Phil Collins, Christina Aguilera, Enrique Iglesias, Toni Braxton and Edward James Olmos Headline Star-Studded `ETRADE Super Bowl XXXIV Halftime Show'

Business Wire, Jan 7, 2000

Entertainment & Sports Editors

ATLANTA--(ENTERTAINMENT WIRE)--Jan. 7, 2000

Produced by Walt Disney Attractions

Legendary pop superstar Phil Collins, musical chart-toppers Christina Aguilera and Enrique Iglesias, and award-winning songstress and Broadway star Toni Braxton will join more than 125 drummers and percussionists, a full symphony orchestra, larger-than-life puppets, aerial dancers, a multi-generational choir and, last but not least: one stadium full of Disney magic for the "E*TRADE Super Bowl XXXIV Halftime Show."

An estimated 130 million viewers in the United States and millions more worldwide will be a part of an unprecedented millennium celebration on Jan. 30, 2000, at the Georgia Dome as Walt Disney Attractions LLC produces the Super Bowl spectacle celebrating the dawn of the new millennium.

Director, producer and Academy Award nominee Edward James Olmos will be the featured narrator for the halftime performance that will be televised by ABC-TV.

This will be the sixth time Disney has created the Super Bowl Halftime Show.

"Marking the milestone of the year 2000 in a special way is the mission for this Super Bowl halftime show," said NFL Commissioner Paul Tagliabue. "We're pleased to have Disney with us again to continue the tradition of magical halftime entertainment for our fans."

The show, titled "Tapestry of Nations," is inspired by the year-long Walt Disney World Millennium Celebration. Elements of the festivities are intertwined throughout the 10-minute spectacle, including larger-than-life puppets, an original orchestral score and advanced pyrotechnics. Created by award-winning designer Michael Curry, the puppets are modeled after those that are featured as part of the year-long Walt Disney World Millennium Celebration in Florida.

"As the first e-commerce company to sponsor a Super Bowl halftime show, we at E*TRADE are thrilled to help bring this classic American show to life," said Michael Sievert, vice president of marketing at E*TRADE. "This is the ultimate game that celebrates the triumph of the independent spirit, the power of teamwork and the will to succeed. E*TRADE is delighted to be the major supporter of this special event."

"At the Walt Disney World Resort we are marking the milestone of the millennium in a big way with a year-long celebration," said Al Weiss, president of Walt Disney World Co. "With this special performance during Super Bowl XXXIV, we hope to give people around the world a taste of our celebration and welcome the year 2000 in grand fashion."

The show, sponsored by E*TRADE, will feature a full symphony orchestra led by accomplished, Atlanta-area conductor Steven Byess. The 80-member orchestra on the field will be a Super Bowl Halftime Show first. Reflecting the multi-generational celebration, members of the orchestra and accompanying choir range in age from 10 to 60.

Theatrical lighting -- the most expansive in Super Bowl history

-- illuminates the darkened Georgia Dome as fully synchronized pyrotechnics provide an eye- and-ear-filling backdrop to the superstar musical performances. The lighting will create a magical atmosphere for the spiritual celebration.

Super Bowl XXXIV, the NFL championship game, will be held Sunday, Jan. 30, 2000, and will air live on ABC beginning at 6 p.m. ET.

About Phil Collins

Phil Collins, world-renowned drummer, singer, actor and composer, has been called one of today's most successful pop and adult-contemporary singers.

The London native began his solo career 18 years ago with "Face Value" ('81), followed by "Hello, I Must Be Going" ('82), "No Jacket Required" ('85), "...But Seriously" ('89), "Serious Hits...Live!" ('90) and "Both Sides" ('93). He has won six Grammy Awards, while his solo sales sold more than 70 million copies. Between 1984 and 1990, Collins had a string of 13 straight U.S. Top-10 hits.

Before launching his solo career, Collins was known as a singer/drummer for the legendary rock band Genesis and the jazz ensemble Brand X.

Collins composed songs for the soundtrack from Disney's "Tarzan," the hit animated feature film, including the song "You'll Be in My Heart." The soundtrack and song were both recently nominated for Grammy awards. Collins also has received a Golden Globe nomination for the song "You'll Be in My Heart."

About Christina Aguilera

Christina Aguilera's sensational self-titled debut album turned the 19-year-old former mouseketeer into one of the most popular new singers of recent years. Her breakthrough No. 1 single "Genie In A Bottle" rocketed her debut album to No. 1 in its first week of release. Since then, the album has gone on to sell more than 5 million copies, and her newest single, "What A Girl Wants," has officially become the first No. 1 single of the new century.

Making it all even sweeter, Christina was just nominated for two Grammy awards, including Best New Artist and Best Pop Vocal, Female for "Genie in a Bottle." The singer recently performed the Mel Torme classic "The Christmas Song" for President Clinton on TNT's "Christmas at the White House" special.