Michael Arden Will Direct ANNIE; LA Phil Bernstein 100 Celebration Will Feature Kristin Chenoweth & Brian Stokes Mitchell, and More Set for Hollywood Bowl

The Los Angeles Philharmonic announces its 97thsummer season at the Hollywood Bowl, featuring a roster of world-class artists in genres ranging from classical and pops to jazz, rock, and world music, with concerts taking place between June and September 2018.

Highlights include:

LA Phil Music & Artistic Director Gustavo Dudamel conducts a Bernstein 100 Celebration with Kristin Chenoweth and Brian Stokes Mitchell; Rachmaninoff's Piano Concerto No. 2 featuring Khatia Buniatishvili; Mendelssohn's Violin Concerto with Itzhak Perlman; and the Tchaikovsky Spectacular, complete with fireworks.

Dudamel also conducts Verdi's Otello for the first time, leads a fully danced production of Tchaikovsky's The Nutcracker featuring the celebrated National Ballet of Cuba, and teams up with guitar duo Rodrigo y Gabriela and the Los Angeles Philharmonic.

Opening Night at the Bowl stars Diana Ross and the Hollywood Bowl Orchestra conducted by Thomas Wilkins, plus fireworks. The concert benefits the LA Phil and its education programs.

Beck returns to the Bowl to perform songs from his celebrated catalogue, including his newest album, Colors.

John Williams celebrates the 40th anniversary of his first appearance at the Bowl, conducting the Los Angeles Philharmonic in many of his greatest moments in movie music.

Films with live orchestra include Star Wars: A New Hope, Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back, Jaws, Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire™ and The Pink Panther.

Screenings of the beloved Grease Sing-A-Long, celebrating the 40th anniversary of the film, and Sing-A-Long Sound of Music both make a return.

Annie is this summer's fully staged Broadway musical, directed by Michael Arden and conducted by Todd Ellison. Annie's book is by Thomas Meehan, music by Charles Strouse and lyrics by Martin Charnin. Additional members of the creative team and an all-star cast will be announced on a later date.

Plácido Domingo conducts music from Spain in a star-studded evening featuring violinist Joshua Bell, guitarist Pablo Sáinz Villegas, and the legendary Lucero Tena on castanets.

Annual Fireworks Spectaculars include the July 4th celebration with The Go-Go's -including all five of the original members (Jane Wiedlin, Charlotte Caffey, Gina Schock, Belinda Carlisle and Kathy Valentine) - and the Los Angeles Philharmonic conducted by Thomas Wilkins; plus a Fireworks Finale with Harry Connick, Jr. paying tribute to the 300th Birthday of New Orleans.

Hollywood Bowl debuts include Jennifer Hudson and Charlie Wilson, both performing with the Hollywood Bowl Orchestra conducted by Thomas Wilkins, and The O'Jays.

The Los Angeles Philharmonic performs with stars Ray Chen, Augustin Hadelich, Sergio Tiempo, Emanuel Ax, Jennifer Koh, Johannes Moser, and Jean-Yves Thibaudet. Beloved conductors Bramwell Tovey, Stéphane Denève, Karina Canellakis and LA Phil Assistant Conductor Paolo Bortolameolli return to the Bowl.

Playboy Jazz Festival returns to kick off the Bowl season with an all-star lineup including Anthony Hamilton, Charles Lloyd & the Marvels with special guest Lucinda Williams, Daymé Arocena, Tower of Power, Lee Ritenour and Dave Grusin, The Ramsey Lewis Quintet, Jazmine Sullivan, Snarky Puppy and more. George Lopezreturns to host the festival.

Jazz at the Bowl features George Benson; Gregory Porter performing selections from Nat King Cole & Me; tap virtuoso Savion Glover; TajMo: The Taj Mahal & Keb' Mo' Band; Seal with the Hollywood Bowl Orchestra conducted by Thomas Wilkins; Corinne Bailey Rae; Wynton Marsalis' Spaces with Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra; Clayton-Hamilton Jazz Orchestra with special guest Gerald Clayton Trio; Melissa Etheridge; Queen Latifah; Common; Ledisi; José James; The Pink Panther - in Concert; and more.

KCRW's World Festival features Flying Lotus; Little Dragon; Father John Misty; Gillian Welch; the seventeenth annual Reggae Night with Beres Hammond, Alpha Blondy and Protoje; Bon Iver and TU Dance; Grizzly Bear; TV on the Radio; Kaitlyn Aurelia Smith; and more to be announced.

Randy Newman is joined by his own band and the Hollywood Bowl Orchestra led by his cousin, conductor and film composer David Newman, to perform selections from each of his eleven studio albums spanning the last half century, from his 1968 self-titled debut to last year's Dark Matter.

Over two special nights, Michael McDonald, Kenny Loggins and Christopher Cross perform sets of their own songs with the Hollywood Bowl Orchestra conducted by Thomas Wilkins.

Classical debuts at the Bowl include conductors Thomas Adès leading the Los Angeles Philharmonic in a performance of his own Tevot; Speranza Scappucci leading a night of Mozart & Tchaikovsky; Gustavo Gimeno leading an all-Grieg program; Matthias Pintscherleading Elgar's Enigma Variations; and pianists Vikingur Ólafsson and George Li.

One of the largest natural amphitheaters in the world, with a seating capacity of nearly 18,000, the Hollywood Bowl has been the summer home of the Los Angeles Philharmonic since its official opening in 1922 and plays host to the finest artists from all genres of music, offering something for everyone. It remains one of the best deals anywhere in Los Angeles; to this day, $1 buys a seat at the top of the Bowl for many classical and jazz performances. In February 2018, the Hollywood Bowl was named Best Major Outdoor Concert Venue for the 14th year in a row at the 29th Annual Pollstar Awards and was awarded the Top Amphitheater prize at the 2017 Billboard Touring Awards. For millions of music lovers across Southern California, the Hollywood Bowl is synonymous with summer.

About the Los Angeles Philharmonic Association - The LA Phil, under the vibrant leadership of Music & Artistic Director Gustavo Dudamel, presents an inspiring array of music from all genres - orchestral, chamber and Baroque music, organ and celebrity recitals, new music, jazz, world music and pop - at two of L.A.'s iconic venues, Walt Disney Concert Hall (www.laphil.com) and the Hollywood Bowl (www.hollywoodbowl.com). The LA Phil's season at Walt Disney Concert Hall extends from September through May, and throughout the summer at the Hollywood Bowl. With the preeminent Los Angeles Philharmonic at the foundation of its offerings, the LA Phil aims to enrich and transform lives through music, with a robust mix of artistic, education and community programs.

Subscription tickets are available online at HollywoodBowl.com.

Photo Credit: Walter McBride / WM Photos