SUBSCRIBER SPOTLIGHT Marc and Yvonne Lucca
Twenty years ago, Marc and Yvonne Lucca started attending Philly POPS Christmas concerts together as part of their holiday gift to each other. They moved away to California for nine years, but picked the tradition right back up when they returned home to Philadelphia. What started as an outing with just three couples in 2007 has ballooned into a group of more than 40 friends, family, and neighbors this year. Their contingent really grew when their son Juliano became a member of the Philadelphia Boys Choir (which performs in the show). “More people wanted to hear him sing,” Yvonne says. “Each year, our group grew and grew.” She makes sure to reserve seats close to the choirs so that she can see the boys singing up close. “We sit so close to the Gospel Choir that we know some of them and high five them every year!” Always held on the first Saturday matinée, the group’s day of fun starts with cocktails near the Kimmel Center, then box seats for the show, followed by dinner at Vietnam Café in University City where each person tells the group how they originally got invited, holiday stories, and things that happened to them during the year. Yvonne is especially excited about this year’s show with David Charles Abell conducting. “He’s my favorite,” she says. “This year, I told everyone David is back and that got even more people interested.” Marc, who is now a Board member of the POPS says: “It’s a great way to start the holidays!” Want to be our next Subscriber Spotlight? Email smaiellano@phillypops.org.
A Philly POPS Christmas | December 2019 | 23
