PHILADELPHIA ORCHESTRA ANNOUNCES PLANS FOR OPENING NIGHT 2000, TO BE HELD SEPTEMBER 19

  Music Director Wolfgang Sawallisch Will Lead The Philadelphia Orchestra and Violinist Midori in the First Concert of the Orchestra’s 101^st Season

The Volunteer Committees for The Philadelphia Orchestra have announced their plans to celebrate the Opening Night of the Orchestra’s historic 101st season, on Tuesday, September 19, 2000.  Volunteers from all the individual Committees are coming together to present a gala evening of festivities and music under the guidance of Opening Night 2000 Chairman Mrs. William R. Dimeling (Mimi).  The Opening Night concert itself will be conducted by Music Director Wolfgang Sawallisch and will feature the celebrated violinist, Midori.

 Tickets for the Opening Night 2000 Gala are $100-$700, and a portion of the ticket price is tax-deductible.  Proceeds from the evening will benefit the Orchestra’s Pension Fund, so the Orchestra musicians are graciously donating their services for the evening.  Opening Night 2000 is generously sponsored by Janney Montgomery Scott and Delaware Investments, and Midori’s appearance is made possible by Lexus, the exclusive automotive sponsor of The Philadelphia Orchestra.

The centerpiece of every Opening Night is the concert, which will begin at 8:30 p.m.  Following the traditional opening of “The Star-Spangled Banner,” Maestro Sawallisch will lead the Orchestra in three sparkling orchestral showpieces:  the overture to Johann Strauss Jr.’s Die Fledermaus, the tone poem Vltava (The Moldau) from Semtana’s Má vlast and Sibelius’ Finlandia.  Midori will then join Maestro Sawallisch and the Orchestra for the first time since 1995 to perform Tchaikovsky’s Violin Concerto.

Tickets for the Opening Night festivities for individuals are $100, $225, $350 and $700, and invitations can be obtained by calling the Volunteer Office at (215) 893-1956.  Tickets for Corporate Patrons are $3,150 for a table of 10.  Concert-only tickets will go on sale in late summer and can be purchased by visiting the Academy Box Office or calling PhilaCharge at (215) 893-1999.