{"id":344854,"date":"2026-09-12T09:06:31","date_gmt":"2026-09-12T09:06:31","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/344854\/"},"modified":"2026-09-12T09:06:31","modified_gmt":"2026-09-12T09:06:31","slug":"gustavo-dudamel-takes-new-york-philharmonic-baton-with-help-from-lizzo-liev-schreiber-more","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/344854\/","title":{"rendered":"Gustavo Dudamel Takes New York Philharmonic Baton With Help From Lizzo, Liev Schreiber & More"},"content":{"rendered":"

\n\tGustavo Dudamel<\/a> officially took the baton Thursday as conductor and artistic director of the New York Philharmonic<\/a>, leading a concert at Radio City Music Hall<\/a> that was packed with special guests.<\/p>\n

\n\tLiev Schrieber served as the night\u2019s host, while St. Vincent<\/a>, Joaquina, Aaron Tveit<\/a> and Lizzo<\/a> took turns collaborating with the orchestra. (Lizzo showed off her classical training as a flutist along with singing a couple of her best-known hits; you can watch a video of her below.)<\/p>\n

\n\tIn his years leading the LA Philharmonic, Dudamel cultivated relationships with pop stars and entertainers, lending his voice to animated feature Trolls World Tour and routinely booking splashy performances at the Hollywood Bowl. Last summer, he appeared with members of the New York Philharmonic at the World Cup halftime show, which also featured Madonna, Justin Bierber and the Muppets. <\/p>\n

\n\tMusical segments with guest artists were interspersed with performances of 21st century pieces by composers Philip Glass, Jessie Montgomery and Arturo M\u00e1rquez. The night opened with George Gershwin\u2019s \u201cOverture to Strike Up the Band.\u201d<\/p>\n

\n\tSchreiber, who proclaimed his roots as a native of New York\u2019s Lower East Side, ribbed Dudamel as a \u201cNew Yorker by way of Venezuela\u201d before offering a playful tribute. \u201cLet\u2019s face it: Gustavo Dudamel is not an easy person to describe \u2013 but God help me, I\u2019m going to try,\u201d he said. \u201cImagine if you added a teaspoon of Billy Joel, an ounce of Jean-Michel Basquiat, a cup of Tito Puente and a dash of Barbara Streisand. And absolutely nothing of Lionel Messi. Then add several thousand volts of electricity, an unreasonable amount of hair, and a capacity for the English language that still remains gloriously unchanged. Bake the whole thing into one giant musical arepa, and give it a baton. You\u2019d be close.\u201d<\/p>\n

\n\tTurning more serious, Schreiber said Dudamel fits in with the city\u2019s \u201cidea of existential creativity.\u201d Comparing the task of getting orchestra members to work together with the New York Knicks\u2019 recent NBA title run, he declared, \u201cOut of unity and cohesion, history is made.\u201d<\/p>\n

\n\tThe New York Philharmonic, whose home at Lincoln Center was recently upgraded in a significant renovation, was founded in 1842. Its past conductors have included luminaries like Arturo Toscanini, Gustav Mahler, Leonard Bernstein, Pierre Boulez, and Zubin Mehta. Dudamel was appointed in 2023 but is only now taking over because of how drawn-out these transitions tend to be in the classical music world, which relies on annual subscription revenue and plans programs years in advance.<\/p>\n

\n\tWhile the orchestra\u2019s main residence at David Geffen Hall offers dramatically improved acoustics compared with predecessor Avery Fischer Hall, the far larger Radio City adds Sphere Immersive Sound. The same technology found at Sphere in Las Vegas has been added to Radio City<\/a> in recent months by the venues\u2019 shared parent company.<\/p>\n

\n\tThe system, dubbed Sphere Immersive Sound, uses 3D audio \u201cbeamforming\u201d and wave field synthesis. The result is a consistent experience wherever an audience member is seated in the 6,000-seat theater.<\/p>\n

\n\tJoaquina, a Grammy winning singer-songwriter from Venezuela, told Deadline by email prior to the concert that she was struck by what she heard at the soundcheck for Tveit, a Tony winner for Moulin Rouge. \u201cI thought it was incredible how his voice sounded and blended with the orchestra,\u201d she said. \u201cI don\u2019t think I\u2019ve heard music being experienced in such a carefully crafted and intentional way in a venue in a very long time.\u201d<\/p>\n

Lizzo (a classically trained flutist!) performs with the New York Philharmonic at the first concert under new conductor Gustavo Dudamel <\/p>\n

St. Vincent, Liev Schreiber and Tony winner Aaron Tveit are also on the bill (Video: Dade Hayes\/Deadline) pic.twitter.com\/YpDmHY9Gci<\/a><\/p>\n

\u2014 Deadline (@DEADLINE) September 11, 2026<\/a><\/p>\n