Gustavo Dudamel’s farewell celebrations at the Hollywood Bowl will include a musical fiesta and a benefit concert for Venezuela

After 17 years as the Music and Artistic Director of the Los Angeles Philharmonic, Gustavo Dudamel is having a farewell celebration with a series of concerts at the Hollywood Bowl.

For almost two decades, Dudamel has been pushing the boundaries of classical music and exploring genres of all kinds. 

As he comes to the end of his tenure leading the LA Phil to move to lead the New York Philharmonic, the Venezuelan native will host one last time at the City of Angels an unforgettable four day celebration, Aug. 20-23.

The concert-series will start on Aug. 20 with Dudamel championing Beethoven's Ninth Symphony featuring the"Ode to Joy," The composer’s testament to freedom, peace and unity. 

“We have to believe in the text,” Dudamel said to the Hollywood Bowl. “‘Freude, Freude!’ (Joy, joy!)...We have to end by embracing each other!”

Fiesta Latina

On Aug. 21 there will be the most anticipated fiestawhere Dudamel will bring together an all-star lineup of Latin music icons in a high-energy evening honoring Latin American traditions and rhythm. 

At the fiesta, guests will enjoy Los Panchos, led by original member Gabi Vargas, playing the romantic boleros that made them famous. 

Then, the legendary norteño band Los Tigres del Norte, will lead the Los Angeles Philharmonic in a set of songs by “Latin music’s greatest statesmen.” 

Joining the fiesta will also be Grammy-winning singer-songwriter Lila Downs weaving her music from Mexican and Mesoamerican jazz, cumbia, and folk; followed by Mariachi Reyna de Los Angeles, the first all-woman mariachi group.

Additionally, Spanish singer-songwriter Silvia Pérez Cruz, widely regarded as one of the most remarkable voices to emerge from Spain in recent decades and La Sonora Dinamita, who have been bringing the sounds of Colombia to the world.

Hollywood Bowl recognizes that this part-concert, part-musical celebration and part-heartfelt love letter to Los Angeles reflects the joy, cultural richness and artistic collaborations that have

defined Dudamel’s remarkable tenure with the LA Phil.

On Aug. 22 Dudamel will present “A Musical Legacy,” a continuous celebration of his 17 years transforming classical music boundaries in Southern California. 

And the closing celebration will be on Aug. 23 with the grand finale where Dudamel will hold a concert to benefit his native Venezuela. All donations raised will directly fund the United Nations Development Programme relief fund and the El Sistema CAF Development Bank Fund to support local facilities, students and families devastated by northern Venezuela's late-June earthquakes.

In that concert Dudamel, the LA Phil, and members of the Youth Orchestra Los Angeles (YOLA) will share the stage with massive crossover artists including Beck, GIVĒON, Carlos Vives and Natalia Lafourcade. 

For fans outside of Southern California, the entire final benefit concert will be streamed live worldwide for free on Gustavo Dudamel’s YouTube Channel.

Tickets for the live performances are available directly through the officialHollywood Bowl Ticket Office.