After decades of presenting the world-famous Philadelphia Orchestra at the original Robin Hood Dell East (1930–1975), Fredric R. Mann leads the effort to relocate the series to a new home in West Fairmount Park. Built for the United States Bicentennial, the new venue, later named the Robin Hood Dell West, features a capacity of roughly 14,000, making it the largest covered music and arts facility in Philadelphia. The original Robin Hood Dell subsequently became known as the Robin Hood Dell East, today recognized as the Dell Music Center.

The Robin Hood Dell West opens on June 14, 1976, with an inaugural concert featuring music director Eugene Ormandy leading The Philadelphia Orchestra in a star-studded program. The first season includes appearances by Ella Fitzgerald, Leonard Bernstein, and Beverly Sills, and marked the North American conducting debut of Zubin Mehta.

The inaugural 1976 pop series, six concerts from mid-July to late August, features James Taylor, Barry Manilow, Janis Ian, the Carpenters, Linda Ronstadt, and America, marking the organization’s first non-orchestral programming.

The Robin Hood Dell West is renamed the Mann Music Center after founder Fredric R. Mann.

On August 2, 1979, Leonard Bernstein conducts Mahler’s Symphony No. 9 with The Philadelphia Orchestra, marking his final Philadelphia appearance. Over three decades, Bernstein performed at the Mann and Robin Hood Dell a total of six times.

The great Italian tenor Luciano Pavarotti appears at the Mann twice, both in 1979. He performs when the Mann presents The Metropolitan Opera in May, and returns in August for a solo benefit recital, where he is joined by the trailblazing contralto Marian Anderson.

Eugene Ormandy returns to the Mann to lead three concerts, his final appearances in the city as music director of The Philadelphia Orchestra. His 44-year tenure, unprecedented in American orchestral music, makes these performances especially momentous.

Renowned American cellist Yo-Yo Ma makes his debut at the Mann at age 25. 

The American Ballet Theatre gives two performances in 1981, both featuring the preeminent dancer and choreographer Mikhael Baryshnikov.

The Mann hosts the Kool Jazz Festival from 1982 to 1984, presenting many of the biggest names in jazz including Miles Davis, Dizzy Gillespie, Ella Fitzgerald, and more.

Pennsylvania Ballet makes its debut at the Mann Center, performing back-to-back nights of Bagaku, a ballet rooted in the traditions of the Japanese court dance of the same name.

Fredric R. Mann, the Mann’s namesake, dies on February 26, 1987 at age 83.

For six consecutive nights in June 1989, the Mann presents the national touring company of the record-breaking Broadway musical Cats. It marks the venue’s first time hosting a Broadway production, and the run was a major success.

Aretha Franklin makes her debut at the Mann on July 3, 1992, in a “Sounds of Freedom” concert presented as part of the city’s July 4th celebrations.

American jam band Phish makes their Mann debut on July 18, 1992, in an opening performance for Santana. The appearance marks the beginning of a longstanding summer tradition that continues today. Phish has performed 17 times at the Mann so far.

To better reflect the organization’s artistic goals, broaden the venue’s programming, and provide meaningful arts experiences for diverse communities, the Mann Music Center is renamed the Mann Center for the Performing Arts in 1998.

Grammy-winning jazz trumpeter Wynton Marsalis performs with the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra on July 3, 1998.

Broadway returns as the Mann presents the Pulitzer Prize and Tony Award-winning RENT for a weeklong stand, September 12–17.

On September 16, Music Director Wolfgang Sawallisch leads The Philadelphia Orchestra in a memorial concert honoring those lost in the September 11th tragedies.

John Williams, one of the most celebrated film composers, makes his debut on July 15, 2003, conducting The Philadelphia Orchestra in “John Williams Salutes the Silver Screen,” featuring music from his iconic scores for E.T., Star Wars, Indiana Jones, and Harry Potter.

The Mann completes a $15 million capital campaign, delivering campus-wide improvements including new gates, a redesigned plaza, a Welcome Center, upgraded restrooms and concessions, the Donor Terrace & Garden, the Field Education Center, and more.

The Royal Ballet performs Romeo and Juliet and Swan Lake, marking the British ballet company’s first performances in Philadelphia in over three decades.

The Movies @ the Mann series is introduced, featuring screenings of beloved films with epic live orchestral accompaniment. Since beginning, the series has presented favorites like Harry Potter, Star Wars, The Lord of the Rings, Jurassic Park, E.T., Toy Story, and more.

The Skyline Stage debuts, offering patrons a unique open-air concert experience with unparalleled views of Philadelphia's skyline.

The Mann hosts the world premiere of Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone™ in Concert with The Philadelphia Orchestra, welcoming a sold-out crowd.

The Mann celebrates the 40th Anniversary of its pavilion, which was built during the United States Bicentennial in 1976.

Aretha Franklin, the “Queen of Soul” and one of the greatest voices in American popular music, performs the second-to-last full public concert of her nearly sixty-year career at the Mann on August 26, 2017.

Yannick Nézet-Séguin, Music & Artistic Director of The Philadelphia Orchestra, makes his debut at the Mann on June 24, 2019. Under his baton, the Orchestra performs Beethoven’s Symphony No. 9.

The Roots Picnic makes its Mann Center debut, attracting a sell-out crowd of over 25,000. This marks the first time the Mann expanded its campus to accommodate a third stage and expanded amenities in Fairmount Park.

The Mann completes $11 million in campus upgrades, including new seating and ventilation within the pavilion.

Due to the consequences of COVID-19, officials of the Mann make the difficult decision to suspend completely its traditional summer season for 2020. The Let the Music Play Resiliency Fund launches as an emergency fund to support the Mann’s annual operations, as well as its ongoing community engagement and educational programs.

BalletX, Philadelphia’s leading contemporary ballet, makes its debut at the Mann with three nights of performances featuring world premieres. This marks the start of the company’s residency at the Mann, which continues today.

Downstage @ the Mann, a new stage format that places the artist and audience together on stage, debuts with Deep Blue Sea, a new dance piece commissioned by the Mann and created and directed by acclaimed choreographer Bill T. Jones.

The inaugural HBCU Festival welcomes thousands to the Mann’s campus to celebrate the history and culture of Historically Black Colleges and Universities. Free and open to the public, the festival features a college fair showcasing HBCUs from across the country, lively performances from drum lines, choirs, and dance troops, and a variety of family-friendly activities.

Through its Education & Community Engagement department, the Mann launches the Music Industry Apprenticeship Program, a first-of-its-kind post-high school theater tech training program.

The Mann is renamed Highmark Mann, marking the beginning of a naming rights sponsorship with Highmark Blue Shield.

Highmark Mann celebrates its 50th anniversary at its current location in West Fairmount Park, coinciding with the nation’s 250th anniversary. Marking this milestone, a $70 million capital campaign is completed, resulting in a reimagined campus that includes a 46,000 sq. ft. South Plaza, a Welcome Center with an interactive Music Hall of Fame and Encore Gift Shop, a new ticket office, a dynamic digital wall on the TD Pavilion exterior, interactive digital installations, enhanced ADA accessibility, expanded concessions and patron amenities, and more.

Be part of the next exciting chapter of Highmark Mann by giving to our 50th Anniversary Campaign. Support now!