I barely know where to start about Solstice 2008. Tomorrow, starting at 3pm (2:30pm, for the outdoor street festival) the Kimmel Center celebrates the longest day of the year. Take a look at the schedule for more information about the performances and artists, but this is one time I can confidently say, we've got something for everyone.
There's family entertainment all afternoon like Baby Loves Disco, Wii Bowling, and storytellers, and then there's music, dancing, Quizzo, a story slam, Spinderella, and much, much more all night. There will even be animals from the Philadelphia Zoo. Plus, an outdoor arts fair by InLiquid. And, of course, there's all kinds of music--opera, classical, jazz, world, taiko drummers, bagpipes.
I hope you managed to make it, and if you did, please share your experiences in the comment section. Check out the photos from Solstice 2007.
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The 2007/2008 season marks the end of Maestro Eschenbach's tenure as Music Director at the Philadelphia Orchestra. To mark this occasion and to celebrate the Maestro's time in Philadelphia, he will give a recital this afternoon, featuring the talents of many members of the Orchestra as well as soprano Rinat Shaham. Works will include Beethoven, Dvorák, Schoenberg, and Schumann, and Eschenbach will perform on the piano as well as conduct.
Dan Zanes returns to the Kimmel Center with some friends for a Nighttime Pajama Party. Zanes has been making family music ever since he released Rocket Ship Beach in 2001. His recent album, Catch That Train! brings together the Kronos Quartet, the Blind Boys of Alabama, Father Goose, and children from South Africa's Agape Orphanage. Soon to be released is Zanes' Nueva York!, a collaboration with friends from the Latino world on family songs all sung in Spanish.
Tonight Danilo Pérez closes this season's Jazz Up Close series (Jazz Goes Global) by taking us to Spain to see how jazz and flamenco have melded and blended, creating a whole new style. Joined by guitarist Juanito Pascual, bassist John Patitucci and percussionist Jamey Haddad, Pérez shows us just how universal a language jazz has become.
The Orchestre National de France makes its Kimmel Center debut tonight under the direction of Kurt Masur and featuring pianist David Fray. The program features two pieces by Beethoven as well as Dvorák's "New World" Symphony, notes on the program are available here.
Tonight is Jeffrey Siegel's last concert in his Keyboard Conversations series. He will return again next season with three new concerts. To conclude this season, Mr. Siegel will perform an All-Liszt program. 
Feist returns to the Academy tonight special guest Hayden. The last time Feist played the Academy, she was relatively unknown and opening for Bright Eyes. Now, she's winding up a huge year with The Reminder and the enormous hit "1-2-3-4."
This weekend, the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater returns to Philadelphia and celebrates their 50th Anniversary. Under the artistic direction of the legendary Judith Jamison (a Philadelphia native!), the company will perform some of the most famous works from their repertoire, like Revelations (Ailey's signature work), Love Stories (a collaboration with Philadelphia's Rennie Harris) and a new take on Firebird.
The Geator is back for a evening of street corner memories. Little Anthony and the Imperials, Johnny Maestro and the Brooklyn Bridge, and Kenny Vance and the Planotones reprise their soulful hits. Due to illness, Harvey Fuqua of the Moonglows will not be performing.
