Pacific Symphony returns to Irvine for another ‘spectacular' summer season

Los Angeles Times

13-05-2025

Pacific Symphony, the resident orchestra of the Great Park Live amphitheater in Irvine, will return to the outdoor venue for another spectacular summer season, kicking off the Summerfest 2025 series with its traditional 'July 4th Spectacular.'
This marks the second year the symphony has made Great Park Live its summer home, after the temporary live music venue replaced the FivePoint Amphitheater.
'We are thrilled to return for another season at Great Park Live, where music and community come together under the stars,' said Pacific Symphony president, John Forsyte.
Presented by City of Hope Orange County, with support from the City of Irvine, the five-concert series will feature the Symphony's renowned conductors, including Pacific Symphony music director Carl St.Clair, principal pops conductor Enrico Lopez Yañez and principal pops conductor laureate Richard Kaufman.
'We know music has a transformative power to uplift, to bring people together, and to heal. That's something we celebrate at City of Hope Orange County,' Annette Walker, president of City of Hope Orange County said in statement. 'We look forward to celebrating another magical summer series with Pacific Symphony.'
The Pacific Symphony performs more than 100 concerts each year. Its Summerfest series has become a fixture for outdoor entertainment in Orange County since 1987, when the orchestra began summer performances at Irvine Meadows, which became Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre. Later, the symphony moved to the Pacific Amphitheater in Costa Mesa before coming to the FivePoint Amphitheater in Irvine until its closure.
The 'July 4th Spectacular' has become a patriotic tradition for the symphony and this year's Independence Day celebration will contain pieces that honor America and the iconic all-American hits from Jimmy Buffet and the Beach Boys. Led by Pops conductor laureate Richard Kaufman, the program will end with a fireworks display.
On Aug. 2, Pacific Symphony uses the force with 'Star Wars: The Force Awakens in Concert.' The Pacific Symphony will perform the movie score live alongside the full-length feature film, making for an immersive experience for any Star Wars fan. On Aug. 23, attendees are invited to put on their boogie shoes for 'Disco Fever-Let's Dance!' as Lopez-Yañez is joined by vocalists Maiya Sykes and Ty Taylor to perform selections from the disco catalogue like 'Stayin' Alive,' 'I Will Survive' and 'The Hustle.' The show promises to be a fun but also deeply personal performance, inspired by Lopez-Yañez's father's love of disco. Then on Aug. 23, St.Clair leads 'Beethoven's Emperor & Pictures at an Exhibition' with Michelle Cann on piano. The season closes out on Sept. 6 with the 'Tchaikovsky Spectacular.' Conducted by Francesco Lecce-Chong, the memorable program features Tchaikovsky's most iconic works, such as 'Piano Concerto No. 1' and 'Francesca da Rimini,' and crescendos into the incendiary '1812 Overture' complete with fireworks to punctuate the performance.
The Great Park Live entertainment venue first opened in June 2024, serving the community as a temporary live music space until a more permanent venue is built at the Great Park. Forsyte noted that last summer's successful series encouraged the symphony to continue its summer tradition of playing music under the stars.
'This season builds on the energy of last year's Summerfest while introducing new, inspiring elements that elevate the experience,' said Forsyte.
More elevated experiences are coming to the Great Park, as the the City of Irvine and the Great Park Board recently announced plans to add an aerial transport system known as 'Whoosh' to the park at the 2025 'State of the Great Park.' The event opened with a Pacific Symphony performance, and Forsyte said the symphony is happy to continue to bring orchestral music to the Orange County community in multiple capacities.
'We are dedicated to always bringing wonder, joy and connection through orchestral music,' said Forsyte. 'We can't wait to share these unforgettable moments with our community.'
Pacific Symphony's Summerfest series runs July 4 to Sept. 6. Subscriptions are available with packages ranging in price from $189 to $580 with parking included. For details and tickets visit pacificsymphony.org.