Hollywood Bowl's 2025 summer schedule released

LOS ANGELES - The Hollywood Bowl has unveiled its 2025 summer season lineup, featuring a free concert for firefighters and fire victims, and a production of "Jesus Christ Superstar" starring Cynthia Erivo. 

The season will also mark Gustavo Dudamel's penultimate year as music and artistic director of the LA Phil.

What we know:

The LA Phil announced that the 2025 summer season will include a special free concert titled "We Love LA" on April 1. This event is dedicated to thanking the first responders who battled January's wildfires and the community members affected by them. 

Dudamel, the Los Angeles Philharmonic, and other special guests will perform at this concert.

Dudamel, who will transition to the New York Philharmonic in 2026, is set to conduct eight performances in August. 

These performances will feature the Los Angeles Philharmonic and Venezuela's Simón Bolívar Symphony Orchestra. 

Highlights include a performance on August 12 featuring Ravel's "Boléro" and Tchaikovsky's Piano Concerto No. 1 with Yuja Wang. On August 14, Dudamel will lead a performance of Tchaikovsky's Fourth Symphony, alongside the world premiere of Márquez's Concerto for Trumpet No. 2.

What they're saying:

Kim Noltemy, president and CEO of the Los Angeles Philharmonic Association, expressed gratitude for the community's resilience and the dedication of first responders. 

"The start of 2025 has been a profound reminder of the strength and resilience of Los Angeles," she said. Dudamel added, "The Hollywood Bowl is a place where history, culture, and music converge."

What's next:

As the 2025 summer season approaches, music enthusiasts can look forward to a series of performances by some of the world's greatest talent. 

Highlights include: 

• Opening night on June 7 will feature actor Hugh Jackman performing songs from "The Greatest Showman," "The Music Man" and more accompanied by the Hollywood Bowl Orchestra, led by conductor Thomas Wilkins, and musicians of Youth Orchestra Los Angeles. The one-night annual gala raises funds for the LA Phil's music education initiatives.
• "A Roots Picnic Experience" returns for a second year in LA, with a continuous set from The Roots featuring Lil' Kim, Method Man and Redman, Bone Thugs-N-Harmony, DJ Quik, Raekwon, E-40, Goodie Mob, Havoc of Mobb Deep and more. June 8.
• The newly minted Blue Note Jazz Festival (formerly Hollywood Bowl Jazz Festival) will feature performances by Grace Jones, The Isley Brothers, WILLOW, De La Soul, Stanley Clarke N'4EVER, The Soul Rebels with special guests Rapsody, Goapele and Brandee Younger, Derrick Hodge with special guest D Smoke, Dee Dee Bridgewater and Bill Charlap, Joe Lovano's Paramount Quartet featuring Julian Lage, Asante Santi Debriano, and Will Calhoun, Keyon Harrold, Lakecia Benjamin, Weedie Braimah and The Hands of Time, Pedrito Martinez, Mohini Dey, Brandon Woody, DC6 Singers Collective, Herbie Hancock Institute of Jazz Performance Ensemble at UCLA, LAUSD Beyond the Bell All-City Jazz Big Band and more. Performances on June 14-15.
• This year's July Fourth Fireworks Spectacular features Earth, Wind & Fire together with the Los Angeles Philharmonic, conductor Thomas Wilkins and the Bowl's signature fireworks display. July 2-4.
• Diana Ross returns by the Bowl to perform classics such as "I'm Coming Out," "Ain't No Mountain High Enough," "Stop! In The Name of Love," and more. July 25-26.
•  The Hollywood Bowl tradition of the star-studded musical returns with "Jesus Christ Superstar" Aug. 1-3, featuring Emmy, Grammy and Tony winner Cynthia Erivo as Jesus.
• Reggae Night XXIII welcomes back Damian and Stephen Marley, playing the iconic music of their father, Bob Marley, as well as hits from their own Grammy-winning careers. Aug. 17.

The Bowl will also continue its summer tradition of programs spotlighting music from the movies, including the following events:

• "Jaws in Concert with the Los Angeles Philharmonic," July 5.
• "Bugs Bunny at the Symphony" celebrating Bugs Bunny's 85th anniversary and the concert's 35th, created by George Daugherty and David Ka Lik Wong. Iconic Looney Tunes moments will delight audiences of all ages as over a dozen animated shorts are projected on the big screens while the Hollywood Bowl Orchestra, conducted by Daugherty, plays the original scores live. July 11-12.
• "Jurassic Park in Concert" with Dudamel and the Los Angeles Philharmonic features the visually stunning imagery of the entire film projected in HD with a performance of John Williams' iconic score. Aug. 8-9.
• "Rodgers & Hammerstein's The Sound of Music Sing-A-Long," hosted by Melissa Peterman, also an annual tradition. Audience members are invited to don costumes for the pre-show costume contest. Sept. 20.

To see the full schedule, visit hollywoodbowl.com/events/performances.