Domingo Makes Hollywood Bowl Conducting Debut with the Los Angeles Philharmonic

TUESDAY, AUGUST 25, 2009, AT 8 PM

Media Sponsors: KUSC, Telefutura and Univision

In a history-making event at the Hollywood Bowl, living legends Plácido Domingo and Yo-Yo Ma perform together for the very first time, Tuesday, August 25, at 8 p.m. The occasion also marks Domingo’s Hollywood Bowl conducting debut as he leads the Los Angeles Philharmonic in Dvorák’s Cello Concerto featuring Ma, and Tchaikovsky’s Symphony No. 5.

Plácido Domingo, world-renowned as one of the finest and most influential singing actors in the history of opera, is also a respected conductor and a major force as an opera administrator. Newsweek and other international publications have fittingly described him as “the King of Opera,” “a true renaissance man in music,” and “the greatest operatic artist of modern times.” As a singer, Domingo’s repertoire encompasses 130 stage roles – a number unmatched by any other celebrated tenor in history. His extensive work in the recording studio has earned him 11 Grammy awards, two of which are in the newly established Latin Grammys. In addition to the three feature opera films: Carmen, La Traviata and Otello, he voiced the role of “Monte,” the Chihuahua leader, in Disney’s Beverly Hills Chihuahua, played himself in the long-running television show The Simpsons, and his telecast of Tosca from the authentic settings in Rome was seen by more than one billion people in 117 different countries. He has conducted many opera performances with The Metropolitan Opera, Covent Garden, the Vienna State Opera and Los Angeles Opera, among others, and symphonic concerts with the Chicago Symphony, the Vienna Philharmonic, the Montréal Symphony, National Symphony, London Symphony, Berlin Philharmonic and numerous other orchestras.

Yo-Yo Ma is arguably the most accomplished cellist of modern times. His discography of more than 75 albums (including more than 15 Grammy-winners) include many successful recordings that defy categorization, among them Hush with Bobby McFerrin, Appalachia Waltz and Appalachian Journey with Mark O’Connor and Edgar Meyer, and two Grammy-winning tributes to the music of Brazil, Obrigado Brazil and Obrigado Brazil – Live in Concert. Across this full range of releases Mr. Ma remains one of the best-selling recording artists in the classical field. All of his recent albums have quickly entered the Billboard chart of classical best sellers, remaining in the Top 15 for extended periods, often with as many as four titles simultaneously on the list. He has received numerous awards, including the Avery Fisher Prize (1978), the Glenn Gould Prize (1999), the National Medal of the Arts (2001), the Dan David Prize (2006), the Sonning Prize (2006) and the World Economic Forum’s Crystal Award (2008). Appointed a CultureConnect Ambassador by the United States Department of State in 2002, Mr. Ma has met with, trained and mentored thousands of students worldwide in countries including Lithuania, Korea, Lebanon, Azerbaijan and China. In 2006, Secretary General Kofi Annan named him a U.N. Messenger of Peace; in 2007, Secretary General Ban Ki-moon extended his appointment. In January 2009, at the invitation of President-Elect Barack Obama, Ma played in the quartet performance of John Williams’ Air and Simple Gifts at the 56th Inaugural Ceremony.

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 is home to the best and brightest in all genres of music. The 2004 season introduced audiences to a revitalized Hollywood Bowl, featuring a newly-constructed shell and stage and the addition of four stadium screens enhancing stage views in the venue. To this day, $1 buys a seat at the top of the Bowl for many of the Los Angeles Philharmonic's concerts. While the Bowl is best known for its sizzling summer nights, during the day California's youngest patrons enjoy "SummerSounds: Music for Kids at the Hollywood Bowl," the Southland's most popular summer arts festival for children, now in its 42nd season. In January 2009, the Hollywood Bowl was named Best Major Outdoor Concert Venue for the fifth year in a row at the 20th Annual Pollstar Concert Industry Awards; the Bowl's summer music festival has become as much a part of a Southern California summer as beaches and barbecues, the Dodgers, and Disneyland.

EDITORS PLEASE NOTE:

TUESDAY, AUGUST 25, 2009, AT 8 PM

HOLLYWOOD BOWL, 2301 N. Highland Ave. in Hollywood



LOS ANGELES PHILHARMONIC

PLÁCIDO DOMINGO, conductor

YO-YO MA, cello



DVORÁK Cello Concerto

TCHAIKOVSKY Symphony No. 5



Media Sponsors: KUSC, Telefutura and Univision

Tickets ($1 - $96) are on sale now at HollywoodBowl.com, at the Hollywood Bowl Box Office (Tuesday–Saturday, 12 p.m.–6 p.m.), or by calling Ticketmaster at 800.745.3000, and at all Ticketmaster outlets. Groups of 10 or more may be eligible for a 20% discount, subject to availability; call 323.850.2050 for further details or group sales. For general information or to request a brochure, call 323.850.2000.

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