LA Phil's 2012 Opening Night Gala Set for 9/27

The Los Angeles Philharmonic begins its 2012/13 season with an evening honoring the rich tradition of dance rhythms in orchestral music with its Opening Night Concert and Gala: The Philharmonic Dances, led by Music Director Gustavo Dudamel, Thursday, September 27, at Walt Disney Concert Hall. The Philharmonic Dances opens with a pre-concert cocktail reception, at 6 pm, followed by the 7 pm concert, with dinner and dancing to follow.

The concert program, presented in collaboration with Glorya Kaufman Presents Dance at the Music Center, opens with LA Phil Creative Chair John Adams’ Chairman Dances. Described by Adams as an “outtake” from Act III of his opera Nixon in China, The Chairman Dances presents LA Phil-commissioned world premiere choreography by Barak Marshall performed by Los Angeles’ BODYTRAFFIC dance company: LillIan Rose Barbeito (co-artistic director), Tina Finkelman Berkett (co-artistic director) and performers Tina Finkelman Berkett, Melissa Bourkas, Hai Cohen, Andrew Cowan, Ja Young Kim, Merett Miller, Miguel Perez, Guzman Rosado, Arika Yamada and Andrew Wojtal, in costumes designed by Raquel Barreto.

Following is Stravinsky’s Variation d’Apollon from Apollo, featuring American Ballet Theatre (ABT) Principal Dancer Roberto Bolle, choreographed by George Balanchine. The performance continues with Saint-Saëns’ The Dying Swan with ABT Principal Dancer Veronika Part, choreographed by Michel Fokine.

Next on the program are selections from Tchaikovsky’s Swan Lake including the famous pas de deux from Act III (Odile and Prince Siegfried) performed by Part and Bolle, choreographed by Kevin McKenzie (after Marius Petipa).

The concert closes with Bernstein’s Three Dance Episodes from On The Town featuring LA Phil-commissioned world premiere choreography by Josh Rhodes and associate choreographer Lee Wilkins, danced by performers Sam Cahn, Marty Lawson, Andy Mills, and Christopher Vo in costumes designed by Brian Hemesath.

Proceeds will support the LA Phil and its community and education programs, including YOLA (Youth Orchestra Los Angeles). Gala package tickets range in price from $2,500 to $15,000 and include a charitable contribution. Please call 213.972.3051 for information.

The Gala Committee for the 2012 Los Angeles Philharmonic benefit at Walt Disney Concert Hall includes Gala Co-Chairs Joan Hotchkis and Carolyn Powers; Honorary Chair Eloísa Maturén Dudamel; and Committee members Wallis Annenberg, David C. Bohnett, Lynn A. Booth, Edye Broad, Jane B. Eisner, Carol Colburn Grigor, Joyce A. Kresa, Ginny Mancini, Soraya Sarah Nazarian, Diane B. Paul, Ann Ronus, Nancy S. Sanders, Carla Sands, Rivka Seiden, Cio Soler, Sutton Stracke, Alyce Williamson and Marilyn Ziering.