The Los Angeles Philharmonic will release “Hollywood Bowl: The First 100 Years,” a new book, vinyl box set and podcast series celebrating the 100th season of the iconic venue, on Friday, June 3, to coincide with the opening night of the 2022 season. The commemorative collection preserves and pays tribute to some of the most notable and cherished moments and performances from the Hollywood Bowl’s storied history.
“Over the past 100 years, the Hollywood Bowl has been home to some of the greatest memories in the performing arts,” said Chad Smith, LA Phil chief executive officer and David C. Bohnett chief executive officer chair Chad Smith. “Some of these moments are perfectly captured in a photograph, others in a recording and some need to be told firsthand. To best celebrate the centennial, we knew we needed to produce a book, a collection of recordings and a podcast series to honor our history and commend the diverse range of artists who have performed on this iconic stage.”
“Hollywood Bowl: The First 100 Years,” written by Derek Traub and edited by Julia Ward and Robin Rauzi, features more than 300 image-filled pages comprised of 10 thematic chapters drawing on firsthand accounts and rarely seen photographs to reveal what makes the Hollywood Bowl an unparalleled performance space.
Especially noteworthy are the story of Princess Tsianina, a Cree/Cherokee soprano, and the Inter-Tribal Festival; the remarkable legacy of the Bowl’s most popular and enduring singing star, Ella Fitzgerald, who holds the rare distinction of having sold out the venue across five decades, from the 1950s through the 1990s; a behind-the-scenes look at film music at the Bowl and the first live performance of John Williams’ film score to Star Wars; and significant moments in Los Angeles history, such as the anti-nuclear “Survival Sunday,” the first political movement to make the Bowl an annual tradition in the late 1970s and early 1980s, and the AIDS benefit and Star-Spangled Night for Rights.
In addition to the book, the vinyl box set “Hollywood Bowl 100: The First 100 Years of Music” will be available, containing seven LPs consisting of more than 50 live performance recordings from 1928–2021. The collection contains selections from the classical, pop, rock, film, jazz, Broadway and American Songbook genres, with some of the performances being released for the first time. Featured artists include Billie Holliday (1955), Donna Summer (2008), The Doors (1968), Victor Young and Fred Astaire (1937), the Hollywood Bowl Orchestra (1999) and the Los Angeles Philharmonic under the direction of Gustavo Dudamel (2016).
The coffee table-style book and box set will be available for purchase starting opening night, June 3, at laphil.com and at the LA Phil and Bowl stores. The box set is available for pre-order at laphilstore.com. Full artist and track listing, along with a selection of audio samples, is available at hollywoodbowl.com/vinyl.
A new book covering the history of the Hollywood Bowl has been written by Derek Traub. (photo courtesy of the LA Phil)
“The First 100 Years” also will include a 10-episode podcast series. Each episode tells a story ranging from 1922 to today about the Hollywood Bowl in relation to a specific location at the Hollywood Bowl’s 88-acre campus, from Highland Avenue to the back benches. Written and hosted by Traub, the podcast shares never-before-told and long-since-forgotten stories drawn from dozens of oral history interviews and thousands of documents from the Bowl’s archive and historical collections across Southern California.
Each short episode, which will be approximately 7–10 minutes, can be accessed for free via podcast platforms or online at hollywoodbowl.com/first100years beginning June 3. Historical photos from the LA Phil’s archive will accompany each episode online. Listen in-person at the Bowl to enjoy the series as a self-guided audio walking tour.
For information about the Hollywood Bowl visit hollywoodbowl.com
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