It's Philadelphia's Moment: Philadelphia International Festival of the Arts, April 7 - May 1, 2011
FEBRUARY 2, 2010
Lights on, curtains up. It's
Philadelphia's moment, as the Philadelphia
International Festival of the Arts (PIFA) turns a bright spotlight on the city's
arts and cultural scene. For three weeks, from April 7 through May 1, 2011,
audiences will revel in an array of one-time, only-in-Philadelphia productions
by some of the region's top talents—many of whom will partner with or present
international performers. PIFA will feature music, dance, fashion, fine arts,
poetry, cuisine and more—all generously flavored with the essence of Paris,
circa 1910-1920.
Inspired by the Kimmel Center, PIFA
promises to be an out-of-the-box arts festival that honors the vision of
longtime Philadelphia resident and philanthropist Leonore Annenberg. Before she
passed away in 2009, Mrs. Annenberg provided a generous grant through the
Annenberg Foundation to ensure that her lifelong dream for a citywide arts celebration
would be fulfilled.
"Not in memory has the city hosted
so much performing and visual arts linked by a common thread and packed into a
one-month festival," says Ed Cambron, executive director of PIFA. "Philly has
an extraordinary collection of top-notch arts groups that are excited about
smashing the traditional arts festival format and presenting something truly
different. The philosophy for PIFA is collaboration, creativity and innovation,
which means our audiences will see a multitude of new works, unprecedented
partnerships and performances that will happen only here."
All The City's A Stage:
As PIFA transforms the entire city
into a giant stage, loyal fans and newcomers to the arts will have the
opportunity to choose from among dozens of ticketed and free activities each
day. Performances and exhibits will be held throughout Center City and beyond,
many in Kimmel Center venues, as well as in theaters, performance halls and
other venues, both large and small.
"Since opening 10 years ago, the Kimmel
Center has played a central role in shaping, inspiring and supporting the
region's cultural community," says Anne Ewers, president and CEO of the Kimmel
Center. "Inspired by the Kimmel Center, PIFA will create extraordinary
opportunities for us to build more connections that will strengthen arts and
culture throughout the region."
One-of-a-Kind Performances With An
Ooh-La-La Flair:
"We chose our theme because 100
years ago, Paris was the epicenter of creativity. What happened during that
time frame shaped how we defined the arts throughout the 20th
century," explains Cambron. "Right now, Philadelphia's creative community is
poised to fuel the same spirit of ingenious creativity."
With more than 100 performances planned,
three events serve as examples of the serendipitous moments and surprising
performances audiences can look forward to. For the first time ever, the
Philadelphia Orchestra and the Pennsylvania Ballet will perform together,
collaborating on what promises to be an unforgettable presentation of the
classic French ballet Pulcinella. In
an innovative pairing, Philly's signature hip-hop band The Roots will play in
an anything-can-happen concert with a French chanteuse. What's more, daring aerialists
will swing from the rafters of the Kimmel Center and teach anybody who has ever
wanted to join the circus how to fly the trapeze
on the Avenue of the Arts.
One Moment In Time:
"When a moment comes along, you
don't want to miss it," says Meryl Levitz, president and CEO of the Greater
Philadelphia Tourism Marketing Corporation. "This moment will last only a few
weeks, and it will feature it-can-only-happen-here performances. That is a
combination that makes PIFA a must-do event for residents of and visitors to
Philadelphia."
The complete line-up will be
announced on April 7, 2010, one year prior to the festival's start. Hotel and
ticket packages will make it easy for audiences to attend desired performances
and discover new events. Tickets to select performances go on sale April 7, 2010 through ticketphiladelphia.org and at
participating venues. For the most up-to-date
details and event information, visit pifa.org.
Kimmel Center, Inc., a charitable, not-for-profit organization,
provides a rich diversity of programming through its Kimmel Center Presents
sponsored by Citi and Broadway Series of performances, as well as arts in
education and community outreach. The Kimmel Center for the Performing Arts and
the Academy of Music together serve as home to eight Resident Company
performing arts organizations, including The Philadelphia Orchestra, Opera
Company of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Ballet, Chamber Orchestra of
Philadelphia, American Theater Arts for Youth, Philadanco, Philadelphia Chamber
Music Society and Peter Nero and the Philly Pops®. Kimmel Center,
Inc. owns, manages, supports and maintains The Kimmel Center for the Performing
Arts, which includes Verizon Hall, Perelman Theater, Innovation Studio and the
Merck Arts Education Center. Kimmel Center, Inc. also manages the Academy of
Music, owned by The Philadelphia Orchestra Association.
The Philadelphia International Festival of the Arts (PIFA),
inspired by the Kimmel Center, launches the city's arts and cultural scene onto
the world stage with a three-week festival featuring Philadelphia performances
and activities designed to appeal to loyal fans, as well as the new-to-the-arts
crowd. Based on the philosophy of collaboration, creativity and innovation,
PIFA programs comprise newly commissioned works, unexpected partnerships with
both local and international artists and non-traditional and emerging art forms,
along with classic performances that engage residents and visitors alike. With the overarching theme of Paris 1910-1920, PIFA celebrates works from and inspired by the
period and the general innovative spirit of the time. Funded
in part with a $10 million grant from Philadelphia philanthropist Mrs. Leonore
Annenberg, whose vision for a city-wide arts extravaganza shaped the festival,
PIFA takes place April 7 through May 1, 2011.
For the most up to date
information, contact PIFA at (215) 790-5800 or visit pifa.org.
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