The San Diego Symphony
100 Years and Counting
The symphony probably isn’t the first thing that comes to mind when you think of San Diego. For many visitors, palm trees, beaches and sunsets tend to overshadow theaters, museums and concert halls. I myself had no idea that my city was home to California’s oldest existing orchestra, the San Diego Symphony, which celebrates its centennial this December.
It was my parents who pointed this out during their visit in August. They’d met a Broadway vocalist at JFK Airport who was traveling to sing in a concert called “Bravo Broadway Rocks!” The performance was part of the Bridgepoint Education Summer Pops 2010 series, more than 20 shows put on by the San Diego Symphony and guests. Curious, I added the event to our weekend itinerary.
Now that I’ve experienced the San Diego Symphony in its summer venue, the Embarcadero Marina Park South, the connection between entrancing music and “America’s Finest City” makes perfect sense. There we sat in our cabaret-style seats (a table and four chairs), taking in the grand stage before us, the city skyline and 466-slip marina to our right, and the San Diego Bay, illuminated by passing boats, to our left. A more captivating outdoor concert site was hard to imagine.
With a wine glass in my hand and a throw blanket on my lap (summer evenings in San Diego can get chilly), I was content. Had I known to order ahead for Wolfgang Puck catering – a new addition this year – it would have been the perfect evening.
It came pretty close, regardless. Throughout the roughly two-hour concert we heard hits from Broadway shows like “Rent,” “ Wicked,” “Hairspray,” and “Phantom of the Opera,” led by guest conductor Craig Fleischer (Matthew Garbutt is the Principal Summer Pops Conductor). Vocalists included my parent’s new friend, Capathia Jenkins, who debuted in Broadway’s “The Civil War”; Rob Evan, a past star of “Jekyll and Hyde”; Hugh Panaro, who played the Phantom in the Broadway production of “Phantom of the Opera”; and Anne Runolfsson, whose Broadway credits include Les Miserables and Phantom. It was a level of talent I hadn’t expected, especially considering the affordable $32 ticket price.
Seats for the Summer Pops performances, which run from July through September, range from $17 for picnic-style seats on the lawn to $76 for a coveted spot in the Champagne section, which is closest to the stage and includes table service and a complimentary glass of champagne. (Note: There’s also a bar and food court on the premises, in addition to the aforementioned call-ahead catering). For those with obstructed views, there are large screens broadcasting the production on either side of the stage and on the lawn.
For some of the popular 2010 shows, San Diegans and tourists staying at one of the many hotels within walking distance came to sit outside the venue and listen for free. Among standout concerts were Abba and Queen tribute shows; the “Star Spangled Pops” Fourth of July celebration; and “Distant Worlds: Music from Final Fantasy,” timed to coincide with the Comic-Con International show that takes over San Diego each summer. Stars the likes of Leann Rimes, Burt Bacharach and Broadway crooner Michael Feinstein even made appearances this summer.
As all good things must come to end, however, the Summer Pops final show of the season – the “1812 Tchaikovsky Spectacular”—took place September 3-5. Besides paying homage to the “1812 Overture,” the event featured violin prodigy Chad Hoopes, who at the ripe age of 15 has performed with numerous ensembles throughout the world. It also highlighted San Diego’s military presence, enlisting brass players from the U.S. Navy Band Southwest and members of the U.S. Marines, who fired Howitzer cannons to accompany the traditional fireworks finale. Ending the summer on a high note, the explosive event could be heard from my balcony in Little Italy, several neighborhoods north.
Venue of Note
The San Diego Symphony, which call’s downtown’s historic Copley Symphony Hall it’s year-round home, has experienced a rebirth since the early-90s that has elevated its status on the world stage. Since 1992, the symphony has played a televised concert at Mexico’s Chichen Itza ruins; toured the West Coast with Andrea Bocelli; and performed with major talents like Yo-Yo Ma and Charlotte Church.
The event credited most for taking the San Diego Symphony to new heights, however, was the announcement of the single largest donation ever made to a symphony orchestra, totaling $120 million. The 2002 gift marked the launch of the symphony’s New World Endowment Campaign and enabled them to secure internationally renowned conductor Maestro Jahja Ling as music director, under contract through 2010.