadia.
Patrons are encouraged to arrive at 5:30 p.m. when the gates at The Arboretum open, and picnic beforehand. Vendors are on site to provide food or orders can be made in advance online at www.calphil.org. Live jazz will be performed prior to the concert as well.
This year, for the first time at Cal Phil at Walt Disney Concert Hall, pre-concert lectures with Dr. Victor Vener will take place at 1 p.m.
Tickets for Cal Phil at Walt Disney Concert Hall are available by calling TicketMaster at 213.363.3500, Tuesday through Friday, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. or online, 24 hours daily, at www.ticketmaster.com. Prices range from $35 to $90/person. Walt Disney Concert Hall is located at 111 South Grand Avenue in Los Angeles.
The mission of the Cal Phil Foundation is to bring excellent and professional performances of great music to the widest possible audience. To achieve its mission, Cal Phil works to: provide access to performances, serve as a major cultural resource, achieve regional, national and international recognition for the orchestra, provide free and low-cost educational outreach concerts and programs for all people, and encourage community involvement in the organization beyond concert attendance – through volunteer participation, network groups and leadership role opportunities. For more information, call 626.300.8200 or visit www.calphil.org.
ABOUT KHORI DASTOOR:
Fast-rising soprano Khori Dastoor has delighted audiences in venues throughout the country and abroad. Her recent debut as the title role in Donizetti's Lucia di Lammermoor was described by Opera News as "moving, increasingly distraught portrayal that offered agile acting and gripping fragility and anguish that was the stuff of art" and hailed by the San José Mercury News as "one of the most exciting performances I've seen, on any stage, in the past several years."
Dastoor returns to California after graduating with honors from the New England Conservatory of Music. She recently appeared as Miss Wordsworth in Albert Herring at the Aspen Music Festival under the baton of Maestro Robert Spano and in the role of Gabrielle in Offenbach's La Vie Parisienne with Lake George Opera. Khori has frequently appeared with the community programs division of the Los Angeles Opera, and has performed the role of "Sophie de Palma" in the critically acclaimed revival of Terrence McNally's Master Class at the Lobero Theatre in Santa Barbara. Other favorite roles include the title role in Lakmé, Pamina in Die Zauberflöte, Gretel in Hansel and Gretel, Gilda in Rigoletto, and Maria in West Side Story.
Deeply committed to new music, Dastoor created the role of La Novia in the world premiere of Lorca: Child of the Moon at the Freud Playhouse and also recently originated the title role in the world premiere of The Tree at the Los Angeles Theatre Center. She also appeared as Mary in the world premiere of Paul Chihara's Magnificat with the Angeles Chorale and Debut Orchestra this past year.
A native of Pasadena, Dastoor is currently a principal artist in residence with Opera San José whilst concluding doctoral studies at the University of California, Los Angeles, where she is the recipient of the Dean's Award for the School of Arts and Architecture.
Upcoming engagements include a performance as the soprano soloist in the Brahms' Requiem with the Angeles Chorale, the roles of Despina (Cosi Fan Tutte), Adina (L'elisir d'Amore), and Micaela (Carmen) with Opera San José, and a return to the Lake George Opera Festival as Mabel (The Pirates of Penzance) and Lauretta (Gianni Schicchi and Buoso's Ghost).
ABOUT DANNY GURWIN:
Originally from Southfield, MI, tenor Danny Gurwin has been performing on and off-Broadway for the last 11 years. He made his New York debut playing the Nurse in the off-Broadway hit SHAKESPEARE´S R & J, a 4-man re-telling of the Tragedy of Romeo & Juliet. Other off-Broadway credits include THE THING ABOUT MEN, THE MOST FABULOUS STORY EVER TOLD, Manhattan Theatre Club´s CAPTAINS COURAGEOUS, as well as the original companies of KUNI-LEML, A MAJORITY OF ONE with Phyllis Newman, A NEW BRAIN at Lincoln Center and FORBIDDEN BROADWAY 2001: A SPOOF ODYSSEY.
On Broadway, Gurwin made his debut as Hal in THE SCARLET PIMPERNEL. He also stood stark naked onstage for over 500 performances as Malcolm in THE FULL MONTY. Other Broadway appearances include URINETOWN, Laurie in the musical adaptation of the classic LITTLE WOMEN, and most recently the Encores! revival of KISMET as the all-mighty Caliph. The tenor also played Henrik in the New York City Opera´s A LITTLE NIGHT MUSIC, a role he recreated later at the Los Angeles Opera. He originated the same role in the Kennedy Center´s Sondheim Celebration production, culminating in an all-star concert at Avery Fisher Hall.
Numerous recordings and regional productions include plays and musicals at the Philadelphia, Delaware, Source, and Pioneer Theatre Companies, as well as the La Jolla Playhouse, Muny and McCarter Theatres, Sacramento Music Circus, Moonlight Amphitheatre, the Great Lakes Theatre Festival, the Geffen and La Jolla Playhouses as well as the O´Neill Theatre Center and Sundance Theatre Lab. Gurwin has also performed at the Library of Congress, twice with Chicago´s Grant Park Symphony, the New Haven Symphony and guest starred on NBC´s "Law & Order" and recently on ABC´s "Desperate Housewives". As a guest artist, Gurwin has taught at UCLA, Western Michigan University, Youngstown University, the Las Vegas High School of Performing Arts, the Showchoir Camps of America, and is currently on the faculty of AMDA in Los Angeles. Gurwin holds a BFA in Musical Theatre from the University of Michigan.
ABOUT CAL PHIL:
In 1995, Music Director and Conductor Victor Vener and a small group of enthusiastic, dedicated music lovers based in Pasadena, California founded The CalPhil Foundation. The Foundation, a nonprofit community benefit organization, supports the California Philharmonic in its quest to expand awareness of classical music, thus increasing the interest and support for great timeless music with wide audience appeal, from the classical and operatic repertoire to diverse genres of jazz, pops, Hollywood and Broadway. Also, with a strong commitment to new music and to expanding the symphonic repertoire, the California Philharmonic has presented numerous world premieres of both orchestral and chamber works.
The California Philharmonic began in 1997 with a five-concert inaugural summer season of Cal Phil Festival on the Green on the grounds of the Los Angeles County Arboretum & Botanic Garden in Arcadia. Now, Cal Phil presents twenty-four concerts per year in five different, but equally impressive, venues throughout Los Angeles County. These series include Cal Phil at Walt Disney Concert Hall (downtown Los Angeles), Cal Phil at the Ambassador (Pasadena), Cal Phil Music, Martinis and the Maestro (Castle Green Hotel in Pasadena), Cal Phil Festival on the Green, and Cal Phil at The Mill (The Old Mill in San Marino). For more information, visit www.calphil.org or call 626.300.8200.