TRAVEL THE WORLD—RIGHT IN PHILADELPHIA

Cézanne, Galileo, Riverdance And More Make Philly A Global City This Year

PHILADELPHIA, March 11, 2009 – Those not planning an expensive trip across the Atlantic this year can spend a few days in Philadelphia—for a fraction of the cost but all of the fun. They can soak up art exhibitions and performances that will have them thinking they’re strolling along the Avenue des Champs-Élysées in Paris, explore the boot-shaped peninsula of Italy and discover the cultural gems of Ireland and England. Travelers can book the popular two-night Philly Overnight® Hotel Package, which is available at more than 30 hotels and comes with free hotel parking and a gift at check-in, or one of the dozens of other packages available on gophila.com.

Here are a few Philly events that will transport visitors around the globe this year:

France:

·         Including approximately 35 paintings and sculptures, Henri Matisse and Modern Art on the French Riviera at the Philadelphia Museum of Art’s Perelman Building celebrates the French Riviera’s mythic allure for modern artists. Museum-goers experience the dazzling optical effects of the sun-drenched coastline—all without leaving the country. Through November 1, 2009. Fairmount & Pennsylvania Avenues, (215) 763-8100, philamuseum.org

·         Making its exclusive world appearance at the Philadelphia Museum of Art, Cézanne and Beyond brings together 150 works, including 40 paintings and 20 drawings by Cézanne and many more paintings, drawings, photographs and sculptures by 18 other masters from succeeding generations. As they walk through the exhibition, visitors can see how the icon influenced the next generation of artists and how he continues to serve as a touchstone for artists today. February 26-May 17, 2009. 26^th Street & the Benjamin Franklin Parkway, (215) 763-8100, philamuseum.org

·        Also at the Philadelphia Museum of Art’s Perelman Building, Shopping in Paris compares American fashions, spanning from 1850 through World War I, to the French luxury designers like Lanvin and House of Worth that inspired them. April 11-September 2009. Fairmount & Pennsylvania Avenues, (215) 763-8100, philamuseum.org

      This season, The Philadelphia Orchestra launches its multi-season exploration of the works of French master Hector Berlioz with an all-star performance of the composer’s The Damnation of Faust, led by renowned conductor Simon Rattle, at the Kimmel Center for the Performing Arts. April 29 and May 2, 2009. Broad & Spruce Streets, (215) 893-1999, kimmelcenter.org

Italy:

·         Green thumbs and admirers of buds, blooms and all-things green can check out the Philadelphia Flower Show. This year’s theme, “Bella Italia,” celebrates the natural beauty, art, food, music and people of Italy through elaborate displays, operatic performances, strolling mandolin players, folk dancers and costumed actors. The world’s oldest and largest indoor flower show, the event features top-of-the-line horticulture and landscape design, entertainment and more than 150 vendors at the Pennsylvania Convention Center. March 1-8, 2009. 12^th & Arch Streets, (215) 988-8800, theflowershow.com

·         During the International Year of Astronomy, The Franklin Institute Science Museum is the only stop in the world for Galileo, The Medici and The Age of Astronomy, a special exhibition that explores the contributions of Galileo, as well as that of other luminaries during the age of the Medicis. Highlights include one of only two existing Galileo telescopes. April 4-
September 7, 2009. 222 N. 20^th Street, (215) 448-1200, fi.edu

Ireland:

·         The Kimmel Center’s Innovation Studio presents The Irish…And How They Got That Way, an irreverent but affectionate history of the Irish in America that mingles laughter and sentiment in a tapestry of classical songs and stories as told by Pulitzer Prize-winning author Frank McCourt. March 5-29, 2009. Broad & Spruce Streets, (215) 893-1999, kimmelcenter.org

·         A thunderous celebration of Irish music, song and dance that has tapped its way onto the world stage, Riverdance plays eight farewell performances at the Academy of Music. March 31-April 5, 2009. 240 S. Broad Street, (215) 893-1999, kimmelcenter.org

·         The Rosenbach Museum & Library commemorates Bloomsday, the day on which novel hero Leopold Bloom made his “odyssey” through Dublin in Ulysses, with sp
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