Kimmel Center Kicks Off 2013-14 Winter Holiday Highlights

The holidays are upon us with plenty to celebrate at the KimMel Center's campus of events and performances.

Holidays are all about creating traditions and keeping them alive. Families and friends come together for experiences that become lifetime memories. The performing arts "live" experience does exactly that-transporting audiences to stage settings of dancing sugar plum fairies, of soulful choir concerts and Messiah performances, of theater shows that bring princesses and beasts alive, of sparkly New Year's Eve celebrations lighting up 2014 at the stroke of midnight. Let the KimMel Center's campus of activities be your guide to a jolly fest of family-friendly performances with tickets making great stocking stuffers.

The Philly Pops kick off a flurry of holiday activity on the Kimmel's campus with their treasured musical tradition, Holiday Pops! Christmas Spectacular and nine festive performances in Verizon Hall (Dec. 6 - 21). Led by Britain's celebrated American-born conductor David Charles Abell with three choirs, dramatic soprano Angela Brown makes her debut for a performance of beloved seasonal tunes. George Balanchine's The Nutcracker returns to the Academy of Music (Dec. 7-29). Part of Pennsylvania Ballet's 50th Anniversary season, this reprised classic continues to enchant families with its glittery costumes and youthful cast of talent masterfully bringing Marie's enchanting, magical gift and Tchaikovsky score to life. The Philadelphia Orchestra makes the holidays even brighter with its Christmas Kids Spectacular! Family Concert led by conductor Christian M?celaru and actors Michael Boudwyns and Sara Valentine performing a vaudeville-inspired rendition of 'Twas the Night Before Christmas and other holiday favorites (Dec. 14).

Then on Dec. 17, KimMel Center Presents' A Soulful Christmas Shout for Joy! features Broadway star Melba Moore and artistic and music director J. Donald Dumpson leading over 150 local choir members for a program of spirituals, gospel and inspirational music. American Theater Arts for Youth recreates the timeless tale of Cinderella, whisking children away to Prince Charming's Ball in Perelman Theater (Dec. 18-19). On Dec. 19-21, The Philadelphia Orchestra's Glorious Sounds of Christmas celebrates the Orchestra's best-selling Christmas album, full of their lush, Philadelphia sound, followed by their annual performance of Messiah, a sure sell-out, featuring The Philadelphia Singers Chorale (Dec. 22), and their annual New Year's Eve concert.

Broadway Philadelphia heats up theater offerings with Beauty and the Beast welcoming a family friendly Thanksgiving retreat at the Academy of Music (Nov. 26-Dec. 1); Jersey Boys makes a big splash for multi-generations interested in the inspiring tale of how Rock and Roll Hall of Famers got their start as The Four Seasons (Dec.11-Jan. 5), and the magic of Lucille Ball and Ricky Ricardo's hilarious antics come alive with I Love Lucy Live On Stage (Dec. 26-Dec. 29).

Philadanco energizes the mix with a tribute dance performance to young African American choreographer Christopher Huggins (Dec. 6-8). And for classical aficionados looking to step out of that tinsel and bows, the Philadelphia Chamber Music Society features Academy of Vocal Arts alumna soprano Ailyn Pérez making her recital debut with Ken Noda on piano (Dec. 17).

Looking into the New Year, The Philadelphia Orchestra pairs conductor Christian M?celaru with breathtaking acrobatics featuring Cirque de la Symphonie, as well as contortionists, dancers and special surprises taking the stage, and performing over the stage, by leaps and bounds (Jan 3-4). Organ enthusiasts can rejoice looking into the new year when Music Director Dirk Brossé leads The Chamber Orchestra of Philadelphia through a special program on the Fred J. Cooper Memorial Organ featuring organists Matt Glandorf, Alan Morrison and Jeffrey Brillhart, and Miho Saegusa on violin (Jan. 19). And, Opera Philadelphia performs Argentinian composer Osvaldo Golijov's Grammy Award-winning flamenco- and rumba- infused score, Ainadamar, the story of Spanish famed poet and playwright Federico García Lorca's struggle for love and free expression during the Spanish Civil War (Feb. 7-16).

Also, new this year - The KimMel Center now has a mobile app available for download on iPhone and android! This app gives patrons easy access to tickets, information, and news on the go.

Complete calendar listing follows below of KimMel Center for the Performing Arts Winter campus activities. Visit kimmelcenter.org for more information and to purchase tickets. For a complete list of events and performances for the season, visit the Events page.

Broadway Philadelphia | Disney's Beauty and the Beast

Academy of Music

Tuesday, November 26 - Sunday, December 1, times vary

Tickets: $20 - $115

Disney's Beauty and The Beast, the smash hit Broadway musical, returns to Philadelphia! Based on the Academy Award-winning animated feature film, this eye-popping spectacle has won the hearts of more than 35 million people worldwide. This classic musical love story is filled with unforgettable characters, lavish sets and costumes, and dazzling production numbers including 'Be Our Guest' and the beloved title song. Experience the romance and enchantment of Disney's Beauty and The Beast at the Academy of Music!

Philadelphia Chamber Music Society | Musicians From Marlboro I

Perelman Theater

Tuesday, November 26 8pm

Tickets: $24 (adults) $10 (students)

Beethoven: "Kakadu" Variations, Op. 121a
Adès: Arcadiana
Intermission
Fauré: Piano Trio in D Minor, Op. 120
Mendelssohn: String Quartet in E Minor, Op. 44, No. 2

Musicians from Marlboro, the touring extension of the renowned Marlboro Music Festival in Vermont, offers audiences across North America a sample of the varied programs and spirit of music making so characteristic of Marlboro, prompting the Washington Post to describe Musicians from Marlboro as 'a virtual guarantee of musical excellence. "Alex Ross, in a ten-page feature article in The New Yorker magazine described Marlboro at 'the classical world's most coveted retreat.' The November 2013 Tour features: Scott St. John, violin; Michelle Ross, violin; Emily Deans, viola; Matthew Zalkind, cello; Gabriele Carcano, piano.

At the heart of this program are two works that were rehearsed in-depth and then performed at the Festival in the summer of 2011. The first is Adès Arcadiana-The seven-movement, 20-minute tour de force is a fantasy-laced musical vision of paradise that Spock will definitely have with him during his voyages on the Enterprise two centuries from now. The second is Fauré's D Minor Piano Trio - one of only two works from his final years-an unquestionable master work in a late style of considerable formal freedom, graceful lyricism and an unmistakable, personal language. Mendelssohn: String Quartet in E Minor, Op. 44, No. 2

Philadelphia Chamber Music Society | Dover Quartet with Jarrett Ott, baritone

Perelman Theater

Wednesday, December 4 8pm

Tickets: $24 (adults) $10 (students)

Sessler: Quartet-Philadelphia Premiere
Beethoven: Quartet in F Major, Op. 135
Barer: Dover Beach, Op. 3
Barber: Quartet, Op. 11

Considered one of the most remarkably talented string quartets to emerge at such a young age, the Dover Quartet swept the 2013 Banff International String Quartet Competition, winning the Grand Prize as well as all three Special Prizes: the R.S. Williams & Sons Haydn Prize for the best performance of Haydn, the Székely Prize. In addition, the Quartet has been named the first Quartet-in-Residence at the Curtis Institute of Music and the Ernst Stiefel String Quartet-In-Residence at the Caramoor Festival for the 2013-14 season. The Grand Prize-winner of the 2010 Fischoff Competition, the Dover formed at Curtis in 2008, when its members were just 19 years old. The Quartet draws from the musical lineage of both the Vermeer and Guarneri Quartets, but brings a youthful enthusiasm and musical conviction to the repertoire that is truly its own. The Strad recently raved that the Quartet is 'already pulling away from their peers with their exceptional interpretative maturity, tonal refinement and taut ensemble.' Jarrett Ott is an emerging baritone with several recent and upcoming professional debuts. He hails from Pen Argyl, Pennsylvania, and is currently studying at the Curtis Institute of Music under the tutelage of Marlena Kleinman Malas. In the 2013-14 season, Mr. Ott will be making his Carnegie Hall debut as a soloist with the New York Choral Society. This season he will also be performing Ned Rorem's Evidence of Things Not Seen with Mikael Eliasen, as well as performing Ralph Vaughan Williams' A Sea Symphony with Riverside Symphonia, and singing roles in Dialogues des carmélites and La Cenerentola at Curtis.

The Philly Pops | Holiday POPS! Christmas Spectacular
David Charles Abell, Conductor
Angela Brown, vocalist
The POPS Festival Chorus
The Philadelphia Boys Choir
The African Episcopal Church of St. Thomas Gospel Choir
Peter Conte, organist

Verizon Hall

Friday, December 6 - Saturday, December 21, times vary

Tickets: $28 - $105

Philadelphia's favorite holiday tradition is now bigger and better than ever with over 300 musicians on stage under the direction of internationally acclaimed guest conductor David Charles Abell, including vocalist Angela Brown, spectacular choirs, the largest concert hall organ in the nation, and a toe-tapping program. So hang the stockings, gather the family, and celebrate the most wonderful time of the year with the Philly POPS!

KimMel Center Presents | PHILADANCO
Christopher Huggins Tribute

Perelman Theater

Friday-Sunday, December 6 -

8, times vary

Tickets: $29-46

Celebrating the Artistry of Christopher L. Huggins:
Blue (Excerpts)
When Dawn Comes- Philadelphia Premiere
The List (Excerpts) - Philadelphia Premiere
Love Is...- Philadelphia Premiere
The Big Bang! (Excerpts)
Enemy Behind The Gate

Join PHILADANCO as they perform their annual winter concert in Perelman Theater. Now in their 44th Season, PHILADANCO continues their legacy of breaking barriers and building bridges across cultural divides with a program that pays tribute to famed African-American choreographer Christopher Huggins. Don't miss this amazing tribute program as PHILADANCO takes to the stage with artistic integrity, superbly trained dancers, and electrifying performances!

About Christopher Huggins: Born in Boston, choreographer and dancer Christopher Huggins trained under Andrea Herbert-Major, Danny Sloan, and Martha Gray. He attended SUNY Purchase and The Juilliard School and was a scholarship student at The Ailey School. Mr. Huggins is a 2002 and 2008 recipient of the Alvin Ailey Award for Best Choreography from the Black Theater Alliance in Chicago for Enemy Behind the Gates and Pyrokinesis, respectively. He was a silver medalist for the 4th International Contemporary Dance Competition in Seoul, Korea.

PHILADANCO makes its home as a resident company of the KimMel Center for the Performing Arts' Perelman Theater.

Pennsylvania Ballet | George Balanchine'sThe Nutcracker

by George Balanchine, music by Peter Ilyitch Tschaikovsky

Academy of Music

Saturday, December 7 - Sunday, December 29, times vary

Tickets: $25 - $135

Delight in the Philadelphia region's most beloved holiday tradition, George Balanchine's The Nutcracker. A must-see for children and adults alike, this production boasts glittering sets and costumes, world-class dancing, dozens of young students from The School of Pennsylvania Ballet, and all the flair of a Broadway spectacular. The Pennsylvania Ballet Orchestra and Philadelphia Boys Choir bring the masterful Tschaikovsky score to life. Get lost in the story of Marie's magical gift, a suspenseful battle between soldiers and mice, and the dreamy Land of Sweets. Plus, there's no more enchanting setting than the breathtaking Academy of Music.

Company Member Alexander Peters. Photo: Alexander Iziliaev

Independent Presentation | 1776 -Not Just Another Nutcracker
Presented by The "R" Company & Dancers
from The Rock School

Merriam Theater

Saturday, December 7

1pm and 4pm

Tickets: $10 - $44

Artistically athletic & high voltage charm. Seventy minutes of dazzling, dynamic dancing by international talent and stars of tomorrow. An affordable show for the whole family!

Broadway Philadelphia | Jersey Boys
In association with The Shubert Organization

Forrest Theatre

Wednesday, December 11 - Sunday, January 5, times vary

Tickets: $40 - $135, VIP tickets available at higher rate

After breaking Forrest Theatre box office records SEVEN TIMES during the premiere engagement, Jersey Boys is 'Workin' Its Way Back' to Philadelphia! 'Too good to be true!' raves the New York Post for Jersey Boys, the 2006 Tony Award-winning Best Musical about Rock and Roll Hall of Famers The Four Seasons: Frankie Valli, Bob Gaudio, Tommy DeVito and Nick Massi. This is the story of how four blue-collar kids became one of the greatest successes in pop music history. They wrote their own songs, invented their own sounds and sold 175 million records worldwide - all before they were 30! Jersey Boys, winner of the 2006 Grammy Award for Best Musical Show Album and most recently, the 2009 Olivier Award for Best New Musical, features their hit songs 'Sherry,' 'Big Girls Don't Cry,' 'Rag Doll,' 'Oh What a Night' and 'Can't Take My Eyes Off You.' 'It will run for Centuries!' proclaims Time Magazine. Nearly 160,000 theatergoers attended the premiere engagement of Jersey Boys in Philadelphia.

Philadelphia Orchestra | Christmas Kids Spectacular! Family Concert

Cristian M?celaru, Conductor

Michael Boudewyns, Actor
Sara Valentine, Actor

Verizon Hall

Saturday, December 14

11:30am

Tickets: $19- $47

Begin a holiday tradition and celebrate the festive sounds of the season with The Philadelphia Orchestra. Your family will enjoy classics like The Nutcracker, and fan-favorite actors Michael Boudewyns and Sara Valentine return with a vaudeville-inspired performance. Don't miss out on a spirited sing-along and Santa, so reserve your seats now and jingle all the way to Verizon Hall!

Philadelphia Chamber Music Society | Ailyn Pérez, soprano, Ken Noda, piano
Presented in collaboration with the KimMel Center for the Performing Arts

Perelman Theater

Tuesday, December 17 8pm

Tickets: $24 (adults) $10 (students)

Mozart: Aria from Le nozzle di Figaro - E Susanna non vien...Dove sono
Hahn: Selection of Four Songs
De Falla: Selection of Seven Songs
Verdi: Aria from La Traviata - E strano... Ah fors'è lui....sempre libera
Obradors: Selection of Six Songs
Massenet: Aria from Manon - Je marche... Gavotte... Obeìssons

Hailed by the New York Times as 'a beautiful woman who commands the stage' and 'a major soprano', the 2012 Richard Tucker Award winner, and Academy of Vocal Arts alumna, returns to Philadelphia bringing her dazzling vocalism and committed stage presence to the KimMel Center for her PCMS recital debut. Alongside Metropolitan Opera's Musical Assistant, Ken Noda, the two will perform arias from La Bohème, Rigoletto, La Traviata, Manon and more.

This performance features a free pre-concert lecture starting at 6:45 PM with Cori Ellison.

KimMel Center Presents | A Soulful Christmas Shout for Joy!
Featuring Melba Moore and
J. Donald Dumpson, Artistic & Music Director

Verizon Hall

Tuesday, December 17

7:30pm

Tickets: $25 to $45

Join us as we celebrate Christmas with music that moves the spirit and uplifts the soul! Five stellar choirs present songs of the season including many of your favorite spirituals, gospel, and inspirational music selections. The resounding finale features Adolphus Hailstork's 'Shout for Joy' with brass, pipe organ, and tympani. We close the evening with a shining, illuminating, and enlightening moment as all make a joyful noise singing 'Silent Night' featuring Brian Lenair on saxophone. This concert will inspire you in this season of joy and goodwill to all.

Featuring Enon Tabernacle Mass Choir, Rev. Dr. Alyn E. Waller, Senior Pastor, Bro. Kenyatta Arrington, Minister of Music & Arts; Bright Hope Baptist Church Choir, Rev. Dr. Kevin R. Johnson, Senior Pastor, Bro. Gary Taylor, Minister of Music & Arts; Arch Street Presbyterian Church Choir,Rev. Bill Golderer, Pastor, J. Donald Dumpson, Minister of Music & Arts; High School for Creative and Performing Arts Choir, Dorina Morrow, conductor, Mr. John Denphy, Principal, The premiere of the J. Donald Dumpson Singers

American Theater Arts for Youth | Cinderella

Perelman Theater

Wednesday-Thursday, December 18-19 10am and 12:15pm

Tickets: $13.50; $9.50 per seat for school groups of 5 or more. For tickets, please call 215-563-3501 or visit www.atafy.org.

A proven family musical favorite, Cinderella bursts with xcitement, fantasy, and song. Join Cinderella and her new friend Mortimer Mouse as they sing and dance their way from the kitchen of her step-mother's house to the brilliance of Prince Charming's Ball. These favorite characters come to life with gusto as families of all ages share in the spririt and joy of this production.

Philadelphia Orchestra | The Glorious Sound of Christmas
Sarah Hicks, Conductor

Mendelssohn Club of Philadelphia

Verizon Hall

Thursday-Saturday, December 19-21

7pm

Tickets: $35 - $120

The Philadelphia Orchestra lends its lush sound to timeless holiday classics! Named for the Orchestra's best-selling Christmas album, these concerts are the perfect way to begin your celebrations. Sarah Hicks, who made a smash debut on New Year's Eve 2011 returns to the Orchestra. Christmas has never sounded better.

Philadelphia Orchestra | Messiah
Christian M?celaru, Conductor

The Philadelphia Singers Chorale
David Hayes, Music director

Verizon Hall

Sunday, December 22

2pm

Tickets: $35 - $125

This Baroque classic has become as integral to the season as the film It's a Wonderful Life and has been a Philadelphia Orchestra tradition since 1961. There is no better way to enjoy the glorious majesty of this work than with the Orchestra. This performance sells out every year, so order these tickets today!

All artists and programs subject to change.

Broadway Philadelphia | I Love Lucy Live On Stage

Merriam Theater

Thursday, December 26 - Sunday, December 29, times vary

Tickets: $25- $75

I Love Lucy Live On Stage is the brand-new hit stage show adapted from the most beloved program in television history! It's 1952 and you are a member of the Desilu Playhouse studio audience awaiting the filming of two hilarious and oh-so-familiar I Love Lucy episodes. A charming host entertains and enlightens you to the behind-the-scenes filming process of this brand new thing called 'television,' the Crystaltone Singers perform advertising jingles in perfect 50s style harmony and the sidesplitting antics of America's favorite foursome-Lucy, Ricky, Fred and Ethel-are presented live on stage and in color for the very first time! It's a one-of-a-kind theatrical experience TV Guide's William Keck calls 'the most entertaining stage production I've seen in years-including Broadway!' The truth is in the title-whether young or old, everybody really does LOVE LUCY!

Philadelphia Orchestra | New Year's Eve
Bramwell Tovey, Conductor

Verizon Hall

Tuesday, December 31

7:30pm

Tickets: $85 - $155

Start your New Year's Eve celebration in style with The Philadelphia Orchestra! Bramwell Tovey, who became an instant audience favorite during his recent debut for The Glorious Sound of Christmas, returns for a festive and fun night. The concert ends in time for you to continue on with your own festivities.

Philadelphia Orchestra | Cirque de la Symphonie
Cristian M?celaru, Conductor

Verizon Hall

Friday-Saturday, January 3-4

8pm

Tickets: $50 - $120

Two great artforms, both requiring agility, creativity, and a lifetime of practice, come together in this thrilling evening featuring Cirque de la Symphonie. Breathtaking acrobatics fly above the Orchestra, accompanied by stunning symphonic repertoire including Sibelius's soaring Finlandia, Wagner's "The Ride of the Valkyries," Chabrier's España, and selections from Tchaikovsky's Swan Lake plus many new orchestral showpieces you will surely love. The program features aerialists, contortionists, dancers, strongmen, and special surprises. The high-wire acts of stunning virtuosity on the stage and up in the air will be like nothing you've seen before in Verizon Hall. With only two shows, these are sure to be sell-outs. Add on tickets for the whole family today!

Independent Presentation | Vox Ama Deus presents Gershwin Blue
Gershwin - Ravel - John Williams

Perelman Theater

Friday, January 3

8pm

Tickets: $20 - $70

Peter Donohoe, piano

Gershwin:
Rhapsody in Blue
Second Rhapsody
'Rialto Ripples Rag'
'Promenade (Walking the Dog)' 'Mexican Dance'
Catfish Row (from Porgy and Bess)

Ravel: Piano Concerto in G

John Williams:
Olympic Fanfare and Theme
'Raiders March'
'Theme from Jurassic Park'
The Empire Strikes Back Medley

Back by popular demand-both Gershwin (this time in the company of his mentor, Ravel, and his disciple of sorts, John Williams) and British virtuoso Peter Donohoe return to the KimMel Center for a one-night 'date' in the company of the Ama Deus Ensemble Orchestra and Maestro Radu. A glorious and exciting 'fireworks' display, including Gershwin's first instrumental piece, 'Rialto Ripples Rag', the Rhapsody in Blue and Second Rhapsody, and Catfish Row (from Porgy and Bess).

Also new this season, Maurice Ravel's Concerto in G, with its brightness and boundless energy, matches perfectly the blues and swing style of Gershwin. And last but not least, the magic of John Williams' movie music (for which he got more than forty Oscar nominations!), topped by the Star Wars Trilogy medley.

Running Time: 2 hours 15 minutes including one intermission

KimMel Center Presents | Jazz Orchestra of Philadelphia
Comin' Home
Terell Stafford, Artistic Director
With Wynton Marsalis, Jimmy Heath, Kenny Barron, Randy Brecker, Bill Cosby and more

Verizon Hall

Tuesday, January 7

7:30pm

Tickets: $35 to $150

The JAZZ ORCHESTRA OF PHILADELPHIA (JOP) is rousing in the new year with its Grand Gala Fund Raising Concert. JOP is dedicated to honoring, presenting and continuing Philadelphia's unparalleled jazz legacy through performance and education. Under the artistic direction of renowned trumpet player and Director of Jazz and Instrumental Studies at Temple University, Terell Stafford, JOP will celebrate Philadelphia's jazz treasure trove with a multi-generational offering of music and musicians that best represent Philadelphia jazz. Joining the Orchestra of extraordinary Philadelphia musicians are: Wynton Marsalis, Jimmy Heath, Kenny Barron, Randy Brecker, Odean Pope, Larry McKenna, Bootsie Barnes and Tony Williams. Emceeing this over-the-top musical bonanza is the Dean of Philadelphia jazz, Mr. Bill Cosby.

Net proceeds benefit the Jazz Orchestra of Philadelphia under the fiscal sponsorship of CultureWorks Greater Philadelphia a non-profit 501-c-3.

Philadelphia Orchestra | Tchaikovsky Week 1: Symphony No. 4
Robin Ticciati, Conductor
Stephen Hough, Piano

Verizon Hall

Friday-Sunday, January 10-12, times vary

Tickets: $46 - $137

Liadov: The Enchanted Lake
Tchaikovsky: Piano Concerto No. 1
Tchaikovsky: Symphony No. 4

British conductor Robin Ticciati returns to Philadelphia after a highly acclaimed debut in 2012. The worldly young maestro launches a celebration of Tchaikovsky's immense musical impact on other composers of his time. Over the course of three weeks, the composer's greatest symphonic works will be heard along with his Russian contemporaries. Tchaikovsky's Symphony No. 4 opens with an ominous fanfare suggesting the arrival of fate, taking us on an emotional journey toward an exhilarating affirmation of life's many joys. Great British pianist Stephen Hough performs the highly demanding First Piano Concerto. And the program opens with Liadov's short tone poem The Enchanted Lake. Inspired by an isolated lake outside St. Petersburg, Liadov employs a combination of Russian folk tunes and impressionist colors in this charming work.

KimMel Center Presents | Brian ReganLive Comedy Tour
In association with Live Nation

Merriam Theater

Saturday, January 11

7pm and 9:30pm

Tickets: $39.50 to $57.50

Critics and peers agree: Brian Regan has distinguished himself as one of the premier comedians in the country. The perfect balance of sophisticated writing and physicality, Brian fills theaters nationwide with fervent fans that span generations.

On November 25, 2011, Brian's highly anticipated second album, All By Myself, was released on CD available only through his website. Releasing two critically acclaimed hour Comedy Central specials and DVDs in as many years - 2008's The Epitome of Hyperbole, and 2007's Brian Regan Standing Up - Brian has set a standard of excellence that others continually try to follow.
With his first appearance on The Late Show with David Letterman in 1995, Brian solidified his place on the show and this year he made his 25th appearance, the most of any comedian on the CBS show. A dorm room favorite, Brian's 1997 CD, Brian Regan Live, has sold over 150,000 copies and consistently charts in iTunes Top Ten Comedy Albums. Brian's 2000 Comedy Central Presents special continues to be a top viewer choice and Brian's independently released 2004 DVD, I Walked on the Moon, is available on his website.

Broadway Philadelphia | We Will Rock You

Academy of Music

Tuesday, January 14 - Sunday, January 19

Tickets: $20 - $100.50

In a future age of mindless, manufactured music, where everyone dresses the same, thinks the same, is the same, hope of breaking free rests with an unlikely resistance: an alliance of rebel Bohemians deep below iPlanet, waiting for a hero to bring the power of Rock back to the people. And in Galileo they may just have found their man...that is, unless the terrifying Killer Queen gets to him first, or even worse, he's actually found somebody to love...We Will Rock You features the greatest hits of the legendary British rock group, Queen. Now in its 11th year in London and seen by a staggering 15 million people worldwide, this hilarious, multi-award-winning and record-breaking phenomenon is written by celebrated British comedian Ben Elton and boasts a fantastic score of killer Queen tunes that you just can't resist singing along to, such as 'Another One Bites The Dust,' 'Crazy Little Thing Called Love,' 'We Are The Champions,' 'Bohemian Rhapsody,' and, of course, 'We Will Rock You.' It's the world champion of musicals and the show that rocks harder than any other, so don't miss the party: book your tickets now!

Philadelphia Chamber Music Society | Jupiter Quartet, Jasper Quartet

Perelman Theater

Wednesday, January 15 8pm

Tickets: $24 (adults) $10 (students)

Haydn: Quartet in G Minor, Op. 74, No. 3, "Rider"
Shostakovich: Two Pieces for Octet, Op. 11
Visconti: Eternal Breath for Octet [Philadelphia Premiere]
Intermission
Mendelssohn: Octet in E-flat Major, Op. 20

Formed in 2001, the Jupiter Quartet is a particularly intimate group, consisting of violinists Nelson Lee and Megan Freivogel, violist Liz Freivogel (older sister of Meg) and cellist Daniel McDonough (husband of Meg, brother-in-law of Liz). In their second decade of making music together, the ensemble has firmly established itself as an important voice in the world of chamber music. In addition to their performing career, the Jupiters have joined the faculty of the University of Illinois as String Quartet-in-Residence. They also hold visiting faculty residencies at Oberlin Conservatory and Adelphi University and have engaged in a multi-year residency at Atlanta's Spivey Hall.

KimMel Center Presents | Kurt Rosenwinkel New Quartet

Perelman Theater

Thursday, January 16

7:30pm

Tickets: $25-35

Kurt Rosenwinkel - guitar
Aaron Parks - piano
Eric Revis - bass
Kendrick Scott - drums

There are artists who uphold what's already been defined in music and then there are artists who do the defining. Guitarist, composer, and educator Kurt Rosenwinkel undisputedly sits among the trailblazers in the latter group. In 2012 Rosenwinkel released Star of Jupiter, his tenth album, debuting his new quartet which includes pianist Aaron Parks, drummer Justin Faulkner and Revis on bass. This fiery group made up of rising stars and veterans-in-the-making possess a unique ability to embody a modern and classic feel, swinging and grooving with equally dynamic ease and intensity. It is surely this complexity yet relatable sense that is Rosenwinkel's prowess. His ability to connect with his audience is the benefitting result of his continuous desire and motivation to make clearer and stronger his natural connection to the universe. Catch this Philadelphia native, one-night-only, in Perelman Theater!

Philadelphia Orchestra | Tchaikovsky Week 2: The Serenade
Cristian M?celaru, Conductor
Hai-Ye Ni, Cello

Verizon Hall

Thursday-Saturday, January 16-18, times vary

Tickets: $48 - $146

Borodin: Polovtsian Dances, from Prince Igor
Tchaikovsky: Rococo Variations, for cello and orchestra
Tchaikovsky: Serenade for Strings
Balakirev: Islamey

Philadelphia Orchestra Associate Conductor Cristian M?celaru is joined by Principal Cello Hai-Ye Ni for the great Rococo Variations for cello and orchestra. And in this season's collection of serenades, Tchaikovsky's expressive Serenade for Strings features that glorious sound of the Philadelphia strings. The Polovtsian Dances from Prince Igor by Borodin are both thunderous and sensuous, including a melody made famous by the popular Broadway song "Stranger in Paradise" from Kismet. Originally composed for solo piano. Balakirev's Islamey closes the program.

KimMel Center Presents | Dinosaur Train Live: Buddy's Big Adventure

Merriam Theater

Saturday-Sunday, January 18-19

11am and 2pm

Tickets: $15 - 65

Jim Henson's Dinosaur Train Live: Buddy's Big Adventure will bring the beloved stars of the hit PBS series to your hometown for the first time. From giant King to teeny Tiny, all of our friends will be brought to life in an exciting, original, musical story created just for the stage where our audience is always a part of the action. Utilizing lush projected backgrounds and vistas, magical special effects that fill the theater, a full sized replica of the Dinosaur Train, unique hybrid puppeteered costume characters and an engaging live host, our dinosaur pals and their adventures will truly seem larger than life. Through interactivity, music and laughter Jim Henson's Dinosaur Train Live: Buddy's Big Adventure will have kids up and dancing in the aisles.

Produced by Mills Entertainment and Gables Grove Productions
Directed by John Tartaglia
Book by Craig Bartlett
Executive Producer: Brad Simon

Based on the television show, 'Dinosaur Train' created by Craig Bartlett, produced by The Jim Henson Company.

The Chamber Orchestra of Philadelphia | Handel • Rheinberger • Brossé
Dirk Brossé, conductor
Miho Saegusa, violin • Matt Glandorf, organ • Alan Morrison, organ • Jeffrey Brillhart, organ

Verizon Hall

Sunday, January 19

2:30pm

Tickets: $24 - $81

Handel: Alessandro: Overture, HWV 21
Handel: Organ Concerto in G minor, Op. 4, No. 1
Paulus: Concerto for Organ, Strings and Percussion
Jongen: Hymne, Op. 78
Brossé: Black, White and In Between
Rheinberger: Concerto No. 2 in G minor, Op. 177

Intertwining the brilliance of the Fred J. Cooper Memorial Organ with the charm and intimacy of the Chamber Orchestra, Maestro Brossé leads a concert that features three exceptional Philadelphia organists and the Chamber Orchestra's own Concertmaster, Miho Saegusa.

This show is part of the Fred J. Cooper Memorial Organ Series, and is co-presented by The Chamber Orchestra of Philadelphia and the KimMel Center for the Performing Arts.

Philadelphia Chamber Music Society | Isabelle Faust, violin, Alexander Melnikov, piano

Perelman Theater

Monday, January 20 8pm

Tickets: $24 (adults) $10 (students)

Beethoven: Violin Sonata in E-flat Major, Op. 12, No. 3
Weber: Violin Sonata in D Minor, Op. 10, No. 3
Intermission
Beethoven: Violin Sonata in G Major, Op. 96
Weber: Violin Sonata in E-flat Major, Op. 10, No. 4
Schubert: Fantasy in C Major, D. 934

Isabelle Faust and Alexander Melnikov boast multiple prize-winning recordings, including a 2010 Grammy Award nomination for their Beethoven Sonatas. Faust sports an energetic and irreverent approach to performing what Strings magazine refers to as 'a refreshingly devil-may-care attitude that even Mephistopheles would admire, backed by dizzying technique and a virtuosic repertoire.' Melnikov commands the classic Russian technique that enables him to rise to virtuoso challenges, but his thoughtful musicianship defies easy classification. 'The musical sleight of hand used by these expert players to focus the very different character of each sonata is in itself cause for wonder. Though quite different as musical personalities - Faust, subtle and quietly formal; Melnikov, a master of the meaningful pause - the combination of the two fires a laser between the staves. Fleetness and elegance are very much to the fore ... beauty of tone, too.' (Gramophone)

6:45-7:30pm: Free Pre-concert Lecture in the Comcast Circle [Tier I]: Jonathan Coopersmith

Philadelphia Chamber Music Society | Peter Serkin, piano
Presented in collaboration with the KimMel Center for the Performing Arts

Perelman Theater

Wednesday, January 22 8pm

Tickets: $24 (adults) $10 (students)

Sweelinck: Capriccio
Nielsen: Theme and Variations
Wuorinen: Scherzo for Piano
Intermission

Beethoven: Six Bagatelles, Op. 126

Beethoven: Sonata in E-flat Major, Op. 81a, "Les Adieux"

Recognized as an artist of passion and integrity, the distinguished American pianist Peter Serkin is one of the most thoughtful and individualistic musicians appearing before the public today. Throughout his career he has successfully conveyed the essence of five centuries of repertoire and his performances with symphony orchestras, recital appearances, chamber music collaborations and recordings are respected worldwide. Serkin's rich musical heritage extends back several generations: his grandfather was violinist and composer Adolf Busch and his father the legendary pianist Rudolf Serkin. There can be no wonder then why the younger Serkin has a well-earned place alongside these artistic giants-and that The New Yorker claimed, "no other pianist has matched his ability to make great music shiver with life."

Philadelphia Orchestra | Tchaikovsky Week 3: The Violin
Tugan Sokhiev, Conductor
Vadim Gluzman, Violin

Verizon Hall

Thursday-Friday, January 23-24

8pm

Tickets: $53 - $156

Rimsky-Korsakov: "Battle of Kerzhenets," from The Legend of the Invisible City of Kitezh
Tchaikovsky: Violin Concerto
Musorgsky: Pictures from an Exhibition

Young Russian conductor Tugan Sokhiev makes his Philadelphia Orchestra debut in the third and final week of our Tchaikovsky Celebration. The Violin Concerto stands as one of the greatest works ever written for the instrument. An essential part of the violin repertoire, its Russian folk melodies and driving rhythms give this work a universal appeal. Musorgsky composed his Pictures from an Exhibition for solo piano. But it is Ravel's orchestration that brings vivid color to the depictions of festive market scenes, hatching chicks, catacombs, and the mighty gates of Kiev. Like Ravel, Rimsky-Korsakov is considered one of the greatest orchestrators of all time. His thrilling "Battle of Kerzhenets" demonstrates this exceptional skill.

Philadelphia Orchestra | Academy of Music 157th Anniversary Concert

Yannick Nézet-Séguin, Conductor

Jill Scott, Special Guest Artist

Academy of Music

Saturday, January 25 7:30pm

Tickets: $200 - $250

Join us for Philadelphia's premier annuAl White-tie gala to celebrate this iconic building's 157th birthday, while contributing to the restoration and preservation of our national historic landmark. Music Director Yannick Nézet-Séguin and The Philadelphia Orchestra along with the brightest guest stars will dazzle you in a spectacular evening of music, dining, and dancing not to be missed!

Concert-only Amphitheatre seats: $200; Concert-only Family Circle seats: $250 with added benefit of a copy of the 157th Anniversary Concert and Ball Program Book.

Learn more about the 157th Anniversary Concert and Ball.

KimMel Center Presents | Jerry Blavat, Great Voices of the '60s
Featuring Bobby Rydell, Jay Black, Gary US Bonds, and Pat Upton

Verizon Hall

Saturday, January 25

8pm

Tickets: $41 to $81

The "Boss with the Hot Sauce" Jerry Blavat returns to the KimMel Center to present another star studded line-up of great voices reprising feel-good hits from the '60s including Bobby Rydell, Jay Black, "An American Original," Gary US Bonds, Jay Siegel's Tokens, Pat Upton of Spiral Staircase.

Independent Presentation | Curtis Symphony Orchestra

with Yannick Nézet-Séguin, conductor

Verizon Hall

Sunday, January 26

3pm

Tickets: $5 - $45

Natalie Zhu, piano
Benjamin Hochman, piano ('01)
Don Liuzzi, percussion
Mari Yoshinaga, percussion

Glinka: Overture to Ruslan and Ludmilla
Bartók: Concerto for Two Pianos, Percussion, and Orchestra
Shostakovich: Symphony No. 7 in C major, Op. 60 ("Leningrad")

In his first public appearance leading the Curtis Symphony Orchestra, Yannick Nézet-Séguin, music director of the Philadelphia Orchestra, brings his inimitable artistry and charisma to a program of dramatic music with deep roots in the traditions and history of Eastern Europe. Conducting fellow Kensho Watanabe is also featured.

Philadelphia Chamber Music Society | Kalichstein-Laredo-Robinson Trio
Nokuthula Ngwenyama, viola

Perelman Theater

Thursday, January 30 8pm

Tickets: $24 (adults) $10 (students)

Previn: Piano Trio No. 2 [Philadelphia Premiere]
Mendelssohn: Piano Trio in C Minor, Op. 66
Intermission
Dvo?ák: Piano Quartet in E-flat Major, Op. 87

After 36 years of success the world over, the Kalichstein-Laredo-Robinson Trio continues to dazzle audiences and critics alike. As one of the few long-lived ensembles with all of its original members, the Trio has set the standard for performance of the piano trio literature through annual appearances at the world's major concert halls, an active recording agenda, and the commission of major new works. In the second half of the program the K-L-R Trio is joined by their close friend, violist Nokuthula Ngwenyama (also a regular guest with PCMS)-she has been featured as a 'Face to Watch' in the Los Angeles Times, and her performances as orchestral soloist, recitalist, and chamber musician continue to garner great attention. Gramophone proclaimed Ms. Ngwenyama's playing as providing 'solidly shaped music of bold, mesmerizing character,' and the Washington Post described her as playing 'with dazzling technique in the virtuoso fast movements and deep expressiveness in the slow movements.'

Philadelphia Orchestra | Radu Lupu Joins Yannick
Yannick Nézet-Séguin, Conductor
Radu Lupu, Piano

Verizon Hall

Thursday - Friday, January 30-31, times vary

Saturday, February 1, 8pm

Tickets: $48 - $146

Smetana: "The Moldau," from Má vlast
Bartók: Piano Concerto No. 3
Dvo?ák: Symphony No. 6

This program featuring legendary Romanian pianist Radu Lupu is a journey to Eastern Europe-Hungary and the Czech Republic. Smetana's "The Moldau," from his larger collection of works called My Homeland, uses native folk tunes to depict two small streams building in strength and combining into the mighty Bohemian river. Dvo?ák's Sixth Symphony was his first major hit. Like in his other symphonies, Dvo?ák also uses Bohemian folk melodies to craft a traditional Germanic-style symphony. Bartók's Piano Concerto No. 3, with a neo-classical flair, was intended as a birthday gift for his wife. It was left incomplete upon his death in 1945. Philadelphia Orchestra violist Tibor Serly completed the orchestration of the final 17 measures prior to the world premiere in 1946 with then Music Director Eugene Ormandy, pianist György Sándor, and The Philadelphia Orchestra.

KimMel Center Presents | Béla Fleck and Brooklyn Rider

Merriam Theater

Saturday, February 1

8pm

Tickets: $30 - 60

'A virtuoso of the banjo, Béla Fleck has been pushing the boundaries of his instrument for over 30 years.' (The New York Times) He has been called the premier banjo player in the world and has virtually reinvented the image and the sound of the banjo through a remarkable performing and recording career that has taken him all over the musical map. Béla has won eight Grammy Awards and has been nominated in more categories than anyone in Grammy history. Brooklyn Rider, a young, Brooklyn-based string quartet consisting of members of Yo-Yo Ma's Silk Road Ensemble, 'is recreating the 300-year-old form of string quartet as a vital and creative 21st-century ensemble.' (NPR) 'The dazzling fingers-in-every-pie that Brooklyn Rider exhibits is one of the wonders of contemporary music.' (Los Angeles Times) "These guys are like motocross daredevils who never screw up a stunt.'(Vice) This concert is part of a tour celebrating the release of their collaborative recording, Banjo Quintet.

Philadelphia Orchestra | Young Person's Guide to the Orchestra
Cristian M?celaru, Conductor
Michael Boudewyns, Actor
Sara Valentine, Actor

Verizon Hall

Saturday, February 1

11:30am

Tickets: $19 - $47

From violin to tuba, flute to bassoon, take a tour of the orchestra, as each plays a tune. Woodwinds, then strings; brass, then percussion. At the end hear a fugue, a lively music discussion! Then there's a story about a boy named Farkle. He plays many things, and is truly remarkable. Which instrument will he choose? For he is quite fickle. Come hear for yourself, and help solve this great riddle

Independent Presentation | Keyboard Conversations with pianist Jeffrey Siegel

The Romantic Music of Chopin
Bring a significant other!

Perelman Theater

Monday, February 3

7:30pm

Tickets: $44 - $49

Immortal works by one of the world's most popular and beloved composers.

His enthusiasm is contagious... his credentials are world-class... his virtuosity is astounding... He is a star on Philadelphia's famed Avenue of the Arts...

JEFFREY SIEGEL has been soloist with the world's great orchestras and praised internationally for his popular signature Keyboard Conversations programs. Join us for three unforgettable concerts you won't want to miss! Subscribe to all three for best seats and savings.

Philadelphia Chamber Music Society | André Watts, piano

Perelman Theater

Tuesday, February 4 8pm

Tickets: $24 (adults) $10 (students)

Bach: Chorale Prelude: Befiel du denie Wege, BWV 727 [Arr. Kempff]
Bach: Sinfonia: Wir danken dir, BWV 29 [Arr. Kempff/Watts]
Bach: Ciaccona from Violin Partita in D Minor, BWV 1004 [Arr. Busoni]
Schubert: Sonata in C Minor, D. 958
Intermission
Schumann: Faschingsschwank aus Wien, Op. 26
J. Strauss: Valse Caprice, Man lebt nur einmal [Arr. Tausig]
J. Strauss: Schatzwalzer from the Gypsy Baron [Arr. Dohnányi]

An enduring favorite with orchestras throughout the US, André Watts is one of the most celebrated and beloved superstars of classical music today with a career that spans more than 47 years, including multiple television appearances and an extensive discography. His February recital in Perelman Theater offers a unique opportunity to hear one of America's finest pianists (raised in Philadelphia) in an intimate performance of romantic repertoire that is his specialty.

Pennsylvania Ballet | Serenade, Afternoon of a Faun and Other Dances

Merriam Theater

Thursday-Sunday, February 6-9, times vary

Tickets: $30 - $125

Serenade
by George Balanchine, Music by Peter Ilyitch Tschaikovsky

Afternoon of a Faun
by Jerome Robbins, Music by Claude Debussy

Under the Sun Pas de Deux
by Margo Sappington, Music by Michael Kamen

Petite Mort
by Ji?í Kylián, Music by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart [Company Premiere]

Experience the sweeping breadth of Pennsylvania Ballet's repertoire with Serenade, Afternoon of a Faun, and Other Dances. This program opens with a timeless Balanchine classic: Serenade, a romantic, plotless ballet with striking moments of drama throughout. Afternoon of a Faun by Jerome Robbins has beencalled 'a miniature masterpiece.' Set in a ballet studio, a male and female dancer meet, with the audience as their mirror. Under the Sun became an iconic work for the Company when commissioned from choreographer Margo Sappington in 1976. Inspired by artist Alexander Calder, the pas de deux features hypnotic music and inventive partnering. Ji?í Kylián's aggressive and athletic Petite Mort receives its Company premiere in closing this deeply varied program.

Philadelphia Orchestra | Ax, from Bach to Strauss
Vladimir Jurowski, Conductor
Jeffrey Khaner, Flute

Emanuel Ax, Piano

Verizon Hall

Thursday-Saturday, February 6-8, times vary

Tickets: $48 - $146

Bach Orchestral Suite No. 2
Strauss Burleske, for piano and orchestra
Bach Piano Concerto No. 1
Mahler Todtenfeier

Vladimir Jurowski returns for a two week-residency. For his first program he contrasts composers from the Baroque with those from the height of Romanticism. Bach is performed along with Strauss and Mahler, exploring the evolution of music across three centuries. As part of the Strauss 150th anniversary year, legendary pianist Emanuel Ax performs the youthful Burleske for piano and orchestra. Written when he was 21, it is very much in the style of Liszt and Schumann but contains clear indications of the brilliant composer emerging with his own style. Ax also performs Bach's Piano Concerto in D minor. Originally written for harpsichord, which was only just coming into favor as a solo instrument, this Concerto is distinct from the Strauss Burleske, demonstrating how solo keyboard music expanded nearly 200 years later. Likewise, the intimate music-making of Bach's French-style dance suite, the Orchestral Suite No. 2 featuring solo lute, also stands apart from Mahler's mighty Todtenfeier (Funeral Rites). Todtenfeier is a single movement tone poem that became the basis for the epic fi rst movement of Mahler's Symphony No. 2, the "Resurrection" Symphony.

Opera Philadelphia | Ainadamar
by Osvaldo Golijov

Academy of Music

Friday-Sunday, February 7-16, times vary

Tickets $10 - $232

Performed in Spanish with English supertitles

Poetry in emotion.
Opera Philadelphia continues its 39th Season with the only U.S. appearance of a vivid new Spanish production of Ainadamar, the Grammy Award-winning first opera from Argentinian composer Osvaldo Golijov. The opera tells the story of the celebrated Spanish playwright and poet Federico García Lorca, who was executed in 1936 during the Spanish Civil War. Golijov's dreamy score fuses traditional Jewish and Arabic styles with Spanish-influenced flamenco and rumba rhythms, with flamenco dancing by the legendary Antonio Gades Company. Ainadamar delivers a dreamlike passion play complete with everything from bullfighting and bravado to the artist's struggle for love and free expression.

The Philly Pops | The Sounds of Simon and Garfunkel
Michael Krajewski, conductor
AJ Swearingen and Jonathan Beedle, vocalists

Verizon Hall

Friday-Sunday, February 7-9, times vary

Tickets: $30- $114

Simon and Garfunkel mastered the folk rock genre and captured our hearts with their touching lyrics and intricate harmonies. The acclaimed national touring duo of AJ Swearingen and Jonathan Beedle bring their heartfelt interpretations of Simon and Garfunkel to The Philly POPS. Songs include "Bridge Over Troubled Water," "The Sound of Silence," "The Boxer," and "America." And here's to you, Mrs. Robinson.

Chamber Orchestra of Philadelphia | Haydn • Legrand
Dirk Brossé, conductor
Catherine Michel, harp

Perelman Theater

Sunday- Monday, February 9-10, times vary

Tickets: $24 to 81

Rameau: Suite for Strings
Legrand: Harp Concerto (World Première)
Haydn:Symphony No. 104 in D major ("London")

Esteeming works both old and new, the Chamber Orchestra performs pieces from the Baroque and Classical periods, as well as a world premiere Harp Concerto from award-winning composer Michel Legrand, with harpist Catherine Michel as soloist.

Philadelphia Chamber Music Society | Gerald Finley, baritone, Julius Drake, piano

Perelman Theater

Tuesday, February 11 8pm

Tickets: $24 (adults) $10 (students)

Schubert: Die Winterreise, D. 911

Philadelphia audiences were introduced to the velvety-smooth sound and warm, expressive diction of Canadian baritone Gerald Finley in his acclaimed debut PCMS recital in 2010. Equally captivating performing lead roles in the world's grandest opera houses and singing delicate, moody songs in the most intimate recital halls, Finley has an astoundingly versatile voice backed by an impressive interpretive intellect. His performance of Schubert's masterpiece, the haunting Winterreise cycle, with longtime collaborator, the formidable pianist Julius Drake, promises an artful and stirring balance of emotions: assuredness and frailty, serenity and passion. Based on poems by Wilhelm Müller, Schubert's second and last cycle is a voyage into the unknown-consisting of isolated episodes in a desperate man's aimless wandering in a desolate, icy landscape.

6:45-7:30pm: Free Pre-concert Lecture in the Comcast Circle [Tier I]: Christine Anderson

Philadelphia Chamber Music Society | Christian Zacharias, piano

Beethoven: Sonata in A-flat Major, Op. 26
Schubert: Six Moments musicaux, D. 780
Intermission
Schumann: Kreisleriana, Op. 16
Beethoven: Sonata in G Major, Op. 14, No. 2

Zacharias is one of those pianists who is often characterized by his 'uncompromising individuality;' but he also tends to take a decidedly cerebral approach to the preparation of his programs. Zacharias brings a sweeping and charismatic understanding of music to everything he performs in what The New Yorker calls 'as much of a self-exploration as a performance.' His profound thoughts about music and its myriad artistic and social contexts infuse and inform his every interpretation, making his recitals deeply satisfying experiences.

Program length: 1 hour and 50 minutes
6:45-7:30pm: Free Pre-concert Lecture in the Comcast Circle [Tier I]: Jeffrey Kallberg

Philadelphia Orchestra | All Rachmaninoff
Vladimir Jurowsk, Conductor
Alexey Zuev, Piano

Tatiana Monogarova, Soprano

Vsevolod Grivnov, Tenor

Sergei Leiferkus, Baritone
The Westminster Symphonic Choir

Verizon Hall

Thursday-Saturday, February 13-15

8pm

Tickets: $53 - $156

Rachmaninoff Selected Songs
Rachmaninoff Piano Concerto No. 4
Rachmaninoff The Bells

The Philadelphia Orchestra had a historic connection to the great Russian composer, celebrated in this program exclusively of his works. Rachmaninoff's setting of Edgar Allan Poe's haunting poem "The Bells" received its U.S. premiere in Philadelphia in 1920 with Leopold Stokowski. Inspired by an anonymous letter, Rachmaninoff was drawn to Poe's text, composing this choral symphony. Between each of the four movements, Poe's original text will be dramatically recited in English to capture the full essence of the words and music together. His Fourth Piano Concerto was premiered in Philadelphia with the composer at the keyboard. Rachmaninoff was forced to leave Russia during the Revolution, and this lush and luxurious Concerto was his first completed work after nine years in exile.

Philadelphia Chamber Music Society | Berlin Philharmonic Wind Quintet

Perelman Theater

Thursday, February 13 8pm

Tickets: $24 (adults) $10 (students)

Mozart: Fantasy for Mechanical Organ, K. 608 [Arr. Hasel]
Aho: Kvintetto [Philadelphia Premiere]
Intermission
Milhaud: La cheminée du roi René
Nielsen: Wind Quintet in A Major, Op. 43

Making its Philadelphia/PCMS debut, the Berlin Philharmonic Wind Quintet, founded in 1988 during the era of Herbert von Karajan, continues to astonish audiences worldwide with their range of expression, tonal spectrum and conceptual unity. The ensemble has succeeded in virtually redefining the sound of the classic wind quintet, with repertoire covering the entire spectrum of chamber music literature for wind instruments. Don't miss this rare opportunity to enjoy these world-class artists.

Independent Presentation| Philadelphia Youth Orchestra
Michael Ludwig, violin
Louis Scaglione, Conductor

Verizon Hall

Sunday, February 16

3pm

Ticket Prices: $10 - $20

Vaughan Williams; Fantasia on a Theme by Thomas Tallis
Barber: Violin Concerto
Rachmaninoff: Symphony No. 2

Join Philadelphia Youth Orchestra (PYO) as the orchestra presents the second of three concerts at the KimMel Center in celebration of its 74th Anniversary Season. Led by Maestro Louis Scaglione, Philadelphia Youth Orchestra will perform Vaughan Williams' Fantasia on a Theme by Thomas Tallis. Then, Maestro Scaglione and the orchestra welcome their longtime friend, Michael Ludwig, Concertmaster of Buffalo Philharmonic and former Associate Concertmaster of The Philadelphia Orchestra, to the stage for a performance of Barber's sublime Violin Concerto. After intermission, the orchestra performs Rachmaninoff's Symphony No. 2, one of the composers most powerful musical expressions of his entire symphonic output.

Broadway Philadelphia |The Gershwins' Porgy and Bess

Academy of Music

Tuesday, February 18 - Sunday, February 23, times vary

ON SALE FRIDAY, DECEMBER 6 AT 10AM!

See what Time Magazine exclaims is, "A don't miss theatre event! The #1 Broadway musical of the year." Winner of the 2012 Tony Awards for Best Revival of a Musical, The Gershwins' Porgy and Bess is hitting the road in a stunning and stirring new staging, including such legendary songs as 'Summertime,' 'It Ain't Necessarily So,' and 'I Got Plenty of Nothing.' The Gershwins' Porgy and Bess features one of Broadway's most accomplished creative teams, led by Tony Award-winning director Diane Paulus (Ha