February 17, 2023
Provided Image/Philly Pops
Philly Pops has postponed its 'Get Up, Stand Up' concerts, which were slated to be performed Saturday at The Met. New dates have not been announced.
The Philly Pops has postponed its performances at The Met this weekend – two weeks after moving them to the North Philadelphia venue.
The orchestra was scheduled to play "Get Up, Stand Up: The Encyclopedia of Soul" on Saturday at 3 p.m. and 8 p.m. Instead, the shows will be rescheduled as the Philly Pops work "to implement a sustainable financial model," the organization said Thursday. The new dates have not been announced.
"We apologize to the ticketholders who had made plans to attend 'Get Up, Stand Up' on Saturday, and to the talented Pops musicians who had worked so hard to prepare for these shows," said Karen Corbin, the organization's chief operating officer. "We sincerely regret this inconvenience, but we intend to honor these commitments by rescheduling the 'Get Up, Stand Up' performances."
A spokesperson for Philly Pops, Annie Meko, declined to elaborate on why the shows had been postponed at the last minute, referring PhillyVoice to the orchestra's press release and reiterating that the shows would be rescheduled.
On Feb. 2, the Philly Pops moved the shows from Verizon Hall to The Met. That switch was prompted by the orchestra's eviction from the Kimmel Cultural Campus earlier this year. The Pops had failed to make a $520,000 payment to the Philadelphia Orchestra and Kimmel Center, the city's largest arts presenter.
"Get Up, Stand Up: The Encyclopedia of Soul" is a celebration of soul music. It includes songs such as "Heard It Through The Grapevine," "A Change Is Gonna Come," and "Let's Get It On." It is conducted by Emmy Award winner Rickey Minor and features "Hamilton" actor Joshua Henry.
The Philly Pops initially decided to cease operations after its current season ends in July, marking the end of a four-decade run. But the orchestra reassessed that decision after the holiday season and launched a fundraising effort intended to keep it in business. The orchestra's union also reached a new contract agreement that does not expire until Aug. 31, 2024.
People who purchased tickets for the postponed concerts can call (215) 875-8004 with questions.
