Press Release

Philadelphia Orchestra Website

June 25, 2001

(Philadelphia, June 25, 2001) - The Philadelphia Orchestra continues its PNC Concert Series at the Mann Center in Philadelphia's Fairmount Park with two concert programs - the first, on Monday, July 9, featuring the romantic strains of Russian composer Sergei Rachmaninoff, followed by two performances, on Wednesday and Thursday, July 11 and 12, filled with the wit and wisdom of musical comedy genius Stephen Sondheim. The All-Rachmaninoff program on July 9 opens this third week of concerts in the Orchestra's annual five-week summer season at the Mann; guest conductor Zdenek Macal is joined by pianist Hélène Grimaud that evening. On July 11 and 12, Stephen Sondheim's hit musical A Little Night Music will be performed by The Philadelphia Orchestra in a special new presentation to mark the 25th Anniversary of the Mann Center for the Performing Arts as the Orchestra's summer home. All concerts begin at 8:00 p.m.

Guest conductor Zdenek Macal, music director of the New Jersey Symphony Orchestra and guest conductor of over 160 orchestras worldwide, leads The Philadelphia Orchestra in an all-Rachmaninoff program on Monday, July 9. The concert opens with guest pianist Hélène Grimaud performing the composer's well-known Piano Concerto No. 2. A native of France, Grimaud performs regularly with major orchestras throughout the world. Following intermission, the program concludes with Rachmaninoff's Symphony No. 3.

The Philadelphia Orchestra observes the 25th Anniversary of the Mann Center for the Performing Arts with two special performances of Stephen Sondheim's "A Little Night Music" on Wednesday, July 11 and Thursday, July 12. Tony Award-winning music director Paul Gemignani conducts these semi-staged presentations, with stage direction by B.T. McNicholl, and a handpicked cast of performers they have worked with in major New York productions, on and off-Broadway. This production is being adapted especially for The Philadelphia Orchestra and includes two songs not heard in the original New York production.

Summer 2001 marks the 25th season of Philadelphia Orchestra concerts at the Mann Center for the Performing Arts and the 71st season of symphonic outdoor concerts in Fairmount Park. The Mann Center opened as the summer home of The Philadelphia Orchestra in 1976, replacing the Robin Hood Dell stage, which had hosted Orchestra summer concerts since 1930. Originally known as Robin Hood Dell West, the center was renamed in 1978 after Fredric R. Mann, a longtime Philadelphia resident and tireless businessman, whose advocacy of summer concerts in Fairmount Park extended back for more than half a century.

PNC Concert Series with
The Philadelphia Orchestra at the Mann Center

Paul Gemignani, conductor
singers to be announced

A Little Night Music (complete semi-staged performance)
music and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim
book by Hugh Wheeler
suggested by a film by Ingmar Bergman
originally produced and directed on Broadway by Harold Prince

stage direction and adaptation by BT McNicholl
musical direction by Paul Gemignani

presented in concert
with The Philadelphia Orchestra
conducted by Paul Gemignani

CAST
Irene Worth, as Narrator and Madame Armfeldt
Michele Pawk, as Desirée Armfeldt (Madame's daughter)
Siri Howard, as Fredrika Armfeldt (Desirée's daughter and Madame's granddaughter)

John Dossett, as Fredrik Egerman (a lawyer, Desirée's once and future paramour)
Angela Gaylor, as Anne Egerman (Fredrik's young wife)
Kevin Anderson, as Henrik Egerman (Fredrik's son)

Marc Kudisch, as Count Carl-Magnus Malcolm (Desirée's paramour)
Derin Altay, as Countess Charlotte Malcolm

Angela Robinson, as Petra (the maid)
Jonathan Dokuchitz, as Frid (the butler)

with Tom Baust, Laura Heimes, Tim McShea, Evelyn Santiago Schulz, and Karen Slack as Mr. Lindquist, Mrs. Nordstrom, Mr. Erlanson, Mrs. Anderssen, and Mrs. Segstrom

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