San Diego Symphony Announces 2022 Season at The Rady Shell

The San Diego Symphony announced today its 2022 Conrad Prebys Summer Season of concerts at The Rady Shell at Jacobs Park, the orchestra's new, captivating waterfront venue that opened August 2021. The exciting lineup marks the second official season at The Rady Shell, running June through the end of September, with additional programming planned through the end of 2022 - including its annual Día de los Muertos concert and holiday concerts returning December 2022. From classical concerts to Broadway, jazz, R&B, film and rock, the programmatically-diverse season will highlight the city's world-class orchestra, showcase some of the world's top musical talents, and further establish the venue as a vital music destination for the region.

"Opening our long-awaited venue last summer - The Rady Shell at Jacobs Park - was an indescribable moment, and it marked a new chapter for the San Diego Symphony, community and region," said Martha Gilmer, San Diego Symphony CEO. "As we approach the 2022 Conrad Prebys Summer Season, we are ecstatic to be able to bring together Rafael Payare and the San Diego Symphony with magnificent guest artists across many musical genres, from Joyce Yang to Common, as well as Boyz II Men and Jennifer Hudson. The 2022 summer season will have more concerts than in any previous year. We can't wait to welcome our public back to our amazing venue this June - a special place where there is truly something for everyone."

On the heels of launching a landmark venue, the San Diego Symphony's outdoor season at The Rady Shell at Jacobs Park will kick off June 24 with Rafael Payare conducting the orchestra in a West Coast premiere piano concerto by Venezuelan American composer Reinaldo Moya featuring GRAMMY®-nominated pianist Joyce Yang and Mussorgsky's Pictures at an Exhibition. The weekend will continue June 25 with R&B icons Boyz II Men alongside the San Diego Symphony, conducted by Christopher Dragon and will conclude on June 26 with Straight, No Chaser: The Music of Thelonious Monk featuring Gilbert Castellanos.

"Making music at our new, iconic outdoor home is profoundly joyous and powerful," said Rafael Payare, San Diego Symphony Music Director. "This year marks the venue's first full season of programming, and we have some incredible works in store-from long-standing traditions of the Tchaikovsky 1812 Spectacular and Beethoven by the Bay, to performances with wonderful artists like Jennifer Hudson, as well as Flying Lotus and Hiatus Kaiyote. The momentum continues for our city and orchestra, the possibilities are endless!"

Season Highlights Include:

Acclaimed Artists with the San Diego Symphony

A full roster of world-class artists will perform alongside the San Diego Symphony this season, including GRAMMY®-award winning rapper and activist Common conducted by Damon Gupton (July 3); soul-F&B group Tower of Power with funk band Lettuce conducted by Christopher Dragon (July 7); Broadway star Megan Hilty performing songs by famed Hello, Dolly! composer Jerry Herman, conducted by Rob Fisher (July 8); legendary rock band The Beach Boys conducted by Sean O'Loughlin (Aug. 6); Broadway icon Bernadette Peters conducted by Marvin Laird (Aug. 7); multilingual fusion group Pink Martini conducted by Stuart Chafetz (Aug. 18); composer and GRAMMY®-award winning producer Flying Lotus and alt-soul band Hiatus Kaiyote, conducted by Christopher Dragon (Aug. 23); and famed actress and singer Jennifer Hudson conducted by Steven Reineke (Aug. 28).

Can't-Miss Performances

The broad range of performances will also shine a spotlight on R&B/funk band Kool & the Gang (July 4); bluesy-rock songstress Joss Stone (July 17); the orchestral world premiere of Get Happy: Michael Feinstein Celebrates the Judy Garland Centennial with Ted Sperling (July 16); country superstar Sheryl Crow with blues star Keb' Mo' (Aug. 2); singer-songwriter Elvis Costello & The Imposters with special guest Nick Lowe and Los Straitjackets (Aug. 31); flamenco pop group Gipsy Kings featuring Nicolas Reyes (Aug. 21); soulful vocalist and guitarist George Benson, WAR and The Commodores (Aug. 27) and many more. An amazing, music-filled weekend of Classic Albums Live will include Pink Floyd - The Wall with an appearance by the San Diego Children's Choir (Sept. 10) and The Beatles - Let it Be (Sept. 11).

Classical Works

Enjoy the sounds of Beethoven while taking in a sunset on the San Diego Bay with the Symphony's summer favorite Beethoven by the Bay conducted by Edo De Waart (July 15). A program titled Philharmonia Fantastique (August 5) will feature a dynamic program including Valerie Coleman's Umoja-Anthem of Unity, Bernstein's Symphonic Dances from West Side Story, and two works by composer and DJ Mason Bates: his Soundcheck in C Major-the first work performed at the Opening Night Celebration of The Rady Shell at Jacobs Park in 2021, specifically commissioned for the Symphony and the venue-and Philharmonia Fantastique: The Making of an Orchestra, which features dazzling visuals. Audiences will revel in Music Director Rafael Payare leading the Orchestra in the 1812 Tchaikovsky Spectacular (Aug. 26), featuring works by Tchaikovsky including Francesca da Rimini and the 1812 Overture.

Movies by the Bay

As part of its film series, the San Diego Symphony will perform a variety of magical movie scores live, while the entire film plays on-screen in high definition. Marvel Studios' global sensation and cultural phenomenon Black Panther In Concert will be shown, performed by the Orchestra and conducted by Anthony Parnther (July 1). Other notable movies include the timeless classic Toy Story In Concert conducted by Susie Benchasil Seiter (July 2); two evenings of Harry Potter and The Deathly Hallows™ - Part 1 In Concert conducted by John Jesensky (July 29 and July 30); and romantic tale The Princess Bride In Concert conducted by David Newman (August 12).

Holiday Traditions

Programming at The Rady Shell at Jacobs Park will continue throughout October, November and December, including a special Día de los Muertos (October 30) performance, in addition to its beloved holiday programming in the month of December. This 2022 season will mark only the second time in the Symphony's history that its holiday programming - including San Diego's long-standing tradition Noel Noel-will be held outdoors, in a beautiful setting along the Embarcadero. The full holiday season lineup will be announced at a later date.

Free Events at The Rady Shell at Jacobs Park
The San Diego Symphony will present free events at The Rady Shell at Jacobs Park throughout the year, including a Mother's Day concert, conducted by Conner Covington and a Memorial Day Concert. Details for these and other events will be announced at a later date.

For the full season of concerts, visit www.TheShell.org.

Ticketing and Pricing

Subscription packages for the 2022 season are currently on sale, and include Friday, Saturday and Sunday packages, as well as weekday packages and a jazz package. Single tickets for subscription concerts go on sale May while single tickets for special events go on sale April 12. Tickets range from $20-$270 based on seat location and artist (prices subject to change). To view or purchase subscription packages, visit www.TheShell.org or call the ticket office at 619-235-0804.

Capacity + Rentals

The average capacity for concerts throughout the 2022 season (between June and October) is 4,700 - a 30 percent increase in capacity from 2021 - allowing for more approachably-priced tickets in The Rady Shell's Bridgeview section. The average capacity for concerts between October 1 and December 31 is 3,500, while lawn capacity for all concerts is 300.

In addition to concerts the Symphony is presenting, there are a number of rental concerts at The Rady Shell including Olivia Rodrigo, Leon Bridges, Ben Platt, Norah Jones, Los Van Van, and more. Capacity for rental concerts expands to 8,500.

Food & Beverage

Rady Shell at Jacobs Park's culinary program, The Shell Provisions, offers an impressive range of local specialties in partnership with some of the city's most popular purveyors including celebrity Chef Richard Blais, URBAN KITCHEN Group, Biga, Lola55, Achilles Coffee Roasters and more. In addition to top-notch food and beverage selections, The Shell Provisions at the Prebys Plaza Dining Pavilion and Market boasts new state-of-the-art kitchens and incredible dining spaces, allowing concertgoers to enjoy some of the best tastes San Diego has to offer, while taking in the beautiful sights and sounds of the city.

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