Cincinnati Pops To Perform FIONA'S PLAYLIST In February

Following two years of speculation and debate, the Cincinnati Pops will finally reveal "Fiona's Playlist" at a Lollipops Family Concert on February 2 at Music Hall. The beloved hippo, who recently celebrated her second birthday, has been an international phenomenon since being born prematurely on January 24, 2017, at the Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden.

The one-morning-only performance led by Associate Conductor Keitaro Harada and hosted by the Cincinnati Zoo's Thane Maynard features musical selections ranging from Camille Saint-Saëns' Carnival of the Animals to Elton John's "Circle of Life" from The Lion King.

"Fiona likes what she likes," said Cincinnati Pops spokesperson Chris Pinelo. "It's our good fortune that she has excellent taste in music."

This contradicts Zoo officials, who stated, "We play a variety of music for (Fiona) but have not observed behavior that would indicate a preference for one genre over another."

Joining the Pops is Grammy-nominated singer-songwriter Zak Morgan, who will debut his new song, "Fiona," and lead the audience in singing "The Hippopotamus Song (Mud Glorious Mud!)."

The concert also features the Walnut Hills High School Senior Ensemble under the direction of Anthony Nims.

Recommended for children ages two to nine, the performance starts at 10:30 AM. Doors open at 9:30 AM for instrument demonstrations, crafts and more at the pre- concert Family Fun Zone. Tickets are $10 for kids and $15 for adults and are available by calling 513.381.3300 or visiting cincinnatipops.org.