World Cup Final Halftime Adds New York Philharmonic and Venezuela’s Simón Bolívar Symphony Orchestra, to Be Conducted by Gustavo Dudamel (EXCLUSIVE)

By Michael Schneider

Michael Schneider

Variety Editor at Large

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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.

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