For the first time in five decades, SPAC has announced upcoming summer programming prior to the holiday season with the Holiday Collection. The Holiday Collection is a selection of nine incredible programs handpicked to help audiences celebrate the season. Get all the details!
A press release from SPAC stated, “Through the Holiday Collection, SPAC’s supporters, friends and audiences can join our unforgettable 2016 50th Anniversary Celebration immediately. There is no better way to support SPAC than to attend a performance in our world-renowned amphitheater. As a community, we can build the next chapter of SPAC’s ongoing story. Let’s raise the curtain on SPAC’s future together!”
Take a look at the SPAC Holiday Collection Programs:
Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, featuring Revelations – Friday, July 8 at 8 p.m.; Saturday, July 9 at 2 p.m. & 8 p.m.
The Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, recognized by the United States Congress as a vital American “Cultural Ambassador to the World,” has performed for over 23 million people in 48 states and in 71 countries on 6 continents. Their work is a celebration of the African-American cultural experience and the American modern dance tradition. This summer the company will return to SPAC for the first time since 1980, bringing with them a dynamic program including Revelations, the piece that has made the company famous around the world.
Tickets are $26 on the lawn and all amphitheater seats $55-$65. Tickets for children 12 and under in the amphitheater are $10 to Alvin Ailey.
New York City Ballet’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream – July 20 at 8 p.m.; July 22 at 8 p.m.; and July 23 at 2 p.m.
SPAC’s inaugural 1966 season will come to life once again when the New York City Ballet dances Balanchine’s unforgettable masterpiece, A Midsummer Night’s Dream during the 2016 50th Anniversary summer season. The ballet was first performed at SPAC fifty years ago at the amphitheater’s Opening Night performance on July 8, 1966.
Tickets are $26 on the lawn and start at $40 in the amphitheater.
New York City Ballet’s Jewels – Wednesday, July 27 at 8 p.m.
Jewels, the first full-length abstract ballet ever created, showcases the splendor of classical dance technique through the personification of sparkling emeralds, rubies, and diamonds. The ballet was inspired by the delicate artistry of famed French jeweler, Claude Arpels. Set to music by three different master composers: Fauré for Emeralds, Stravinsky for Rubies, and Tchaikovsky for Diamonds, the three acts are connected through the over-arching jewel motif. The work was first premiered at SPAC in 1967 and immediately became an audience favorite – a reputation that continues to this day.
Tickets are $26 on the lawn and start at $40 in the amphitheater.
The Philadelphia Orchestra’s 50th SPAC Season: Sarah Chang- Thursday, August 4 at 8 p.m.
Recognized as one of the world’s great violinists, Sarah Chang returns to SPAC to play Sibelius’s beloved Violin Concerto under the baton of one of Saratoga’s favorite conductors, Philadelphia Orchestra Principal Guest Conductor Stephane Deneve.
Since her debuts with The Philadelphia Orchestra at the age of 10 and with the New York Philharmonic at the age of eight, Chang has performed around the globe with the world’s leading orchestras, conductors, and accompanists in a career spanning more than two decades. She first performed at SPAC with The Philadelphia Orchestra when she was 10 years old.
Tickets are $26 on the lawn and start at $40 in the amphitheater.
Ratatouille in Concert – Saturday, August 6 at 8 p.m.
SPAC and The Philadelphia Orchestra present Disney and Pixar’s Academy Award-winning film Ratatouille in high-definition on the big screen while the beloved score by composer Michael Giacchino is performed live by the Orchestra.
At SPAC, the film will be shown on high definition screens in four distinct locations with movie dialogue for optimal audience viewing.
Tickets $26 on the lawn and start at $40 in the amphitheater. Tickets for children 12 and under in the amphitheater are $10 to Ratatouille in Concert.
The Firebird – Thursday, August 11 at 3 p.m. and Friday, August 12 at 8 p.m.
The Firebird was originally written as a story ballet, depicting the tale of a magical bird that saves a prince from an immortal magician and ultimately unites the prince with his true love. At SPAC, The Firebird puppet performance will feature original choreography in a contemporary African style by Jay Pather, one of South Africa’s leading contemporary choreographers. Pather’s recent work has taken him around the world to cities including Barcelona, Copenhagen, and New York.
SPAC will introduce a rare matinee performance for the Thursday, August 11 presentation of The Firebird.
The concert will be led by Cristian Macelaru, conductor-in-residence of The Philadelphia Orchestra. The Romanian-born conductor has earned numerous accolades for his artistry, including the 2012 Sir Georg Solti Emerging Conductor Award and more recently, the 2014 Solti Fellow by the Solti Foundation U.S.
Also performed at the August 11 concert will be Argentinean composer Alberto Ginastera’s Variaciones Concertantes. Composed in 1953, a politically difficult time for Ginastera in Argentina under the Perón government, his Variaciones concertantes acted as a nationalistic response to changes in Argentina. The work pays tribute to Argentinean folklore and traditional instrumentation, including the acoustic guitar.
The program will also feature Sergei Prokofiev’s “Classical” Symphony. Last heard at SPAC in 2007, the piece was composed in 1917 when Prokofiev was just 26.
Tickets $26 on the lawn and start at $40 in the amphitheater.
Renée Fleming – Thursday, August 18
Known as “the people’s diva” and winner of the 2013 GRAMMY Award for Best Classical Vocal Solo, Fleming captivates audiences with her sumptuous voice, consummate artistry, and compelling stage presence. At SPAC, Ms. Fleming will join The Philadelphia Orchestra and charismatic Music Director Yannick Nezet-Seguin who was recently named Musical America’s 2016 Artist of the Year. Widely recognized for his musicianship, dedication, and dynamic performances, Nézet-Séguin has established himself as a musical leader of the highest caliber and one of the most exciting talents of his generation. His highly collaborative style, deeply rooted musical curiosity, and boundless enthusiasm, paired with a fresh approach to orchestral programming, have been heralded by critics and audiences alike, from the Orchestra’s home in Verizon Hall to the Carnegie Hall stage. The New York Times has called him “phenomenal,” adding that under his baton, “the ensemble, famous for its glowing strings and homogenous richness, has never sounded better.”
Tickets $26 on the lawn and start at $40 in the amphitheater.
Joshua Bell and Chris Botti – Friday, August 19 at 8 p.m.
It’s a double billing of out-of-this stratosphere musicianship as two renowned Grammy winners – jazz trumpeter Chris Botti and classical violinist Joshua Bell take to the SPAC stage on Friday, August 19. Botti and Bell will deliver impassioned, ageless, genre-crossing music to SPAC concertgoers with The Philadelphia Orchestra and conductor Cristian Măcelaru.
Tickets $26 on the lawn and start at $40 in the amphitheater.
1812 Spectacular – Saturday, August 20 at 8 p.m.
The Philadelphia Orchestra finale will feature a power and intensity appropriate goodbye for another year. In keeping with time-honored tradition, the orchestra will conclude its 2016 residency with its annual performance of Tchaikovsky’s 1812 Overture complete with reenactments, live canon and fireworks.
Also featured on the program will be Johannes Brahms’ Symphony No. 2. Also called Brahms’ “Pastoral” Symphony, the work evokes the natural beauty of a summers day — the perfect imagery to conclude The Philadelphia Orchestra’s 50th season at their Saratoga summer home.
Tickets are $26 on the lawn and start at $40 in the amphitheater.
The Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center performs SPAC debut of Appalachian Spring Suite for Ensemble – Sunday, August 7 at 7 p.m
The Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center (CMS) will open their third annual SPAC residency with the SPAC debut of Aaron Copland’s iconic masterpiece, Appalachian Spring. The 2016 presentation of Appalachian Spring will mark the beloved American classic’s first live performance at SPAC. CMS performances are held in the Spa Little Theater.
Tickets start at $40.
Tickets
On Monday, November 30, “Cyber Monday,” tickets for Holiday Collection performances will become available online at spac.org.
Tickets may also be purchased in-person at the SPAC Box Office on Route 50 as part of a one-time-only Holiday Collection offering on Saturday, December 19 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. with complimentary hot chocolate.
All Holiday Collection tickets purchased online and in person prior to May 1, 2016 may receive a 10% discount by using code “Holiday.”
