John Legend, Yo-Yo Ma and more join Philadelphia Orchestra at SPAC
The Philadelphia Orchestra, under the artistic direction of Yannick Nezet-Seguin, is returning to the Saratoga Performing Arts Center for its annual summer residency with three weeks of pop music powerhouses, masterworks from the classical cannon, SPAC debuts and returning favorites.
John Legend will make his SPAC debut on Aug. 7 with an intimate evening of his hits, including “All of Me” and “Ordinary People,” reimagined; personal stories pulled from his life and career; and songs from his most recent album “LEGEND.”
SPAC favorite Yo-Yo Ma, who had to cancel his 2023 concert due to illness, returns for an evening of Dvorak with selections from Kodaly and contemporary composer Nokuthula Ngwenyama on Aug. 16. Fellow crowd favorite Gil Shaham will also return this summer to perform Bates on Aug. 14.
Following her SPAC debut at last summer’s Saratoga Jazz Festival, Angelique Kidjo, named “Africa’s premier diva” by Time in 2007, will join The Philadelphia Orchestra on Aug. 2 for a new program featuring popular African songs and original works.
The three weeks also includes major works from the classical canon, highlighting a diverse roster of conductors including David Robertson, Justin Freer, Anthony Parnther, Xian Zhang, Fabio Luisi, Dalia Stasevska and Damon Gupton.
“Tchaikovsky Spectacular” will launch The Philadelphia Orchestra’s residency on July 31. The evening will include “Polonaise,” Tchaikovsky’s first piano concerto, “Romeo and Juliet” and the epic “1812 Overture.” “Rhapsody in Blue,” in celebration of its 100th anniversary, will be the spotlight of an evening with the Marcus Roberts Trio on Aug. 1. Nezet-Seguin will conduct Strauss’ “An Alpine Symphony” on Aug. 8, and Albany Pro Musica will join the orchestra for Carl Orff’s “Carmina Burana,” inspired by a collection of medieval poems, on Aug.
10.
The ever-popular live accompaniment of familyfriendly films, now a standard of the orchestra’s residency, will include “Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix” on Aug. 3 and, to close out the threeweek program, “Disney’s The Lion King,” celebrating its 30th anniversary, on Aug. 17. This will be the first time either film has been presented at SPAC.
A complete schedule is available at spac.org. Tickets go on sale for the general public at 10 a.m. on Feb.
22.