Contemporary composer Yanni fulfilled a 20-year-old dream when he performed at the beautiful and historic 16th-century Castillo San Felipe Del Morro in San Juan, Puerto Rico.
During Friday night’s performance, Mother Nature interfered when high winds and rainstorms blew through the castle, forcing the band to end the concert early for safety reasons. Saturday night concertgoers were treated to better weather and the production went off without a hitch, creating a truly memorable night.
Backed by his world renowned orchestra, the two sold-out concerts were filmed in HD for PBS. Yanni performed an awe-inspiring 2-hour set of favorites from throughout his career as well as two encores.
In addition to the ticket-holders, thousands of Yanni fans gathered on the lawn outside of El Morro, bringing chairs and blankets to view the concerts under the stars on a large screen provided by Yanni, the Minister of Tourism and the promoter Jose Dueno Entertainment.
The performance at El Morro joins the famed Puerto Rican landmark — a recognized UNESCO Heritage Site — with other sites such as the Taj Mahal in India, the Acropolis in Greece and the Forbidden City in China that have played host to Yanni’s world-renowned performances.
Debuting March 3, 2012, the program, Yanni: Live at El Morro, marks the composer’s 10th collaboration with PBS and will air exclusively in the United States. An accompanying CD/DVD package will be initially available exclusively through PBS pledge drives, and is scheduled for worldwide release through Sony in the spring of 2012.
“El Morro lived up to its reputation, the evenings were magical, the weather became part of the show and the audiences were among the best I have ever played for,” Yanni said.
