The FIFA World Cup Final Halftime Show keeps getting bigger. Variety has exclusively learned that the event will now also include members of the New York Philharmonic and the Simón Bolívar Symphony Orchestra of Venezuela, who will jointly perform a tribute to Venezuela in the wake of its recent devastating earthquakes.
Gustavo Dudamel, the outgoing LA Phil music and artistic director who takes over as music and artistic director of the New York Philharmonic in September, will conduct the orchestra — marking the first time members of the NY Philharmonic and the Simón Bolívar Symphony Orchestra have performed together.
Dudamel and the orchestras join a packed lineup for the 11-minute halftime show, which will take place on July 19 at New York New Jersey Stadium. FIFA and Global Citizen partnered to stage the event, with Coldplay’s Chris Martin curating the show (in his role as international curator of the Global Citizen Festival) and Done+Dusted producing. Among those also set to perform: Madonna, Justin Bieber, BTS, Shakira, Burna Boy, PS22 Chorus with Coldplay and the Muppets.
“I think this is going to create this absolutely unforgettable moment,” Global Citizen CEO Hugh Evans said of the orchestral maneuver. “It’s such a timely, and important, and urgent tribute to the resilience of Venezuela following the earthquakes. It’s all focused on this urgent need for world leaders to step up in support of Venezuela. And having these two legendary orchestras together for the first time in history, I think also reinforces that message of global unity and love that is woven throughout the whole halftime show, and is the essence of Chris Martin’s creative direction here.”
