Move over, Mozart. Hello, hip-hop.
The Las Vegas Philharmonic has broadened its artistic reach over the last decade. It's still performing traditional classical concerts, but it's also playing music from movie scores, opera, The Beatles and the Looney Tunes. The orchestra has even performed behind Las Vegas lounge and comedy headliners.
Now, it’s supporting one of the biggest rappers in music. This weekend at the Encore, the Phil plays with Nas as they reproduce the rapper’s seminal 1994 album, Illmatic — the second run of dates after a widely acclaimed local debut last fall. And the Phil's versatility served it well.
"Thankfully, the Philharmonic musicians are used to playing in all different genres, so they are attuned to being able to adjust the genre," says Phil guest conductor Enrico Lopez-Yañez. "But there are swing elements in some of the songs. Some have just a certain laidback feel that is very ubiquitous with this genre. So I think that is part of what we have the rehearsal time for, is to say, okay, this section here is not Mozart. This section is more inspired by Michael Jackson. So we're gonna try a different taste and flavor of how we produce the sound for that song."
Nas reached out to the orchestra upon planning a Las Vegas run of dates. The Phil benefitted from Nas having used other orchestras in previous dates; all the hard work of arranging the songs had been done. (Lopez-Yañez conducted shows in Nashville and San Diego before taking on the Vegas shows.) But that's not to say the Vegas shows will sound like those earlier performances.
"Every orchestra has its own characteristics and sound," says Lopez-Yañez. "So if you [saw] this show in the Kennedy Center, and then come and watch it at the Encore, it's gonna sound different. There's gonna be a difference that's the nature of live music and live variations in ensemble. And so every performance is truly unique and special. Here, for example, the [Phil] is playing an opening set, which is not something that has [was] done when I performed it in Nashville or San Diego."
And this won't be typical of orchestral performances where the audience sits pin-drop quietly through the show. "We make it very clear that this is about having fun," says Lopez-Yañez. "So get up, dance, sing along — just have a good time.
Guest: Enrico Lopez-Yañez, guest conductor, Las Vegas Philharmonic
