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Home , Athol Fugard, A Class Act, Drama Desk Award, Faith Prince, Jerry Hadley, Lonny Price

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE November 5, 2012 : Katherine E. Johnson (212) 875-5718; [email protected]

New Year’s Eve Concert, December 31

ONE SINGULAR SENSATION: CELEBRATING Philharmonic To Salute Late -Conductor

Starring JOSHUA BELL, RAÚL ESPARZA, MICHAEL FEINSTEIN, , , MEGAN HILTY, AUDRA MCDONALD, KELLI O’HARA, AND To Conduct and To Direct

Concert To Be Nationally Telecast on Live From Hosted by Audra McDonald

The will present One Singular Sensation: Celebrating Marvin Hamlisch, a special New Year’s Eve concert saluting the late composer-conductor. The Orchestra will be joined by Marvin Hamlisch’s friends and collaborators, including Joshua Bell, Raúl Esparza, Michael Feinstein, Maria Friedman, Josh Groban, Megan Hilty, Audra McDonald, Kelli O’Hara, and Frederica von Stade performing repertoire from Mr. Hamlisch’s works for stage and film, including and Sweet Smell of Success. Paul Gemignani will conduct and Lonny Price will direct the performance Monday, December 31, 2012, at 7:30 p.m. The concert will be telecast nationally on with host Audra McDonald on PBS stations at 8:00 p.m. [check local listings]. More details will be announced at a later date.

Before his passing, August 6, 2012, at the age of 68, Marvin Hamlisch was originally scheduled to host and conduct this year’s annual New Year’s Eve concert. A Philharmonic friend and generous supporter, Mr. Hamlisch appeared with the Orchestra four times, conducting a total of 40 songs including selections from A Chorus Line, for which he won a and Tony Award. Anticipating his second appearance with the Philharmonic, Mr. Hamlisch said in 2009: “Any time you get a chance to work with the New York Philharmonic, you say a prayer of thanks. I had a wonderful rapport with the musicians and I’m thrilled to be back.”

A portion of the proceeds from sales of all tickets to the New Year’s Eve concert is tax deductible and will go towards supporting the New York Philharmonic’s education activities, in honor of Marvin Hamlisch. (more)

One Singular Sensation: Celebrating Marvin Hamlisch / 2 Artists As a composer, Marvin Hamlisch won virtually every major award that exists: three Oscars, four Grammys, four Emmys, a Tony, and three Golden Globe awards. For Broadway he wrote the music for his groundbreaking show A Chorus Line, which received the Pulitzer Prize, as as They’re Playing Our Song, The Goodbye Girl, and Sweet Smell of Success. He was the composer of more than 40 film scores, including his Oscar-winning score and song for The Way We Were and his adaptation of Scott Joplin’s music for The , for which he received a third Oscar. His prolific output of scores for films includes original compositions and/or musical adaptations for Sophie’s Choice, Ordinary People, The Swimmer, Three Men and a , Ice Castles, Take the Money and Run, Bananas, Save the Tiger, and The Informant!, starring Matt Damon and directed by Steven Soderbergh. Mr. Hamlisch was musical director and arranger of ’s 1994 concert tour of the U.S. and England as well as of the television special Barbra Streisand: The Concert (for which he received two of his Emmys). Marvin Hamlisch held the position of principal pops conductor for the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra, Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra, Dallas Symphony Orchestra, Pasadena Symphony and Pops, Seattle Symphony, San Diego Symphony, The Buffalo Philharmonic, and The National Symphony Orchestra in Washington, D.C. At the time of his passing he was on a film project about Liberace, starring Michael Douglas and Matt Damon and directed by Steven Soderbergh. Hamlisch was a graduate of The and Queens College (where he earned a bachelor’s of arts degree). He believed in the power of music to bring people together.

Paul Gemignani has been the music director for more than 40 Broadway and West End shows, including , , , , , , , Merrily We Roll Along, , Sunday in the Park with George, , , , and Kiss Me Kate. Mr. Gemignani has made recordings with the American Orchestra in addition to many cast ; appeared as guest conductor with numerous orchestras; and is a regular guest conductor at the , Lyric Opera of , Royal Opera , and the . His film work has included Sweeney Todd starring , Kramer vs. Kramer, Reds, and Eyewitness. Mr. Gemignani received the 2001 Tony Award for Lifetime Achievement in the Theater, the Drama Critics Award (1994), and a special (1989) for “consistently outstanding musical direction and commitment to the theater.” In 2003 he was awarded an honorary doctorate of musical arts from the School of Music; in 2006 he received a Prime Time Emmy Award for Best Musical Direction for a presentation of ; and the Drama League of New York honored him for Distinguished Achievement in in 2008. Mr. Gemignani served as the music director of the New York Philharmonic’s concert performance of ’s Follies in September 1985; in May 2008 he was the conductor and music supervisor of the Orchestra’s semi-staged performances of ; and in March 2010 he conducted the Philharmonic’s production of SONDHEIM: The Birthday Concert, which aired on PBS and was released on DVD in November 2010. On January 24, 2011, he was inducted into the American Theatre Hall of Fame.

Lonny Price most recently directed the stage and film versions of the New York Philharmonic’s production of Stephen Sondheim’s Company, which played in more than 700 movie theaters (more) One Singular Sensation: Celebrating Marvin Hamlisch / 3 across the country. Mr. Price also directed the stage and film versions of Sondheim: The Birthday Concert!, for which he received a 2011 Emmy Award. Mr. Price’s other Philharmonic collaborations include the Live From Lincoln Center broadcast of Camelot; Candide (broadcast on Great Performances); and Sweeney Todd. He won an Emmy for his 2000 semi-staged production of Sweeney Todd with the Symphony. Mr. Price directed the Emmy Award–winning production of Sondheim’s Passion, starring Patti LuPone, Audra McDonald, and broadcast on Live From Lincoln Center. , he directed Audra McDonald in , Danny Glover in ’s “Master Harold” ... and the Boys; in Sally Marr and Her Escorts (which he co-wrote with Ms. Rivers and Erin Sanders); Jenn Colella in Urban Cowboy; and himself in , for which he earned a Tony nomination and the book of which he co-wrote with Linda Kline. Lonny Price’s Off- Broadway directorial work includes Visiting Mr. Green, Grown Ups, and Stopping Traffic. He made his opera directing debut at the Houston Grand Opera directing Audra McDonald in Poulenc’s La Voix Humaine and Michael John LaChiusa’s Send. He recently finished shooting his first feature film, “Master Harold” ... and the Boys, and has directed several episodes of ABC’s . As an , he appeared on and Off-Broadway in a variety of plays and musicals, including Athol Fugard’s “Master Harold” ... and the Boys, Stephen Sondheim’s Merrily We Roll Along, and ’s . On film he is best remembered for playing Neil Kellerman, the hotel owner’s grandson in . For his acting work, he has received Obie, Theatre World, Drama League, and Drama-Logue awards.

Violinist Joshua Bell’s stunning virtuosity, beautiful tone, musical intelligence, and charismatic stage presence have brought him universal acclaim. Mr. Bell is an Avery Fisher Prize recipient, Musical America’s 2010 Instrumentalist of the Year, and was recently named music director of the Academy of St. Martin in the Fields. In summer 2012, Mr. Bell and Edgar Meyer premiered a new concerto for violin and double bass by Mr. Meyer at Tanglewood, Aspen, and the Hollywood Bowl. Mr. Bell launched the San Francisco Symphony’s 2012–13 season, followed by appearances with the Orchestra and Boston, Seattle, , and Detroit symphonies. Additional fall highlights include a South-African tour, a European tour with the Academy of St. Martin in the Fields, and a recital tour with pianist Sam Haywood. In 2013 Mr. Bell tours Europe with the New York Philharmonic and the U.S. with The Cleveland Orchestra, and he performs with the Tucson, Pittsburgh, San Diego, and Nashville symphony orchestras. An exclusive Sony Classical artist, Joshua Bell has recorded more than 40 CDs, garnering Mercury, Grammy, Gramophone, and Echo Klassic Awards. His discography encompasses critically acclaimed performances of most of the major violin concerto and solo repertoire, including the Oscar-winning soundtrack to The Violin. Recent releases include French Impressions with pianist Jeremy Denk, At Home With Friends, the Defiance soundtrack, Vivaldi’s Four Seasons, and Tchaikovsky’s Violin Concerto with the Berlin Philharmonic. Born in Bloomington, Indiana, Bell received his first violin at age four, and at age 12 he began serious study with Josef Gingold at Indiana University. Two years later Mr. Bell came to national attention in his debut with Riccardo Muti and the Philadelphia Orchestra, followed by his debut at age 17. Mr. Bell is senior lecturer at the Jacobs School of Music at his alma mater, Indiana University.

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Raúl Esparza recently starred in the Broadway production of . He made his New York debut in the Broadway revival of . Other Broadway credits include , Speed-the-Plow (Tony and Drama Desk nominations), The Homecoming (Tony nomination and Drama Desk Award), Company (Tony nomination, Drama Desk Award), Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, (Tony nomination and Drama Desk Award), and . He appeared in Shakespeare in the Park’s and Off-Broadway in , Comedians, and tick, tick... BOOM!, which earned him an . In 2005, he received the HOLA José Ferrer Acting Award. Outside New York, Mr. Esparza portrayed Che in the national tour of Evita and starred in the 2002 Kennedy Center Sondheim Celebration: Sunday in the Park with George and Merrily We Roll Along. Regional credits include work at Steppenwolf, Goodman in Chicago, the Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park, Coconut Grove Playhouse, and the Ahmanson in Los Angeles. Raúl Esparza made his film debut in Sidney Lumet’s 2006 Find Me Guilty. Other films include Wes Craven’s My Soul to Take and GWB. Mr. Esparza’s television credits include recurring roles on A Gifted Man, Pushing Daisies, and Law & Order: SVU in addition to numerous guest-star appearances.

Michael Feinstein, the multi-platinum-selling, two-time Emmy and five-time Grammy Award– nominated entertainer dubbed “The Ambassador of the ,” is considered one of the premier interpreters of American standards. His 200-plus shows a year have included performances at Carnegie Hall, Sydney Opera House, and the Hollywood Bowl as well as the and Buckingham Palace. Mr. Feinstein has received national recognition for his commitment to celebrating America’s popular song and preserving its legacy. In 2007 he founded the Michael Feinstein Great American Songbook Initiative, dedicated to celebrating the art form and preserving it through educational programs, master classes, and the annual High School Vocal Academy and Competition. Michael serves on the ’s National Recording Preservation Board, dedicated to the survival and availability of America’s sound-recording heritage. Mr. Feinstein earned his fifth Grammy nomination in 2009 for The Sinatra Project from Concord Records. The Sinatra Project, Volume II: The Good Life was released last year. two seasons of his PBS TV series, Michael Feinstein’s American Songbook, are now available on DVD; the third season will air in 2013. For his nationally syndicated public radio program Song Travels, Michael Feinstein interviews and performs alongside luminaries like , Moby, and Rickie Lee Jones. His new book, The Gershwins and Me, featuring a new CD of Gershwin standards, was published by Simon & Schuster. Feinstein serves as artistic director of the Palladium Center for the Performing Arts, a $170 million, three-theatre venue in Carmel, Indiana, home to an annual international Great American Arts festival, live programming, and a museum for his rare memorabilia. In 2010, he became director of the Jazz and Popular Song Series at Jazz at Lincoln Center. In 2013, he will replace the late Marvin Hamlisch as the conductor of the Pasadena Pops.

A three-time Olivier Award–winner, Maria Friedman is best known as an interpreter of the works of Stephen Sondheim, starring in Sunday in the Park with George (National Theatre), Passion, Sweeney Todd (with ), and Merrily We Roll Along. In concert, she has starred in Follies and A Little Night Music and sang at Sondheim’s 80th birthday celebrations in (more) One Singular Sensation: Celebrating Marvin Hamlisch / 5

New York, Washington, D.C., and . Other musicals include (Albert Hall), , Lady In The Dark (National), The Witches of Eastwick, Chicago, The Woman In White (London and Broadway, ), Blues In The Night, and Ghetto. In 1994 the presented the Olivier Award–winning Maria Friedman: By Special Arrangement, transferring to the Whitehall Theatre. In 2008 a new version of the show Maria Friedman: Re-arranged transferred from the to the Trafalgar Studios. On screen, Maria played the Narrator in Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat with Donny Osmond as well as the role of Trish Baynes in Casualty. Concerts include three sell-out seasons at New York’s Cafe Carlyle and appearances with and Marvin Hamlisch. Recordings include Maria Friedman Sings the Great British Songbook.

Internationally renowned singer, songwriter, and actor Josh Groban has entertained fans across the globe with his multi-platinum albums and DVDs, electrifying live performances and comedic film and television appearances. Over the last year and a half alone, the 30-year-old Los Angeles native has released his fifth studio , the platinum-selling Illuminations; completed a sold- out world tour; and appeared in the feature film Crazy, Stupid, Love and on NBC’s The Office. Mr. Groban first broke through in 2001 with his self-titled double-platinum debut album, followed by the multi-platinum , featuring the hit “You Raise Me Up,” and the double-platinum Awake. In 2007 he became the best-selling recording artist of the year thanks to sales of Awake and his Grammy-nominated Christmas album, Noel — the best-selling album of 2007. According to Billboard, Mr. Groban is the only artist to have two albums appear on the Top 20 best-selling albums list of the past decade. In 2010 Mr. Groban released the Rick Rubin- produced Illuminations, which debuted at No. 4 on Billboard’s Top 200 chart (his fourth consecutive Top 5 chart bow) and reached platinum status two months later. In 2011 Mr. Groban launched the “Straight to You” world tour to the U.S., Europe, and . During the tour, Mr. Groban partnered with Americans for the Arts to launch a joint text-to-give campaign to raise money for his newly created Find Your Light Foundation, dedicated to enriching the lives of young people through arts education. Mr. Groban has been featured on The Simpsons, Tim and Eric Awesome Show, Great Job!, and Glee; co-hosted Live With Regis and Kelly; and paid tribute to Oprah Winfrey during Finale Week of her long-running series. Mr. Groban shot the -screen workplace comedy Coffee Town. Mr. Groban is currently recording songs for his next record, due early 2013.

Megan Hilty stars in NBC’s musical drama Smash as Ivy Lynn. Ms. Hilty recently signed to Sony Music in a partnership between Sony Masterworks and , and her new album will be released next spring. Ms. Hilty most recently appeared as Lorelei Lee in the Encores! production of Gentlemen Prefer Blondes at . A native of Seattle, Ms. Hilty moved to New York City after graduating from Carnegie Mellon University and quickly made her Broadway debut as Glinda in . She went on to perform the role in both the national tour and in Los Angeles. After receiving rave reviews for her portrayal of Doralee Rhodes in Broadway’s : The Musical, Ms. Hilty was honored with nominations for Lead Actress in a Musical at the Drama Desk Awards, Outer Critics Circle Awards, the Drama League Awards, and L.A. Stage Alliance Ovation Awards. She starred in Two by Two as part of the (more) One Singular Sensation: Celebrating Marvin Hamlisch / 6 reprise series in Los Angeles opposite , Steve Weber, and Faith . Megan Hilty has also performed with the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra and at Feinstein’s in New York City. Her voice has been featured on Disney’s The Secret Life of Magic Gourd, Phineas & Ferb, Glenn Martin DDS, American Dad, Tinker Bell and the Pixie Hollow Games, Robot & Monster, and as Snow White in Shrek the Third. Her voice will also be heard as Rosetta in Disney’s Tinker Bell: Secret of the Wings. Ms. Hilty is currently in production on Summertime Entertainment’s animated film Dorothy of Oz with , Hugh Dancy, and . Her television credits include guest-starring roles in Melissa & Joey, Bones, The Closer, Desperate Housewives, CSI, Shark, , Eli Stone, and The Suite Life of Zach & Cody.

Audra McDonald is unparalleled in the breadth and versatility of her artistry as both a singer and actress. With a record-tying five , two Grammy Awards, and a long list of other accolades to her name, she is among today’s most highly regarded performers. Blessed with a luminous soprano and an incomparable gift for dramatic truth-telling, she is equally at home on Broadway, opera stages, film, and television. In addition to her theatrical work, she maintains a major career as a concert and recording artist, regularly appearing with leading international orchestras. After four seasons playing Dr. Naomi Bennett on ABC’s hit television series Private Practice, Ms. McDonald returned to Broadway in 2012, winning her fifth Tony and her first in the leading actress category for her role in The Gershwins’ . The honor places her in the illustrious company of Broadway legends and as the only people in Tony history to win five performance awards. Born into a musical family, Audra McDonald grew up in Fresno, , and received her classical vocal training at The Juilliard School. An ardent proponent of marriage equality, Ms. McDonald sits on the advisory board of the advocacy organization Broadway Impact and has been featured in campaigns for Freedom to Marry and NOH8. Of all her many roles, her favorite is that of mother to her daughter, Zoe Madeline.

Kelli O’Hara has established herself as one of Broadway’s great leading ladies. She currently stars in the ten-time Tony-nominated Broadway musical Nice Work If You Can Get It opposite , for which she received her fourth Tony nomination for Lead Actress in a Musical. Ms. O’Hara garnered rave reviews for her recent role as Cathy Whitaker in the musical adaptation of Far From Heaven at Williamstown Theater Festival. She earned her first Tony and Drama Desk Award nominations for her role in The Light in the Piazza in 2005. In 2006 she joined Harry Connick, Jr. on Broadway in the Tony-winning production of and received Tony, Drama Desk, and Outer Critics Award nominations. Ms. O’Hara starred in the Tony-winning revival of South Pacific at Lincoln Center, garnering Tony and Drama Desk nominations. In 2011 Ms. O’Hara made her Public Theater debut in King Lear and in 2010 starred as Ella Peterson in City Center Encore’s production of Bells Are Ringing. In addition to her critically acclaimed performance as Eliza Doolittle in the New York Philharmonic production of , Ms. O’Hara has performed at Carnegie Hall with the New York Pops, at the Kennedy Center and the National Symphony Orchestra with Marvin Hamlisch, and with the Boston Pops under Keith Lockhart. She has performed three times at the Kennedy (more) One Singular Sensation: Celebrating Marvin Hamlisch / 7

Center Honors in tributes for , , and Barbra Streisand. Her film and television credits include Sex & the City 2, Blue Bloods, The Key to Reserva, The Dying Gaul, Alexander , NUMB3RS, All My Children, and the animated series Car Talk. Ms. O’Hara’s voice can be heard on numerous cast recordings, and her two solo albums, Always and Wonder in the World, are currently available on Ghostlight Records.

Since her debut in 1970, Frederica von Stade has sung nearly all of her great roles with that company. Ms. von Stade’s artistry has inspired the revival of neglected works such as Massenet’s Cherubin, Rameau’s Dardanus, and Monteverdi’s Il ritorno d’Ulisse in patria. Her ability as a singing actress has allowed her to perform and musical theater, including the title role in The Merry Widow and Desirée Armfeldt in A Little Night Music. She created the role of Tina in Dallas Opera’s world-premiere production of Dominick Argento’s The Aspern Papers (a work written for her) as well as Madame de Merteuil in Conrad Susa’s Dangerous Liaisons and Mrs. Patrick De Rocher in Jake Heggie’s Dead Man Walking, both for . She has made more than 70 recordings with every major label, garnering her six Grammy nominations and two Grand Prix du Disc awards. She enjoyed the distinction of simultaneously holding the first and second places on national sales charts for Angel/EMI’s and Telarc’s . In 2002 Ms. von Stade performed at the opening ceremonies of the Salt Lake City Winter Olympics. She can be seen in Live from The Met performances and PBS broadcasts celebrating American song with , , Dawn Upshaw, and Jerry Hadley. Frederica von Stade holds honorary doctorates from , Boston University, San Francisco Conservatory of Music (which holds a Frederica von Stade Distinguished Chair in Voice), Georgetown University School of Medicine, and her alma mater, the Mannes School of Music. In 1998 Ms. von Stade was awarded France’s highest honor, an officer of L’Ordre des Arts et des Lettres. In 1983 President Reagan honored her with an award at the White House in recognition of her contributions to the arts.

* * * Credit Suisse is the Global Sponsor of the New York Philharmonic.

* * * Programs of the New York Philharmonic are supported, in part, by public funds from the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs in partnership with the City Council, the New York State Council on the Arts, and the National Endowment for the Arts.

* * * Live From Lincoln Center is made possible by a major grant from MetLife. In addition to underwriting from MetLife, the series is also made possible with generous support from the Robert Wood Johnson 1962 Charitable Trust, Thomas H. Lee and Ann Tenenbaum, The Robert and Renée Belfer Family Foundation, and the National Endowment for the Arts.

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Tickets Tickets for these concerts start at $69. A portion of the proceeds from sales of all tickets to the New Year’s Eve concert is tax deductible and will go towards supporting the New York Philharmonic’s education activities, in honor of Marvin Hamlisch. All tickets may be purchased online at nyphil.org or by calling (212) 875-5656, 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m., Monday through Saturday, and noon to 5:00 p.m. on Sunday. Tickets may also be purchased at the Avery Fisher Hall Box Office at Lincoln Center, Broadway at 65th Street. The Box Office opens at 10:00 a.m. Monday through Saturday, and at noon on Sunday. On performance evenings, the Box Office closes one-half hour after performance time; other evenings it closes at 6:00 p.m. To determine ticket availability, call the Philharmonic’s Customer Relations Department at (212) 875-5656. [Ticket prices subject to change.]

For press tickets, call Lanore Carr in the New York Philharmonic Communications Department at (212) 875-5714, or e-mail her at [email protected].

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One Singular Sensation: Celebrating Marvin Hamlisch

New York Philharmonic

Avery Fisher Hall

Monday, December 31, 2012, 7:30 p.m. Live From Lincoln Center telecast on PBS stations, 8:00 p.m. [check local listings]

Paul Gemignani, conductor Lonny Price, director Joshua Bell, violin Raúl Esparza, vocalist Michael Feinstein, piano and vocalist* Maria Friedman, vocalist Josh Groban, vocalist* Megan Hilty, vocalist* Audra McDonald, vocalist Kelli O’Hara, vocalist Frederica von Stade, vocalist

Program to feature Marvin Hamlisch’s music for stage and film, including selections from A Chorus Line and Sweet Smell of Success.

* denotes New York Philharmonic debut

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Photography is available by contacting the Communications Department at (212) 875-5700; [email protected].