Mann Center for The Performing Arts
|
Former names
| Robin Hood Dell West
(1976?79)
Mann Music Center
(1979?2000)
|
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Address
| 5201 Parkside Ave
Philadelphia
,
PA
19131
|
---|
Location
| Fairmount Park
|
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Owner
| City of Philadelphia
|
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Capacity
| 14,000
[1]
|
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|
Broke ground
| February 1975
|
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Opened
| June 14, 1976
|
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|
Venue Website
|
The
Mann Center for the Performing Arts
(formerly known as the
Robin Hood Dell West
and
Mann Music Center
) is a nonprofit performing arts center located in the
Centennial District
of
Philadelphia
's West
Fairmount Park
, built in 1976 as the summer home for the
Philadelphia Orchestra
. It is the successor in this role to the Robin Hood Dell outdoor amphitheater, where the Philadelphia Orchestra had given summer performances since 1935. It has since hosted artists and touring companies such as the
American Ballet Theatre
with
Mikhail Baryshnikov
,
Marian Anderson
,
Leonard Bernstein
,
Buena Vista Social Club
,
Ray Charles
,
Judy Garland
, the
Metropolitan Opera
,
Mormon Tabernacle Choir
,
Paul Robeson
,
Itzhak Perlman
,
Lang Lang
,
Midori
, and
Yo-Yo Ma
.
Major Philadelphia premieres have included the
Israel Philharmonic Orchestra
,
Bolshoi Ballet
and Orchestra's production of
Spartacus
, and Britain's
Royal Ballet
’s productions of
Romeo and Juliet
and
Swan Lake
.
Among the scores of award-winning popular artists presented by the Mann in recent years are
Celine Dion
,
Phish
,
Jack Johnson
,
Ed Sheeran
,
Tony Bennett
,
Mary J. Blige
,
Roger Daltrey
,
Bob Dylan
,
Furthur
,
Lake Street Dive
,
Arcade Fire
,
Aretha Franklin
,
Whitney Houston
,
Herbie Hancock
,
Norah Jones
,
Diana Krall
,
Wynton Marsalis
,
Willie Nelson
,
Smokey Robinson
,
Jill Scott
,
James Taylor
,
Damien Rice
,
Blondie
with
Garbage
,
Sugarland
and
Stevie Ray Vaughan
.
In 2010, 2011, and 2014, the Mann was nominated by
Pollstar
, a concert industry trade publication, as "Best Major Outdoor Concert Venue" in North America.
The venue has a total
seating capacity
of approximately 14,000, with 4,743 seats under the roof and over 8,600 outside.
[2]
History
[
edit
]
The present building first opened in 1976 as
Robin Hood Dell West
and subsequently was designated in 1979 the
Mann Music Center
in honor of
Fredric R. Mann
. In 2000, the facility was renamed to
The Mann Center for the Performing Arts
to reflect the center's plans to broaden its programming and service to the overall community.
[1]
Education and community engagement
[
edit
]
The Mann Center for the Performing Arts' Education & Community Engagement program is the region's largest free education program, serving over 50,000 young people annually. The Mann's annual Young People's Concert Series features five free main stage performances making performing arts programs accessible to children in the Philadelphia region. The Connecting Arts-N-Schools series brings guest artists directly into 22 partner schools, and the Judith Gitlin ArtsTeach @ The Mann programs include 6 individual series: Meet the Artist, Tiny Tots Fascination Series, Greenfield Performance Treasures, Connecting Arts @ The center, Artist in Residency and Master Class.
[
citation needed
]
See also
[
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]
References
[
edit
]
External links
[
edit
]
39°58′59″N
75°13′22″W
/
39.98306°N 75.22278°W
/
39.98306; -75.22278