Union Strike Leads to Free Philadelphia Orchestra Concert Tonight

The Philadelphia Orchestra was supposed to perform tonight at Carnegie Hall for that legendary venue’s opening night gala. But now the stagehands there have gone on strike, giant inflatable union rat and all.

Fortunately, the quick-on-their-feet folks at the Philadelphia Orchestra have decided to turn this into a free pop-up concert at the Kimmel Center tonight. Doors to Verizon Hall will open at 6 p.m., with the 75-minute family-friendly concert beginning at 6:30 p.m. Seating is general admission and no tickets are required. Awesome!

Here’s hoping the Philly unions don’t decide to cause problems “in solidarity with their brothers and sisters” in New York.

From the Orchestra:

Instruments in hand, rehearsed, and eager to perform, the musicians of the Orchestra will bring the music back home to perform for their loyal Philadelphia audience in a joyful celebration of spontaneous music making.

In true Philly style the evening will offer more than a conventional concert. A pre-concert “Conduct the PO” event in Commonwealth Plaza will give concert-goers a chance to try their hand at conducting select musicians of the Orchestra.

One lucky participant will be chosen to conduct the ensemble onstage during the concert. Audience members will pick one of the pieces to be performed, and following the concert Yannick will sign copies of his and the Orchestra’s new Deutsche Grammophon CD of Stravinsky’s Rite of Spring, in Commonwealth Plaza.

The Philadelphia Orchestra is grateful for continued collaboration with its partner Carnegie Hall, where it has performed since the early 1900s, and deeply regrets not having the opportunity to perform on Opening Night.

The Orchestra looks forward with great anticipation to greeting its New York audiences at its three other scheduled performances this season. Carnegie Hall’s Opening Night concert was canceled due to a strike by its stagehands.