Pop music

Surrounded by the lush botanical backdrop of Descanso Gardens, the Pasadena Pops Orchestra will present a summer season of music ranging from love songs of the past 50 years to haunting film scores.

The first program, planned for the June 23 and 24 concerts, is “As Time Goes By,” named for the love song from the romantic movie, “Casablanca.” The music is inspired by love, Music Director and Conductor Rachael Worby said.

“The concert will have music inspired by all the different kinds of love that people live through during the course of their lives ? true love, love of the land, love of the spirit and general exploration of how love has inspired composers,” she said.

Andrea Marcovicci, who Worby called one of the most extraordinary cabaret artists in the world, will be the guest soloist. “She’s called the Queen of Cabaret,” she said. “She’s spell-binding. The female Sinatra.”

She will perform love songs that were popular during World War II and those written by Cole Porter. The orchestra will also play Verdi’s “La Forza del Destino,” Rachmaninoff’s Symphony No. 2 and themes from the films “Goldfinger” and “Lawrence of Arabia.”

“It will be tongue-in-cheek love that 007 falls into that inspires us to play the score from ‘Goldfinger,’” Worby said.

The rest of the Pops season includes a break from Descanso Gardens to head to the Rose Bowl for a patriotic program on July 4 and one of the largest fireworks displays in Southern California, she said.

The orchestra returns to Descanso Gardens on July 14 and 15 for its “Musical Mystery Tour,” Worby said.

Along with the bewitching music from the films “Taxi Driver” and “A Place in the Sun,” the orchestra will perform Lennon/McCartney’s “Magical Mystery Tour” and music from Alfred Hitchcock’s “Marnie.” Actress Tippi Hedren, who starred in “Marnie” and “Psycho,” will talk about making the Hitchcock thrillers.

The orchestra will celebrate “La Bella Vita” (The Good Life) with the music of Spain, Italy, France and Greece on Aug. 18 and 19. Young musical stars soprano Nicole Cabell, baritone Nmon Ford and tenor Mark Panuccio will join the orchestra in performing music of the Mediterranean. Actress Valerie Harper, who starred in the TV series “Rhoda,” will read poetry and weave tales.

Young performers will take the stage for the season finale “Prodigy Power” on Sept. 8 and 9. Seven-year-old pianist Marc Yu will be a guest artist along with the 20 young musicians selected from the Pops Side-By-Side program who will perform with the orchestra.

The music and the ambience combine for a wonderful summer concert experience, said Reggie Wilson, a member of the Pops board of directors. He is vice president of music production and administration for Walt Disney Pictures and Television in Burbank.

“The very bucolic setting with the trees and flowers of Descanso Gardens is just the best way to listen to live music and a good orchestra with a great conductor,” he said. “We don’t get a chance as a society to take the time to listen to musicians play and hear that artistry.”

Harvey Knell, the new president of the board of directors, agreed that the location is unique.

“Descanso Gardens is just a magnificent place to be on a nice summer night, and, for me anyway, a music venue in a park gardens setting is just wonderful,” he said. “And the quality of the music that Rachael and the Pops orchestra and guest artists perform makes for a magical night under the stars.”

What he is especially looking forward to, he said, is the final concert, which casts the spotlight on a young 7-year-old prodigy and features several student musicians playing side-by-side the orchestra’s musicians.

“That’s an exciting opportunity for students to perform with professional musicians on a real stage and real venue,” he said.