PASADENA POPS ANNOUNCE 2025 RUSNAK SUMMER CONCERT SERIES AND MICHAEL FEINSTEIN’S APPOINTMENT AS EMERITUS POPS CONDUCTOR
Pasadena, CA – Principal Pops Conductor Michael Feinstein and the Pasadena POPS announce the 2025 Rusnak Summer Concert series at the Los Angeles County Arboretum. The six-concert series will run from June 21 to September 6, 2025 with music from the Great American Songbook and more, including Broadway, Crooners, Queens of Soul, James Bond, the Beatles and culminating with Michael Feinstein closing the season in concert singing an evening of his favorites. The 2025 season will see a powerful transformation of Feinstein’s dedicated 13-year tenure as Principal Pops Conductor, and the season perfectly represents the range of popular offerings and guest artists that have become a hallmark of his POPS programming.
In recognition of his talent, stellar commitment to the POPS, and his close relationship with the orchestra and audiences, the Pasadena Symphony and POPS Board of Directors is honored to bestow upon Michael Feinstein the newly appointed role of Emeritus Pops Conductor, effective at the conclusion of the 2025 season. As Emeritus Pops Conductor, Feinstein will return to the POPS once each season in 2026 and beyond, to conduct and perform a signature program, continuing to delight POPS audiences with favorites from the Great American Songbook.
Feinstein took the helm as Principal Pops Conductor after the untimely death of Marvin Hamlisch in 2012 and has grown the orchestra’s footprint immensely during his tenure, with the summer season increasing from a four- to a six-concert series and more than doubling revenue and attendance. His wide-ranging appeal and reputation have allowed him to invite many of the greatest talents of yesterday and today to share the POPS stage, including Dick van Dyke, Alan & Marilyn Bergman, Jeremy Jordan, Aaron Tveit and Liza Minnelli to name only a few. As Ambassador of the Great American Songbook, Feinstein has made it his mission to uncover never-before-heard arrangements and charts, premiering many on the POPS stage, ensuring this brand of music remains relevant for generations to come.
“Under Michael Feinstein’s direction, the Pasadena POPS has become the preeminent symphonic voice of the Great American Songbook,” commented Chief Executive Officer Andrew Brown. “The orchestra and audiences treasure this unique concert experience, and we look forward to continuing our artistic partnership with Michael as Emeritus Pops Conductor for many years to come. It is Michael’s passion for keeping this music alive that will surely be his legacy, and we are proud to be a part of that legacy.”
The POPS is pleased to announce the 2025 Summer Season as a special series in recognition of multiple Grammy and Emmy-nominated Feinstein’s artistic contributions. Feinstein will welcome a stellar line-up of guest artists to the stage for the 2025 Summer POPS Series, including Emmy Award-winner Liz Callaway, Grammy-winner Joshua Henry, Pink Martini’s larger-than-life Storm Large, and his good friend, two-time Tony Award winner Christine Ebersole. The season opens June 21 with Broadway Legends, featuring Liz Callaway, who got her Broadway start in Merrily We Roll Along and went on to star in Miss Saigon, Baby and Cats among others, and Joshua Henry, known for Hamilton and his Tony Award-winning role in Into the Woods.
Feinstein heats up the summer on July 12 with Moonlight Melodies: An Evening with the Crooners, where he will conduct and also take the stage to sing a few Sinatra classics, joined by the velvety voices of Jazz songstress Maude Maggart and modern-day crooner Nick Ziobro, performing favorites from Bing Crosby, Nat King Cole, Rosemary Clooney, Linda Ronstadt and more.
On July 26, Resident Pops Conductor Larry Blank will conduct the Queens of Soul, led by Shayna Steele singing hits made famous by the reigning divas of Motown and Beyond – Aretha Franklin, Tina Turner, Nina Simone, Whitney Houston, Alicia Keys, Adele and more. Feinstein returns to the podium August 9 with the dynamic Storm Large and Jimmie Herrod to sing The Music of James Bond – think “Goldfinger,” “Skyfall,” “Live and Let Die” and of course the iconic “Bond Theme.” Back by popular demand, Classical Mystery Tour brings the timeless hits of the Fab Four to life on August 23 with a fresh set list of favorites from the Beatles’ early years to Sgt. Pepper’s through their solo careers. Hear timeless classics “Help!” “Here Comes the Sun,” “While My Guitar Gently Weeps,” “Hey Jude,” “Imagine,” and many more, all backed by Pasadena’s premiere orchestra.
Michael Feinstein will pass the baton and pick up the mic to close the season as soloist on September 6, singing an evening of his favorite songs from the Great American Songbook for Feinstein’s Favorites. In quintessential Feinstein fashion, Michael will take you on an insider’s journey through the stories behind the music from Gershwin and Cole Porter to Jerry Herman and Irving Berlin. Hear “So in Love,” “Cheek to Cheek” and more, plus the always fabulous Christine Ebersole joining him on stage! It is sure to be a season finale to remember!
All concerts are held at the Los Angeles County Arboretum and Botanic Garden, located at 301 North Baldwin Ave, Arcadia, CA. Grounds open for picnicking and dining at 5:30pm and performances begin at 7:30pm. Don’t miss the best outdoor dinner party in town with spacious circular table seating with fine linens, or lawn seating for those who want to bring a blanket – each option carries on the tradition of picnic-dining with your family and friends with Michael Feinstein and the San Gabriel Valley’s premier orchestra! Among many venue amenities, concert goers can enjoy pre-ordered gourmet box dinners for on-site pickup just steps from their table, two full-service beverage centers, or a variety of food truck options.
Subscribers may purchase pre-paid onsite parking at the Arboretum, and all concertgoers can purchase guaranteed and convenient parking at Santa Anita Park, with complimentary non-stop shuttle service to the Arboretum’s main entrance. Season subscriptions and single tickets, starting at $35, are now on sale and available by calling the box office at (626) 793-7172, online at pasadenasymphony-pops.org/
