Michael Feinstein and the Pasadena POPS continue the 2018 Sierra Summer Concert Series with a momentous tribute to Leonard Bernstein on Saturday, August 18 at 7:30pm.
The POPS presents Bernstein's New York as part of the Leonard Bernstein at 100 centennial being celebrated around the globe, but Feinstein has something more in store for this special performance. Having been lucky enough to know and spend time with Bernstein, Michael will recount first-hand stories from Candide to On the Town and West Side Story and will give an intimate look inside the legend's friendships with Copland, Sinatra and more. Feinstein will present Bernstein as only he can, examining how the melting pot of the Big Apple influenced his life and music to reveal what made Bernstein "Bernstein".
The POPS will commemorate Bernstein's 100th with an evening full of wide-ranging music. The setlist will cover songs from his enduring Broadway classics, with "Somewhere" and On the Town's "New York, New York," along with the best from his contemporaries, including his close friend Aaron Copland's "Hoe Down" and Sinatra's "New York, New York." Feinstein says of the evening's program, "It was his full embrace of the world of music that made him unique in what he did. It seemed necessary to all of us to create something that would reflect that nature. The concert is not exclusively Bernstein; it also is music that influenced him, music written by his contemporaries, and music he influenced."
A slew of talent will join the POPS orchestra for the special tribute. The three guest soloists include Julian Ovenden, who will reprise many of the songs he's performed from Bernstein's cannon throughout the years. Ovenden has an exceptional voice and is particularly adept at the music of
Leonard Bernstein, though most know him for his many screen credits, notably Downton Abbey, Person of Interest, and Smash. Australian soprano and cabaret star Ali McGregor will nicely complement Ovenden. With her multi-octave range, she sings music of every stripe with ease and is perfectly suited to the eclectic nature of what it means to celebrate
Leonard Bernstein. La Cañada native Finn Sagal rounds out the pack as a young and charismatic singer and winner of the 2017 Songbook Academy Award, who now serves as the Great American Songbook Youth Ambassador.
All concerts are held at the Los
Angeles County Arboretum and Botanic Garden. Grounds open for picnicking and dining at 5:30pm and performances begin at 7:30pm. Don't miss the best outdoor dinner party in town with spacious circular table seating with fine linens, or lawn seating for those who want to bring a blanket - each option carries on the tradition of picnic-dining with your family and friends with
Michael Feinstein and Pasadena's premier orchestra! Among many venue amenities, concert goers can enjoy pre-ordered gourmet dining packages for on-site pickup just steps from their table from Julienne, Marston's and Claud & Co. The venue also hosts mouth-watering food trucks and the convenience of two full beverage centers serving fine wines, beer, coffee and soft drinks.
Audiences get the ultimate outdoor concert experience with large LED video screens to see the artists and orchestra up close, superior sound and the high-quality production value that is a signature of the Pasadena POPS. For those who want to make a night of it, exclusive hotel packages are available for POPS patrons at Pasadena's landmark Hotel Constance.
The Arboretum is located at
301 North Baldwin Ave., Arcadia, CA. Subscribers may pre-purchase parking on-site at the Arboretum, and all concertgoers enjoy free parking at the adjacent Westfield Santa Anita shopping center with complimentary non-stop shuttle service to the Arboretum's main entrance.
Single tickets start at $25 and are available by calling the box office at (626)-793-7172, online at
PasadenaSymphony-Pops.org or at the Arboretum on the day of the concert.
