The performance will take place on Saturday, January 11, 2025, at 7:30pm at Society Hill Dance Academy.
East Passyunk Opera Project will reunite with Society Hill Dance Academy and Top Dog Cocktails to present Love Notes 4 Philly, the fourth and final concert experience in its beloved Love Notes series that started in 2021. The performance will take place on Saturday, January 11, 2025, at 7:30pm at Society Hill Dance Academy, located at 1919 East Passyunk Avenue. This final installment of Love Notes will celebrate the power of community and shine a spotlight on the vital work of mutual aid organizations.
The evening will feature performances by an impressive roster of artists who have performed at world-renowned venues including The Metropolitan Opera, Carnegie Hall, the Kimmel Cultural Campus, and many others across the U.S. and Europe. Audiences will also be treated to special performances by two of the stars from Opera Philadelphia’s The Anonymous Lover, adding an exciting element to the program. Tickets for Love Notes 4 Philly are now available at epopphilly dot org. General admission tickets are priced at $35, while VIP tickets are available for $50. All ticket holders will enjoy two exclusive cocktails from Top Dog Cocktails, including the chance to be among the first to try their new Strawberry Margarita flavor, adding a delicious touch to the evening. Love Notes 4 Philly is sponsored by Circle Thrift, RE/MAX One Realty - The Capri Dessecker Team, Society Hill Dance Academy, and Top Dog Cocktails.
Philadelphians may recall ePOP’s first 3 Love Notes concerts: During the first winter of the covid pandemic, ePOP presented Love Notes, a virtual cabaret featuring world-class opera artists performing songs celebrating love.
The following year, ePOP introduced Love Notes 2.0: Sour Notes, which focused on the real and less than ideal side of love. Presented in both virtual and in-person formats, the concert reached a broader audience while showcasing the talent of Philadelphia-based artists.
Last year, ePOP returned with Love Notes 3: Notes to Self, a contemplation on self-reflection, struggle, and growth… with a little levity and humor mixed in.
The series has been themed around variations on love. That which we share with lovers, that which we share with and for ourselves, that which destroys us. To close out the series, it seemed fitting to end with the greatest love of all: that which we share with one another - the love of community.
What does the love of a community look like? Action. Action made manifest. It is leaning on one another when we cannot stand on our own. Love Notes 4 Philly will not only be a performance, but a manner of fostering community that extends beyond the individual, allowing audience members to find actions they can continue beyond the performance. At the show, ePOP will connect the audience to several mutual aid groups in Philadelphia, and to the direct work needed to uplift them. That is love made manifest.
The cabaret will feature incredible Philadelphia artists who will offer refuge and catharsis amid works ranging from Simon and Garfunkel to Joseph Bologne, and many more.
Love Notes 4 Philly will feature artists from past Love Notes concerts: soprano Ashley Marie Robillard, mezzo-soprano Maren Montalbano, soprano Katrina Thurman, and ePOP music director, Aurelien Eulert. Cookie Diorio returns as the host for the evening, and Omar Saleem is back as beatmaker, DJ, and co-creator. And introducing, baritone Johnathan McCullough.
Both Robillard and McCullough will star in The Anonymous Lover at Opera Philadelphia which opens at the end of January. Love Notes 4 Philly is one of several ancillary events Opera Philadelphia is highlighting around the premiere of The Anonymous Lover.
“For our 4th and final Love Notes concert, we wanted to focus on the love of community and to shine a light on ways to uplift one another,” said ePOP General and Artistic Director Katrina Thurman. "We're excited to welcome back most of the original cast of Love Notes for this special concert, and to be partnering with Opera Philadelphia as part of the ancillary events surrounding The Anonymous Lover. We're also thrilled to feature two of the opera's stars, along with a musical selection from this rarely performed gem."
Love Notes 4 Philly is a special collaboration of Philadelphia-based businesses reuniting to highlight unique, world-class artists that make Philadelphia their home. Ticket holders will enjoy performances by artists who have performed at venues including The Metropolitan Opera, Carnegie Hall, Opera Philadelphia, the Kimmel Cultural Center, and many other celebrated venues throughout the United States and Europe.
Following the success of the debut of Love Notes in 2021, Love Notes 2.0… Sour Notes in 2022, and Love Notes 3: Notes to Self last year, Love Notes 4 Philly is back— bigger, better, and more exciting than ever for its fourth and final installment.
ePOP’s Love Notes 4 Philly will take place at 7:30pm on January 11th at Society Hill Dance Academy; 1919 E. Passyunk Avenue, Philadelphia, PA 19148. Doors open at 6:45pm. Audiences are invited to come to the neighborhood early and catch dinner at one of East Passyunk’s neighborhood haunts before the show. The modern industrial event space at Society Hill Dance Academy is inspired by the arts and the eclectic energy of the surrounding neighborhood with steel beams, bistro lighting, and a striking, historic brick bar. ePOP is teaming up with Top Dog Cocktails to offer two complimentary cocktails to each guest over 21 years of age:
Strawberry Margarita- Introducing Top Dog Cocktails’ freshest new flavor: Strawberry Margarita! This twist on a classic margarita will surely satisfy all the senses. The pink hue of this marg invites you in, while the combination of sweet, tart, and tangy from top-shelf tequila and refreshing strawberry delight the tastebuds. It's an ideal cocktail for any occasion! Feel free to sugar or salt a rim and pour over ice to enjoy as if you're relaxing on a perfect summer day. Be among the first to experience this refreshing cocktail!
Greyhound- A classic cocktail featuring vodka and grapefruit, Greyhound is reimagined with the aromatics and flavors of rosemary and elderflower. Pouring the palest of pink hues, this concoction is as refreshing as it is beautiful when garnished with a twist of grapefruit or sprig of rosemary. Light and subtly sour, yet incredibly smooth, this cocktail is every bit as sophisticated as the dapper dog that is its namesake.
Whiskey Lemonade- Upon first whiff, you're immediately greeted with a bright, lemon aroma. More tangy than sour, the smooth whiskey flavor is complemented by a vibrant lemon burst on the tongue that concludes with a subtle sweetness and lemon zest, rounded out by a light orange finish.
Blood Orange Margarita- The vibrant, almost electric, red-orange color of Blood Orange Margarita invites the drinker in while the combination of sweet, tart, and tangy from the agave spirit and citrus fruits delight the tastebuds. This twist on a classic margarita is sure to satisfy all the senses.
Peach Mango Tea- Here's the tea: Boasting big aromas of white peach and ripe mango, this vodka-based cocktail is full-flavored from the first sip to the last drop. Not overtly sweet or sugary, there's nothing artificial to distract you from the tropical fruitiness and hint of lemon.
Performance is at 7:30pm (doors 6:45pm). Tickets are $35 for general admission and $50 for a VIP ticket to the show. General admission includes two complimentary cocktails and general admission seating (first come, first served). VIP tickets include two complimentary cocktails and reserved seating near the front of the stage.
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