Montreal, October 2, 2023 – Looney Tunes‘ legendary animated shorts are taking Canada by storm for Bugs Bunny at the Symphony, with upcoming dates in Montreal, Quebec City, and Toronto. This tour marks the 35th anniversary of the acclaimed production, created in partnership by George Daugherty, David Ka Lik Wong and Warner Bros. Discovery Global Themed Entertainment and lauded by critics and audiences around the globe.
To ring in the momentous occasion, creator and conductor George Daugherty leads Canada’s premier film music orchestra, the FILMharmonic. Enthusiasts from all walks of life will be able to share in the joy of the memorable adventures of Bugs Bunny and his eclectic friends, set to a whirlwind of original Carl Stalling / Milt Franklyn animation scores, inspired by the great masters of classical music.
Conducted by Emmy Award winner Daugherty, and created by Daugherty and Emmy Award winner David Ka Lik Wong, “Bugs Bunny at the Symphony” has been touring the world with major symphony orchestras and at iconic venues since 1990, when the production first sold-out Broadway’s Gershwin Theatre as “Bugs Bunny On Broadway.” Since then, the concert has played to sold-out houses and rave reviews around the globe, with hundreds of orchestras and venues ranging from The New York Philharmonic to The Boston Pops to The Philadelphia Orchestra and The Royal Philharmonic . . . from The Hollywood Bowl to the Sydney Opera House to The New York Philharmonic Lincoln Center. The concert has also been seen across Canada, with all of the country’s major symphony orchestras.
This latest version of “Bugs Bunny at the Symphony” pairs 16 brilliant, iconic Looney Tunes shorts projected on the big screen , including What’s Opera, Doc?, The Rabbit of Seville, Baton Bunny, Zoom and Bored, and Corny Concerto — plus five brand new animated shorts — while their exhilarating classically-infused Carl Stalling scores are played live.
“When we were all growing up and watching Looney Tunes on Saturday morning, we didn’t realize we were also getting a massive lesson in classical music,” says Daugherty. “Bugs Bunny at the Symphony is the perfect opportunity to bring today’s kids to the symphony orchestra and appreciate the beauty of classical music while getting a hilarious twist from Bugs Bunny and his cohorts. More importantly, it’s a chance for adults of all ages to rekindle their affection for these brilliant animated shorts, and relive a truly nostalgic and magical part of their childhoods.”
Known as a multi-generationally loved show perfect for all ages, Bugs Bunny at the Symphony will allow guests to reminisce on the good times from their own childhoods, as well as create new memories with Bugs Bunny, Elmer Fudd, Daffy Duck, Wile E. Coyote, Road Runner, Michigan J. Frog, and the rest of the Looney Tunes characters, seen in their most beloved animated shorts.
George Daugherty has conducted more than 250 American and international orchestras, and also earned a Primetime Emmy Award, five other Emmy nominations, and numerous other awards for his work in television and film. He has been a frequent guest conductor of The New York Philharmonic, The Philadelphia Orchestra, Boston Pops, Pittsburgh Symphony, Detroit Symphony, Cleveland Orchestra, San Francisco Symphony, Seattle Symphony, Danish National Symphony, l’Orchestre de la Suisse Romand, Hong Kong Philharmonic, and the Vancouver, Toronto, Calgary, Winnipeg, Edmonton, and NAC symphony orchestras, among many. He has conducted The Los Angeles Symphony at The Hollywood Bowl 22 times, and the National Symphony 20 times at Wolf Trap. He has been a frequent guest conductor at the Sydney Opera House and Sydney Symphony Orchestra, with The Melbourne Symphony Orchestra, and with the Royal Philharmonic Concert Orchestra in London, and on tour throughout the UK, plus to the United States and Canada conducting “A Royal Christmas” for Dame Julie Andrews. Christopher Plummer, and The Royal Ballet.
A noted conductor of ballet and opera, he has conducted for American Ballet Theatre, Bavarian Staatsoper and Ballet, La Scala Ballet, Teatro Regio di Torino, Teatro Bellas Artes, and numerous other companies, and has been music director of Ballet Chicago, Chicago City Ballet, Louisville Ballet, and Ballet San Jose, among many. George Daugherty and producing partner David Ka Lik Wong received Primetime Emmys as executive producers of ABC’s animation-and-live action production of Prokofiev’s Peter and the Wolf, which Daugherty also directed, wrote, and conducted, and for which he was also Emmy- nominated for Outstanding Music Direction. Daugherty and Wong were also executive producers and writers of the PBS/Sesame Workshop children’s series Sagwa, The Chinese Siamese Cat, and both received Emmy nominations for “Rhythm & Jam,” their series of ABC network music education specials.
David Ka Lik Wong is also a Prime Time Emmy Award winner, a three-time Emmy nominee, has created programming and concerts on Broadway and for the greatest symphony orchestras and concert halls in the world, and together with George Daugherty has produced, written, and created a slate of critically-acclaimed television programs and movies for Warner Bros., ABC/Disney, Sesame Workshop, PBS, and other major studios and networks. He has been the co-creator, producer, technical/stage director, and lighting designer for the concert’s entire history.
Warner Bros. Discovery Presents Bugs Bunny at the Symphony is a 130-minute concert, with one 20-minute intermission.
BUGS BUNNY AT THE SYMPHONY
Experience a nostalgic throwback to one of the world’s most beloved cartoons with this unique cinematic and musical experience! https://bugsbunnyatthesymphony.net/
Tickets now available at gfnproductions.ca
Grand Théâtre de Québec – Quebec City
January 6 – 7:30pm
Meridian Hall – Toronto
January 11, 2024 – 7:30pm
January 12, 2024 – 7:30pm
Salle Wilfrid-Pelletier – Montreal
January 13, 2024 – 7:30pm
January 14, 2024 – 2:00pm
About Warner Bros. Discovery Global Themed Entertainment
Warner Bros. Discovery Global Themed Entertainment (WBDGTE), part of Warner Bros. Discovery Global Brands, Franchises, and Experiences, is a worldwide leader in the creation, development, and licensing of location-based entertainment, live events, exhibits, and theme park experiences based on the biggest franchises, stories and characters from Warner Bros.’ film, television, animation, and games studios, HBO, Discovery, DC, Cartoon Network and more. WBDGTE is home to the groundbreaking locations of The Wizarding World of Harry Potter at Universal theme parks around the world, Warner Bros. World Abu Dhabi, The WB Abu Dhabi, The FRIENDS Experience, The Game of Thrones Studio Tour and countless other experiences inspired by the Wizarding World, DC, Looney Tunes, Scooby-Doo, Game of Thrones, FRIENDS and more. With best-in-class partners, WBDGTE allows fans around the world to physically immerse themselves inside their favorite brands and franchises.
About IF/X Productions
Emmy Award-winning Industrial F/X Productions, also known in the entertainment world as IF/X, was born in Los Angeles and San Francisco, and has now relocated to Las Vegas. Founded by George Daugherty and David Wong, and now with the addition of partner and producer Amy Minter, IF/X has created award-winning and critically-acclaimed live symphony orchestra concerts, Broadway musical productions, television specials and series, and feature films for three decades, collaborating with iconic studios, networks, and labels including Warner Bros., ABC, CBS, PBS, PBS Kids, National Public Radio, Sesame Workshop, the BBC, Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, Radio Canada, RCA, Water Tower Music, Warner Bros. Records, BMG, Sony Entertainment, and others, as well as for the world’s leading symphony orchestras and concert venues. IF/X has produced and toured “Bugs Bunny at the Symphony” since its creation in 1990.c
About Orchestre FILMharmonique
Founded by Denis Chabot, the FILMharmonique, made up of world-class Canadian musicians, is Canada’s premier film music orchestra. Since its creation in 2015, the FILMharmonic Orchestra has presented sold-out film concerts every year at Salle Wilfrid-Pelletier in Place des Arts. Among the films presented in concert are Harry Potter, Amadeus, Star Wars, The Godfather, Gladiator, Titanic, Fantasia and Lord of the Rings.
About GFN Productions
GFN Productions is a Quebec-based entertainment company that produces concerts, records and digital media. GFN invests in the development of Quebec and Canadian talent and presents artists from around the world. In partnership with the FILMharmonic Orchestra, the company has been producing some of the most popular films and franchises in concert form since 2018. This series of film concerts has quickly become a staple of the programming at Place des Arts in Montreal
