The Philly POPS Dances To Hits From Iconic Seventies Superstars ABBA

The Philly POPS puts on its dancing shoes for POPS Rocks ABBA: Mamma Mia! and more... November 17, 20 and 21 at the Kimmel Cultural Campus.

Music Director and Principal Conductor David Charles Abell and the full Philly POPS orchestra will take audiences through ABBA's career, highlighting tunes that soared to the top of the charts in the '70s and '80s. Favorites include: "Dancing Queen," "Gimme Gimme Gimme," and "Chiquitita." This performance marks Abell's first performance back with the POPS in Verizon Hall since 2019.

"ABBA's music is pure joy-which is something I think we all could use about now," said David Charles Abell. "Their music is a perfect example of pop, and the full POPS orchestra will bring plenty of fun and excitement to these arrangements and orchestrations. And, as a Scandinavian group, Rajaton adds an extra layer of authenticity."

Joining the POPS is Finnish vocal group Rajaton (Rah-ya-tahn). Last seen with the POPS in 2014, Rajaton performs worldwide and has released 16 different albums in their over-20-year career. They currently have one double platinum, three platinum and eight gold records in Finland, with worldwide sales of over 400,000.

Tickets start at $35 and are available at www.phillypops.org/abba. POPS Rocks ABBA: Mamma Mia! and more... runs November 17, 20 and 21, 2021 at Verizon Hall at the Kimmel Cultural Campus. As part of the Kimmel Cultural Campus' Safe and Clean Commitment, guests are required to provide proof of vaccination and must wear masks while in the building.

The Philly POPS is partnered with Art-Reach for their ACCESS initiative. ACCESS cardholders can purchase tickets for the reduced price of $2 per ticket in person at the Academy of Music box office.

Note: these performance times differ from standard Friday, Saturday and Sunday subscription series performances-Wednesday November 17 at 7:30 p.m., Saturday November 20 at 3:00 p.m. and Sunday November 21 at 6:00 p.m.

Performance repertoire:

• ABBA Medley
• Dancing Queen/Money, Money, Money/ One of Us
• Head Over Heels
• S.O.S.
• Take a Chance on Me
• Chiquitita
• Mamma Mia
• People Need Love: An ABBA Symphonic Medley
• When All is Said and Done
• Knowing Me, Knowing You
• Fernando
• Gimme! Gimme! Gimme!
• Does Your Mother Know/The Winner Takes It All/Thank You For the Music

The Finnish word Rajaton translates as "boundless" - a word that so accurately describes the way this six-voice a cappella ensemble approaches music. Regularly performing around a hundred concerts and workshops each year, Rajaton exposes their audiences to the kind of diversity of repertoire, singing style, and stage presentation that has made them a phenomenon on the world stage.

Performing at concert halls, churches, jazz and choral festivals, this distinct group of musicians approaches all styles of music with the same level of commitment and integrity, making it difficult to imagine an audience that they could not inspire, or a type of music they could not make their own. In their native Finland, Rajaton is a bona fide pop phenomenon, successfully bridging the gap that often exists between classical and mainstream convention.

Rajaton has released 16 different albums. In 2017, Rajaton celebrates 20 years of music-making with one double platinum, three platinum and eight gold records in Finland under their belt, as their worldwide record sales are drawing over 400.000 copies altogether.

Ever seeking new artistic challenges, the group has grown immeasurably through collaborations with other a cappella artists, including The King's Singers and The Real Group, as well as productions with film directors and choreographers. But it is perhaps their deep passion for choral art, their generosity of spirit and their sheer enjoyment of singing that has won the hearts and acclaim of audiences and critics everywhere.

Their energy - infectious; their ability to entertain and inspire - Rajaton!

The voice is boundless.

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