Peter Nero and the Philly Pops� sizzle
this summer at The Mann Center
for the Performing Arts
04/17/2007Peter and The POPS open the Mann Center�s summer season with original Dreamgirl Jennifer Holliday on June 1
The von Trapp Children carry on their family tradition of song on July 31
This summer Peter Nero and the Philly Pops� returns to the newly renovated Mann Center for the Performing Arts with two exciting concerts. On June 1, they open the Mann Center�s summer season with
Jennifer Holliday, star of the original Broadway production of
Dreamgirls. A concert on July 31 features
the von Trapp Children as special guests. As the great-grandchildren of Captain von Trapp, they keep their family tradition alive by singing concerts around the world. Brilliant fireworks will light up the skies over the Mann Center, closing both POPS concerts.
One Night Only! The Original Dreamgirl � Jennifer Holliday
Peter Nero and the Philly Pops showcase
Jennifer Holliday, one of the biggest and most powerful soul voices of the last 25 years. It was her triumphant role as Effie in the original Broadway smash Dreamgirls that made her a star. Now she brings her powerhouse voice for �One Night Only� and joins Peter Nero and the Philly Pops for one show-stopping night! Fireworks follow the performance (Friday, June 1, 2007, 8:00 p.m.).
At age 21, Ms. Holliday won a Tony Award� for her portrayal of Effie and her first Grammy� for �And I�m Telling You I�m Not Going.� Her second Grammy� came three years later for her rendition of Duke Ellington�s �Come Sunday.� Currently, Ms. Holliday gives concerts throughout the world. She has guest-starred on
Ally McBeal and has also appeared on
Ellen, Hang Time, and
Touched by an Angel. She made her film debut in
The Rising Place, an independent film for Flatland Pictures. Ms. Holliday has performed in the PBS primetime specials �The Singer and the Song: Live from the White House� and �My Favorite Broadway: The Leading Ladies Live from Carnegie Hall.�
The Hills Are Alive � The von Trapp Children
Peter Nero and the Philly Pops make the hills of Fairmount Park come alive with the beautiful voices of the great-grandchildren of Captain von Trapp. Their inspirational story captivated the world in the Rodgers and Hammerstein musical
The Sound of Music.
The von Trapp Children now perpetuate the legend and tradition of their family through song and dance. It�s a perfect night for families of
all generations! Fireworks follow the performance (Tuesday, July 31, 2007, 8:00 p.m.).
The von Trapp Children � Sofia (18), Melanie (16), Amanda (15), and Justin (12) � perform a variety of folk and classical songs from various European and American traditions, as well as selections from
The Sound of Music. Sold-out crowds have carried them into some of the world�s most prestigious theaters, including the Sydney Opera House, on a tour that took them to Europe, Australia, New Zealand, Japan, and Korea. They have recorded three albums:
The von Trapp Children, Vol. 1; The von Trapp Children, Vol. 2; and
Christmas with The von Trapp Children (set for re-release in fall 2007).
Peter Nero and the Philly Pops
On January 27, 2007,
Peter Nero performed on the Academy of Music 150th Anniversary Concert, joining rock icon Rod Stewart from the piano on �They Can�t Take That Away from Me.� Maestro Nero was a guest soloist on Mr. Stewart�s second of four recordings,
As Time Goes By ... The Great American Songbook, Vol. 2.
A two-time Grammy� Award-winner, Mr. Nero has built an impressive career as a conductor, arranger, composer, and master pianist. �If he weren�t such a superb musician, Peter Nero might be easy to dismiss as a mere great entertainer,� notes Peter Dobrin, music critic for the
Philadelphia Inquirer. For his ability to pick just the right material, Mr. Nero most recently was dubbed �Dr. Feelgood.� Named �the epitome of the Pops Conductor/Performer� by the
Washington Post, Mr. Nero won the Grammy� Award for �Best New Artist� in 1961, another in 1962, and since that time has garnered 10 additional nominations and released 67 albums. Mr. Nero�s recent guest performances include engagements with the Toledo Symphony, the National Arts Centre Symphony in Ottawa, the Charlotte Symphony, the Buffalo Philharmonic, and the Baltimore Symphony, among others. He has made numerous television appearances on national networks as well as PBS. He is the recipient of six honorary doctorates and in 1999 received the Pennsylvania Distinguished Arts Award.
One of America�s premier pops orchestras,
Peter Nero and the Philly Pops was founded in 1979 under the musical leadership of Mr. Nero, whose unique talents and innovative programming blending all musical genres have made their concerts widely popular in the pops world. POPS concerts run the gamut from great classics to jazz improvisation, big band to Broadway hits, ragtime to rock �n� roll. Mr. Nero�s participation as piano soloist has been received with boundless enthusiasm and acclaim. Guest artists�both established stars as well as outstanding new vocalists from Broadway and the concert stage�join The POPS each season. The Voices of The POPS, the resident vocal group, has become a member of the Philly Pops family as well.
Peter Nero and the Philly Pops is the Official Pops Orchestra of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and a significant part of Philadelphia�s cultural scene. The POPS has produced continuously growing and loyal audiences and performs to regularly sold-out crowds as a resident company of The Kimmel Center for the Performing Arts.
On July 4, 2006, Peter Nero and the Philly Pops performed a free outdoor concert on the Benjamin Franklin Parkway. Their concert on the Parkway the previous Independence Day, featuring Sir Elton John, Patti LaBelle, and Bryan Adams, reached over a half million people. Other notables who have joined them for past city celebrations include James Earl Jones, Ossie Davis and Ruby Dee, Ray Charles, Boyz II Men, and Dionne Warwick.
During the 2003-04 season, Peter Nero and the Philly Pops celebrated its 25th anniversary. One of the most significant events of that year was the signing of a three-CD contract with DRG Records, making them one of only a few orchestras in the country with such a deal. Peter and The POPS had the honor of performing at the opening of the National Constitution Center in 2003, and participating in National Public Radio�s nation-wide radio broadcast on July 4, 2002. Another highlight took place in April 2002, when Astronaut and U.S. Senator John Glenn made a guest appearance in a special performance of Peter�s original composition
Voyage into Space. Peter and The POPS were featured on ABC-TV�s �Independence Day 2001,� a live, star-studded national broadcast, sharing the stage with such luminaries as Michael Douglas, Morgan Freeman, Kevin Spacey, Whoopi Goldberg, and Garth Brooks.
More information about Peter Nero and the Philly Pops can be found at www.phillypops.org.
PETER NERO AND THE PHILLY POPS�
ONE NIGHT ONLY! THE
ORIGINAL DREAMGIRL JENNIFER HOLLIDAY
The Mann Center for the Performing Arts
June 1 at 8:00 p.m. � Friday evening
Peter Nero and the Philly Pops
Peter Nero,
conductor and pianist
Jennifer Holliday,
vocalist
Tickets: $20-$70 (general admission lawn tickets: $10), 215.893.1999 or www.manncenter.org
PETER NERO AND THE PHILLY POPS�
THE HILLS ARE ALIVE � THE VON TRAPP CHILDREN
The Mann Center for the Performing Arts
July 31 at 8:00 p.m. � Tuesday evening
Peter Nero and the Philly Pops
Peter Nero,
conductor and pianist
The von Trapp Children
Tickets: $20-$70 (general admission lawn tickets: $10), 215.893.1999 or www.manncenter.org
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