Gloria Estefan Joins Harry Connick Jr. as Hollywood Bowl Hall of Fame Inductee

The Hollywood Bowl launches its 90th season with the 2011 edition of the Opening Night at the Hollywood Bowl and Hollywood Bowl Hall of Fame Concert, Friday, June 17, at 8:30 p.m. Grammy and Emmy award-winning singer/musician/actor Harry Connick, Jr., and seven-time Grammy award-winning pop music superstar Gloria Estefan will be inducted into the Hall of Fame this year. Both inductees are set to perform with the Hollywood Bowl Orchestra, led by Principal Guest Conductor Thomas Wilkins. Presenters and other special guests are to be announced.

Proceeds from the evening benefit the LA Phil and its music education programs, which reach more than 120,000 children, teachers and adults every year.

Gloria Estefan's first appearance at the Hollywood Bowl was in 1998 with famed tenor and Hollywood Bowl Hall of Fame inductee Plácido Domingo.

Harry Connick, Jr. made his Hollywood Bowl debut in 1998. He also performed in the summers of 2004 and 2010 to two sold-out audiences on each occasion.

Harry Connick, Jr. and Gloria Estefan join the distinguished company of artists - John Williams, Garth Brooks, Marilyn Horne, Stevie Wonder, Bonnie Raitt, John Raitt, Monty Python, Kathleen Battle, Randy Newman, Bernadette Peters, Leopold Stokowski, George Harrison, the Smothers Brothers, Roger Daltrey, Patti LuPone, Nathan Lane, Henry Mancini, Sarah Chang, BrIan Wilson, Trisha Yearwood, Joshua Bell, Frank Sinatra, Carlos Santana, André Watts, Plácido Domingo, Hollywood Bowl Orchestra Founding Director John Mauceri, Liza Minnelli, Sir James Galway, B.B. King, Dame Kiri Te Kanawa, Josh Groban, Donna Summer, the Carpenters and Jean-Yves Thibaudet - previously inducted into the Hall of Fame. Drawn from the diverse arena of musical entertainment, including classical, pop, jazz, musical theater, and film composition, new Hall of Fame honorees receive their tributes as part of the Bowl's annual opening night celebration.

The Opening Night Hall of Fame Concert is chaired by Sandy and Barry Pressman; Barbara and Jay Rasulo; Jonathan Weedman and Raymundo Baltazar; and Melanie and Josh Kaplan. Special thanks to Wells Fargo for its generous support of Opening Night.

Established in 2000, the Hall of Fame identifies and pays tribute to artists whose unique achievements embody the spirit of the world-renowned Hollywood Bowl. The Hall of Fame is now part of an exhibit on the main floor of the Hollywood Bowl Museum that includes photos and film of inductees over the years. The "Hollywood Bowl Hall of Fame" was conceived on behalf of the Los Angeles Philharmonic Association by Wayne Baruch and Charles F. Gayton, who have created and produced all 12 Hall of Fame opening concerts.

Patron packages to this annual benefit concert include a VIP pre-concert reception at 5:30 p.m., followed by a gourmet dinner prepared by Patina served in guest boxes prior to the concert. Proceeds benefit the Los Angeles Philharmonic and its education programs. Opening Night Concert packages ($2,200 to $15,000) may be purchased through the LA Phil's Special Events office. Please call 213.972.3051 for details and reservations. Tickets for the concert only ($11 - $110), which begins at 8:30 p.m., are on sale online at HollywoodBowl.com, at the Hollywood Bowl box office, through Ticketmaster at 800.745.3000, and by credit card phone order at 323.850.2000.

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 43nd season. In January 2011, the Hollywood Bowl was named Best Major Outdoor Concert Venue for the seventh year in a row at the 21st 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.

Photo Credit: Walter McBride/WM Photos

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