Expect fireworks

By Charlene Baldridge | SDUN Reporter

Each summer, San Diego Symphony helps define the arts alfresco with Bridgepoint Education’s Summer Pops at Embarcadero Marina Park. This season’s festivities commence Independence Day weekend with Principal Pops Conductor Marvin Hamlish’s “Star-Spangled Pops” (July 1, 2, 3). Special guests include vocalist LaKisha Jones and David Hernandez, from “American Idol,”who will sing all-American hits from Broadway and beyond, accompanied by the orchestra. One may safely expect John Philip Sousa’s rousing marches and fireworks.

Summer Pops with Resident Pops Conductor Matthew Garbutt, San Diego Symphony and special guests continues through Labor Day weekend, with pleasing variety and appeal from week to week. The site is gorgeous, with a view of the San Diego skyline to the right and San Diego Bay to the left, rife with small and large craft sailing by. Big screens on either side of the stage offer close ups of performers and orchestra members as they perform.

Curtain time is 7:30 and the grounds open at 5:30. Patrons may picnic on the grass ($17 lawn seating)
or purchase comestibles at the food court adjacent to the performance site, where there are picnic tables and pre-performance entertainment. Wolfgang Puck catering booths inside the performance site are also an option, and gourmet meals may be pre-ordered. Seating options include the grandstand ($20), Cabaret ($32-$58) and, if one is feeling flush, Champagne cabaret seating ($76) with table service is available. Subscriptions are available and individual tickets and meals may be purchased at sandiegosymphony.org, where one can also find a further range of services, complete concert calendar, parking suggestions and site restrictions.

Listing of concerts and selected special events:

Fri.–Sat., July 8-9: Motown’s Greatest Hits with Spectrum and Radiance

Fri.-Sat., July 15-16: Michael Feinstein, the great interpreter of the Great American Songbook, sings Gershwin, Porter…and more

Thurs., July 21: (Special start time 8 p.m.) Composer Tan Dun conducts his own works in a program titled “Martial Arts Trilogy” including scenes from “Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon,” “Hero” and “The Banquet,” while Tan and the orchestra play the music.

Fri.–Sat., July 22-23: Cirque Musical: A Symphonic Circus by the Bay (8 p.m. special start time) with aerialists and acrobats from Ringling Bros./Barnum & Bailey and Cirque du Soleil, accompanied by the orchestra

July 29-30: “Super Diamond: a Tribute to Neil Diamond”

Sun., July 31-Sun., July 31: a Pops special attraction “Rhapsody in Blue” with jazz pianist Elder Janeiro

Fri.-Sat., Aug. 5-6: Broadway’s Tony winners, with vocalists Debbie Gravitte, Christian Noll and Doug LeBrecque, San Diego Men’s Chorus and conductor Randall Craig Fleischer

Sun., Aug. 7: In person, songwriter Burt Bacharach presents “That’s What Friends Are For” with the orchestra conducted by Matt Garbutt.

Fri.–Sat., Aug. 12-13: Dennis DeYoung “Music of Styx” Veteran singer/songwriter Dennis DeYoung joins San Diego Symphony to perform Styx’s greatest hits, including “Come Sail Away.”

Sun., Aug. 14: Special “Pops Goes Classical: Passport to the World: A Night in Russia,” with pianist Gustavo Romero

Fri.–Sat., Aug. 19-20: Beatles Tribute: Classical Mystery Tour with conductor Marvin Herman, a British Invasion concert

Sun., Aug. 21: Special “Ozomatli: Cultural Ambassadors” in a concert featuring salsa, samba and funk

Thurs., Aug. 25: The Music of the Rolling Stones with Matthew Garbutt and the orchestra

Fri.-Sat., Aug. 26-27: “Wynonna” Country singer Wynonna Judd in person singing songs from her 10 albums

All concerts begin at 7:30 p.m. For a complete schedule, visit sandiegosymphony.org or call (619) 235-0804.