Kimmel Cultural Campus And The Philadelphia Orchestra Announce 2023-24 Season Lineup

The Kimmel Cultural Campus and The Philadelphia Orchestra, the region’s premier center for multi-disciplinary performing arts and cultural events, announces its 2023–2024 season, welcoming audiences back to experience the magic of live art. With over 2,000 events annually across multiple venues, the lineup features everything from orchestral music to Broadway, jazz to comedy, contemporary dance to ballet, opera to rock, and much more.

“We are writing the exciting next chapter of the performing arts in Philadelphia, providing artistic experiences that build bridges and create a sense of community,” said Matías Tarnopolsky, president and CEO of The Philadelphia Orchestra and Kimmel Center, Inc. “A new season means new opportunities to share the transformative power of live performance, educational events, free community partnerships, and more. We look forward to welcoming audiences throughout this wonderful season.”

First, celebrate the start of a new season of the arts on Saturday, September 23, from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., with the 3rd annual FREE Philadelphia Fall Arts Fest. Featuring a diverse sampling of festival-style performances on multiple stages, this event brings together 50+ diverse arts organizations from around the region to shine a spotlight on the rich arts and culture scene in the Philadelphia area. The event will culminate in a free performance from The Philadelphia Orchestra; tickets to this finale will be made available in August. Guests are encouraged to check the website for updates.

Plus, Philadelphia Fall Arts Fest marks the first public viewing of the innovative, ergonomically designed Maene-Viñoly Concert Grand Piano. In a fitting homage to the late musician-architect Rafael Viñoly, the piano will be on display for the public to enjoy in the very building that he designed, the Kimmel Center for the Performing Arts. In partnership with Rafael Viñoly Architects, the special exhibition marks the piano’s first appearance in the United States. Arts organizations interested in participating in Philadelphia Fall Arts Fest are encouraged to visit the website to sign up and participate.

The season features something for every taste, boasting 12 amazing shows with a combined 19 Tony® Awards and 17 Drama DeskTM Awards. Season offerings include Broadway’s newest hits, hottest revivals, and adored classics.

The 2023–24 Broadway series includes: Mean Girls (October 3 – 8, 2023); Wicked (November 1 – 26, 2023); Company (November 28 – December 10, 2023); Cirque Dreams Holidaze (December 26 – 31, 2023); Ain’t Too Proud: The Life and Times of The Temptations (January 3 – 21, 2024);  Mrs. Doubtfire (February 6 – February 18, 2024); Girl from the North Country (February 27 – March 10, 2024); Disney’s Frozen (March 21 – April 7, 2024); Hadestown (April 10 – 14, 2024); Message In A Bottle (May 14 – 19, 2024); Funny Girl (July 16 – 28, 2024), and Mamma Mia! (August 6 – 11, 2024).

Broadway productions take place at the Academy of Music and Miller Theater on the Kimmel Cultural Campus on Broad Street, as well as The Shubert Organization’s Forrest Theatre on Walnut Street. 

The GRAMMY® Award–winning Philadelphia Orchestra and Music and Artistic Director Yannick Nézet-Séguin announced a musical journey of discovery, beauty, and inspiration. From suggesting a new perspective on the 20th-century American orchestral sound, to a more inclusive idea of composition in the 21st century, the season is imbued with Nézet-Séguin’s singular sense of joy, curiosity, and exploration.

Nézet-Séguin will open the 2023–24 season – his 12th with the Orchestra – on September 28 with a special program featuring Yo-Yo Ma performing Shostakovich’s Cello Concerto No. 1. The Opening Night Celebration is one of three appearances by Yo-Yo Ma throughout the season. Nézet-Séguin will lead the Orchestra in four world premieres, all of which were either commissioned or co-commissioned by The Philadelphia Orchestra: Brazilian-American composer Clarice Assad’s new concerto for Principal Bassoon Daniel Matsukawa (October 12 – 14, 2023); Argentinean composer Esteban Benzecry’s MUYUY, The circle of life, (December 7 – 10, 2023); GRAMMY® Award–winning composer Mason Bates’s Violin Concerto No. 2 with Gil Shaham (January 26 – 28, 2024); and Valerie Coleman’s Concerto for Orchestra, her fourth commission for the ensemble (May 30 – June 2, 2024).

The Orchestra will continue to highlight women artists throughout the season. Written in response to a changed world, Reena Esmail’s ReǀMember honors the experience of coming back together after time apart during the pandemic. Evocative and powerful, the piece is meant to feel like an overture, with inspiration from Mozart’s The Marriage of Figaro and Bernstein’s Candide (November 17 – 18, 2023). The season also includes a co-commissioned work by Pulitzer Prize–winning composer Du Yun. Her new Pipa Concerto will be performed by Wu Man in its world premiere, led by Anna Sułkowska-Migoń in her Philadelphia Orchestra debut (January 11 and 13, 2024).

Fabio Luisi will conduct Orff’s monumental portrait of life, Carmina burana (March 15 – 17, 2024). Principal Guest Conductor Nathalie Stutzmann will channel her celebrated career as a contralto as she leads performances of Mozart’s Requiem (April 26 – 28, 2024). And the season will conclude with a theatrically inspired production of Puccini’s beloved opera La bohème, led by Nézet-Séguin (June 7 and 9, 2024). In addition, the Orchestra will welcome some of the biggest stars of classical music, including John Williams, Audra McDonald, Gil Shaham, Hélène Grimaud, and more, in performances featuring beloved works. 

Other highlights include the return of the film series; Family Concerts; the 4th season of the Our City, Your Orchestra digital series – collaborations within the diverse communities of Philadelphia – and the HearTOGETHER podcast, featuring artists and activists who discuss music, social justice, and the lived experiences that inform the drive to create a more equitable and inclusive future for the arts.

Click here for more on The Philadelphia Orchestra’s 2023–24 season.

In its 8th year, the 2023-24 Family Discovery Series includes kid-friendly favorites, Broadway presentations, and thought-provoking orchestral performances – making it the most diverse to-date.

The 2023-24 Family Discovery Series includes: Wild Kratts LIVE 2.0 – Activate Creature Power! (September 23, 2023); The Philadelphia Orchestra Presents Music of Superheroes (October 14, 2023); Coco Live-to-Film Concert (October 15, 2023); Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse Live in Concert (October 24, 2023); Bluey’s Big Play (November 18 – 19, 2023); The Philadelphia Orchestra Presents Tim Burton’s The Nightmare Before Christmas (November 24 – 26, 2023); The Philadelphia Orchestra Presents Children’s Holiday Spectacular (December 16, 2023); The Philadelphia Orchestra Presents Elf in Concert (December 22 – 23, 2023); Cirque Dreams Holidaze (December 26 – 31, 2023); The Philadelphia Orchestra Presents The Young Person’s Guide to the Orchestra (February 10, 2024); Disney’s Frozen (March 21 – April 7, 2024); The Philadelphia Orchestra Presents Music from The Four Seasons (April 6, 2024); and Chloé Arnold’s Syncopated Ladies: LIVE! (April 13, 2024).

Multi-show packages for the Family Discovery Series start at just $21.00 per show. Single tickets to select Family Discovery Series shows are on sale now. Choose two or more shows and save 10%. This season's lineup is generously sponsored by Dietz & Watson. The Philadelphia Orchestra Family Concerts are funded in part by the Zisman Family Foundation.

The 2023-24 Jazz Series features award-winning, seasoned masters of their craft, along with young, innovative voices of the future. This year’s lineup showcases the ever-evolving jazz genre and emphasizes how it continues to flourish with new generations.

The 2022–23 Jazz Season includes: Samara Joy: A Joyful Holiday Featuring The McLendon Family (December 22, 2023); Jazz at Lincoln Center with Wynton Marsalis: Max Roach Centennial Celebration (January 21, 2024); Emmet Cohen Trio (March 14, 2024); Terence Blanchard: Fire Shut Up in My Bones (April 7, 2024); and Herb Alpert & Lani Hall (May 18, 2024).

The Philadelphia Orchestra and the Kimmel Cultural Campus celebrate the 2023 holiday season with an array of joyful events.

Selections across Kimmel Cultural Campus holiday offerings include: Tim Burton’s The Nightmare Before Christmas (November 24 – 26, 2023); A Very Philly Christmas (Nine shows, including December 1, 2, 9, 10, 15, 16, 17, 22, and 23, 2023); The Jinkx and DeLa Holiday Show (December 8, 2023); The Glorious Sound of Christmas® (December 14 – 16, 2023); Children’s Holiday Spectacular (December 16, 2023); Messiah (December 20 – 21, 2023); Elf in Concert (December 22 – 23, 2023); Samara Joy: A Joyful Holiday Featuring The McLendon Family (December 22, 2023); Cirque Dreams Holidaze (December 26 – 31, 2023); New Year’s Eve Celebration (December 31, 2023); and Lunar New Year (January 12, 2024).

Additional Kimmel Campus Presents shows – covering the best of comedy, dance, speakers, unique concert experiences, and more – are listed below. Highlights include Taylor Tomlinson: The Have It All Tour (September 7 – 8, 2023); Aunty Donna: The Magical Dead Cat Tour (October 7, 2023); The Moth Mainstage (October 21); Tribute to Jerry Blavat (October 21, 2023); Steve Martin & Martin Short: You Won’t Believe What They Look Like Today! (October 27, 2023); Brit Floyd: 50 Years of Dark Side (November 4, 2023); David Spade: Catch Me Inside (December 2, 2023); and Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater (February 23 – 25, 2024).

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