Hollywood Bowl Is Ready to Roll Out Summer Concerts

Hollywood Bowl’s 80th annual summer concert series begins June 29 with the 2nd Annual Hollywood Bowl Hall of Fame gala, a benefit for Music Matters, the children’s music education programs of the Los Angeles Philharmonic Association.

The Bowl’s 80th season, announced Tuesday, marks the 10th anniversary of the Hollywood Bowl Orchestra and its conductor John Mauceri, as well as the return of Los Angeles Philharmonic music director Esa-Pekka Salonen--also in his 10th year at the helm of the orchestra--to the Bowl after his yearlong sabbatical in 2000 to compose music.

The Philharmonic will kick off its Bowl performances July 10 with mezzo-soprano Denyce Graves in her Hollywood Bowl debut, on a program including arias from Bizet’s “Carmen” and Gershwin tunes. Emmanuel Krivine will conduct. On July 31, Korean soprano Hei-Kyung Hong, also in her Bowl debut, and mezzo-soprano Jennifer Larmore will appear together with the Philharmonic, conducted by Yoel Levi, on a program of Italian classical favorites.

Salonen will be on the podium with the Philharmonic for two special concerts in September: On the 11th, he conducts the Phil with the orchestra’s new principal cellist, Andrew Shulman, as soloist in Strauss’ “Don Quixote.” And, on the 13th, Salonen leads the Philharmonic, Lincoln Center Jazz Orchestra, Wynton Marsalis and chorus in the West Coast premiere of “All Rise,” a work celebrating music traditions from around the world, written by trumpeter/composer Marsalis.

Throughout the summer, the Phil’s concerts will include Rachmaninoff’s complete works for piano and orchestra, as well as all-Vivaldi and all-Bach programs, led by Baroque repertory expert Nicholas McGegan (Aug. 7 and 9), as well as a week of Latin-themed programs led by Philharmonic associate conductor Miguel Harth-Bedoya (Aug. 14 and 16). Guest conductors making their Hollywood Bowl debuts this season include Levi, Lawrence Renes, Emmanuel Villaume, Keri-Lynn Wilson and Peter Oundjian.

A highlight of the Hollywood Bowl Orchestra’s concerts will be July 8’s performance of Verdi’s “Aida,” part of the Sunday Sunset Performances series, honoring the 100th anniversary of the composer’s death. Soloists include Allesandra Marc as Aida and Richard Margison as Radames. Another Bowl Orchestra highlight is a concert adaptation of “Showboat” featuring William Warfield, from the famed movie cast.

The Wednesday Jazz at the Bowl series begins July 11 with a “Latin Jazz Legends” program hosted by Poncho Sanchez and starring Cachao and Eddie Palmieri with special guest Dave Valentin. Other performers during the series include singer Lou Rawls with pianist Les McCann, organist Joey DeFrancesco and the Clayton-Hamilton Jazz Orchestra; Diana Krall, Etta James and Oscar Peterson.

Among the highlights of this year’s world music offerings are a July 1 appearance by “Barefoot Diva” Cesaria Evora and Bebel Gilberto with host Chris Douridas, followed by July 15’s “A Night in Old Havana,” hosted by Tom Schnabel, and Buena Vista Social Club presents Orquesta Ibrahim Ferrer with special guest Ruben Gonzalez and Chucho Valdes.

Special events include “Don’t Touch That Dial--It’s TV Night at the Bowl,” featuring on Aug. 26 an evening of still-to-be-named special guests, as well as music and video clips from more than 50 years of television. Produced in cooperation with the Academy of Television Arts and Sciences Foundation, with support from the Hallmark Channel and Hallmark Entertainment, the concert kicks off Emmy week celebrations in Los Angeles.

Also new to the Bowl is June 30’s “Sing-A-Long Sound of Music,” in which the audience is invited to celebrate the film classic in “Rocky Horror Picture Show”-style by cheering on the characters or just singing along. Songs will be subtitled in case you forget the words, and attendees are invited to come in costume as a favorite character from the film and participate in the costume contest.

For the full schedule, call (323) 850-2050, or visit https://www.hollywoodbowl.com