LIVE AT SPAC: 2025 Philadelphia Orchestra Season – Tchaikovsky, Holst, Gershwin & Bernstein with Appearances by Female Powerhouse Vocalists Laufey, Cynthia Erivo, Renée Fleming

SARATOGA SPRINGS — Saratoga Performing Arts Center announced the return of The Philadelphia Orchestra to its summer home in Saratoga for a three-week residency from Aug. 6 – Aug. 23. 

The artistically ambitious season will feature a mix of masterworks from the classical canon alongside SPAC premieres and appearances by a diverse and international slate of today’s most exciting artists and conductors.  

“Our 2025 Philadelphia Orchestra season is marked by a strong presence of today’s most exciting and acclaimed female artists. From the return of Marin Alsop, one of the great conductors of our time, to the appearance of three world-class vocalists from across the sonic spectrum – Laufey, Cynthia Erivo, and Renée Fleming – we look forward to bringing the unparalleled artistry of these women to our stage,” Elizabeth Sobol, SPAC’s President & CEO said in a statement. 

Philadelphia Orchestra Music and Artistic Director Yannick Nézet-Séguin will return to the podium Aug. 13 to begin the season and lead programs exclusive to SPAC. 

THE PHILADELPHIA ORCHESTRA: August 6 – August 23:

Aug. 6: Tchaikovsky Spectacular. Marin Alsop, conductor, Hai-Ye Ni, cello.  Selections from The Nutcracker, Variations on a Rococo Theme, for cello and orchestra, Hamlet Overture, 1812 Overture

AUG. 7: The Planets. Marin Alsop, conductor, Randall Goosby, violin, Sopranos and Altos of the Albany Pro Musica.  Clyne – Masquerade, Mendelssohn- Violin Concerto, Holst – The Planets.   

Aug. 8: Gershwin & Bernstein. Marin Alsop, conductor, Clayton Stephenson, piano. Cuban Overture, Symphonic Dances from West Side Story, Piano Concerto in F.  

Aug. 9: Laufey: A Night at the Symphony with The Philadelphia Orchestra. Laufey, vocalist.  Jazz singer, composer, multi-instrumentalist, and producer Laufey brings sonic journey performing alongside The Philadelphia Orchestra for her new “Night at the Symphony” program. 

Aug. 13: Stravinsky, Rachmaninoff & Still. Yannick Nézet-Séguin, conductor, Beatrice Rana, piano. Suite from The Firebird, Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini, for piano and orchestra, Symphony No. 2 (“Song of a New Race.”) 

Aug. 14: Verdi’s Requiem with Yannick. Yannick Nézet-Séguin, conductor, Ailyn Pérez, soprano, Sasha Cooke, mezzo-soprano, Matthew Polenzani, tenor , Alfred Walker*, bass-baritone , Albany Pro Musica

Aug. 15: Renée Fleming with The Philadelphia Orchestra. Robert Moody, conductor, Renée Fleming, soprano. One of the most beloved and celebrated singers of our time Renée Fleming returns to SPAC with an all-new program alongside The Philadelphia Orchestra. This performance begins with inspiration from the album Voice of Nature: the Anthropocene, in which Fleming explores humankind’s evolving relationship with nature, performing works from ranging from Handel to Björk and The Lord of the Rings, with a projected film created for the program by National Geographic. The second half of the program features beloved arias and songs, from Puccini to Rodgers and Hammerstein.

Aug. 16: Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince in Concert. Justin Freer, conductor. Hooper                                      Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince (complete with film). The Harry Potter Film Concert Series returns with Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince in Concert. Displayed on a giant screen and accompanied by The Philadelphia Orchestra. Nicholas Hooper returns to the Harry Potter series with this magical score.  

Aug. 20: Beethoven’s Fifth, Naomi Woo, conductor, Sheku Kanneh-Mason, cello. Coleridge-Taylor – Ballade in A minor, Saint-Saëns – Cello Concerto No. 1, Beethoven – Symphony No. 5.  

Aug. 21: Copland & Bates with Time for Three and Teddy Abrams. Teddy Abrams, conductor. Time for Three: Ranaan Meyer, double bass, Nick Kendall, violin, Charles Yang, violin. Barber – Adagio for Strings, Copland – Appalachian Spring Suite, Bates – Silicon Hymnal, for string trio and orchestra. 

Aug. 22: An Evening with Cynthia Erivo & The Philadelphia Orchestra. Steven Reineke, conductor, Cynthia Erivo, vocalist. Known for her powerhouse performances on both stage and screen, Cynthia Erivo is celebrated for her transformative roles in numerous works, including The Color Purple, Harriet, and most recently, the widely celebrated film adaptation of Wicked. With her appearance, alongside the full Philadelphia Orchestra, she gives voice to music made famous by the greatest singers of all time, including Nina Simone, Aretha Franklin, Etta James, and Tina Turner, in addition to Broadway hits and her original songs.

Aug. 23: Back to the Future in Concert. Steven Reineke, conductor. Silvestri – Back to the Future in Concert (complete with film). Fans old and new will experience the thrill of Back to the Future on a big high-def screen with The Philadelphia Orchestra performing Alan Silvestri’s dazzling musical score live. 

Tickets to “Laufey: A Night at the Symphony” will be available Feb. 28. Tickets to all other Philadelphia Orchestra performances will be available beginning on Feb. 27 for members (tiered by level) and on March 7 at 10 a.m. for the general public. 

 All performances are at 7:30 p.m. For tickets and more information, go to: spac.org.