A.R. Rahman, West Side Story Added to Hollywood Bowl Season

The Hollywood Bowl has announced two additional events, to be part of its 2011 season.

MGM HD will present West Side Story with the Los Angeles Philharmonic on Friday and Saturday, July 8 and 9, at 8pm. This world premiere event in honor of the 50th anniversary of MGM’s iconic 1961 musical film, will feature the Philharmonic playing Leonard Bernstein’s score and memorable songs with lyrics by Stephen Sondheim live, while the newly re-mastered film is shown in high definition on the Bowl’s big screen with the original vocals and dialog intact.

Also newly added is an evening with the Philharmonic and Oscar- and Grammy-winning composer A.R. Rahman — who has also written the scores for the stage musicals Bombay Dreams and Lord of the Rings — on Sunday, July 10, at 7pm. The event will feature the orchestra performing from his atmospheric film scores, enhanced by scenes from his films — plus traditional Indian music and some of Rahman’s spectacular Bollywood hits, with dancers.

As previously reported, offerings will also include a production of the Tony Award-winning musical Hairspray (August 5-7), and sing-along versions of the movie musicals Grease (June 24) and The Sound of Music (September 24).

Performers will include Harry Connick, Jr. (June 17), Wynton Marsalis and Hugh Maskela (June 22), Chris Botti and Bobby McFerrin (July 13), Sarah McLachlan (July 15), Dolly Parton (July 22-23), Gladys Knight (July 27), Michael Feinstein with guests Florence Henderson, Cheyenne Jackson, Dick Van Dyke, and Vanessa Williams (July 29-30), Joshua Bell (August 9, 11), and George Benson (August 31).

For more information, call 323-850-2000 or click here.