Audra McDonald Replaces Plácido Domingo At Philadelphia Orchestra’s Opening Night

By Francisco Salazar

The Philadelphia Orchestra has found a replacement for Plácido Domingo to launch its 120th season.

The organization announced that award-winning singer and actor Audra McDonald will perform on opening night with Music Director Yannick Nézet-Séguin conducting the Philadelphia Orchestra.

McDonald will perform selections by Gershwin, Sondheim, Rodgers and Hammerstein, and more. McDonald will be joined by Adela Zaharia, who will make her Philadelphia Orchestra debut, performing an aria from Verdi’s “La Traviata.”

The concert will also include audience participation in the first Philadelphia Orchestra performance of Pauline Oliveros’s “Tuning Meditation,” from Four Mediations for Orchestra.

In a press release, Music Director Yannick Nézet-Séguin said, “We are thrilled to have the sensational Audra McDonald and Adela Zaharia joining Your Philadelphia Orchestra on stage for our Opening Night Concert,” “In the spirit of togetherness, we also look forward to having our beloved audience join in Pauline Oliveros’s ‘Tuning Meditation,’ which will undoubtedly be a magical moment of the evening.”

Domingo was originally scheduled to perform with the orchestra but was fired when allegations of sexual harassment were revealed by an article from the Associated Press.

The concert is set for Sept. 18, 2019, at the Verizon Hall at the Kimmel Center for the Performing Arts.

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