The number 30 tends to suck. I know this, as I turn 30 next year, and, reader, I already feel the suck. But something funnier than me, more important, and more timeless also turns 30 in 2020, and that is Bugs at the Symphony—the ebullient, classically trained celebration of the Looney Tunes shorts in all their splendor. Masterminded by the conductor George Daugherty since 1990 and featuring music by Carl Stalling and Milt Franklyn, Bugs at the Symphony is a live soundtrack presentation of classic cartoons starring Bugs Bunny, Daffy Duck, Elmer Fudd, and the rest of the gang, supported by orchestras like the New York Philharmonic and accompanying touring musicians.
I sat through one of the early summer performances of Bugs at the Symphony II (a retooled sequel to the original) at New York City’s Lincoln Center earlier this year and had a blast. It’s a welcome two-hour comedy shebang, while also being a full-on Classical Music Event, which means there’s crossover potential for children and adults alike. It’s also a big-screen showcase of some of the funniest American cartoons ever made, including classics like “What’s Opera Doc?” and “The Rabbit of Seville.” In addition to the shorts themselves, Daugherty dedicates a few minutes to discussing his love of cartoons as well as their transformative power in young creative minds.
Here’s a full rundown of the coming 30th anniversary tour of Bugs at the Symphony:
- September 21, 2019 — Erie, PA
- October 4-6, 2019 — Seattle, WA
- January 3-4, 2020 — Sarasota, FL
- January 18, 2020 — Chicago, IL
- March 20-22, 2020 — Pittsburgh, PA
- April 25-26, 2020 — Omaha, NE
- May 29-30, 2020 — Edmonton, AB, Canada
More cities will also be announced on the 2020-21 tour, and it will undoubtedly come to New York City, for those like me who live in this otherwise humorless burg.
IMPORTANT NOTE: If you’re new to Bugs at the Symphony, I highly recommend doing what I did: don’t (!!!) read the program beforehand. It was a joy to watch these shorts with eager anticipation and a sense of mystery as to what might come next, as well as genuine nostalgic surprise in thinking through what I remembered and what I didn’t from watching these clips growing up. Grant yourself the same delights.
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