By Kelly Smith
The Florida Orchestra’s popular Coffee concert series just keeps growing. For the upcoming 50th anniversary season, TFO will expand the series at Ruth Eckerd Hall in Clearwater from four to five Wednesdays, to go along with the nine morning concerts on Thursdays at the Mahaffey Theater. Both series are a winning combination of light symphonic favorites, free coffee and doughnuts, and charismatic Principal Guest Conductor Stuart Malina. Shows start at 11 a.m., with pre-concert conversations at 10 a.m., at both venues.
Highlights of the 2017-18 season include:
Orchestra Showpieces (Thursday, October 12, Mahaffey): Be amazed by what your virtuoso orchestra can play, with selections from Bizet’s Carmen, Grieg’s In the Hall of the Mountain King and more. Stuart Malina conducts.
Sounds of Celebration (Wednesday, December 6 at Ruth Eckerd Hall, Thursday, December 7 at Mahaffey): Ring in TFO’s 50th season with celebratory music, including Elgar’s Pomp and Circumstance No. 1, selections from Tchaikovsky’s Nutcracker and more. Stuart Malina conducts.
Musicians in the Spotlight (Wednesday, January 10 at Ruth Eckerd Hall, Thursday, January 11 at Mahaffey): Watch the fantastic individual musicians of TFO shine in Rossini’s William Tell Overture, Prokofiev’s Peter and the Wolf, Rachmaninoff’s Symphony No. 2 and more. Stuart Malina conducts.
Center Stage (Wednesday, February 28 at Ruth Eckerd Hall, Thursday, March 1 at Mahaffey): Music from the theater, brought to you by Tony Award winner Stuart Malina, including selections from Rodgers’ The Sound of Music, Beethoven’s Egmont Overture and more.
Beethoven! (Wednesday, March 14 at Ruth Eckerd Hall, Thursday, March 15 at Mahaffey): Beloved works by Beethoven, along with a performance by the winner of the Justine LeBaron Young Artists Competition sponsored by the Florida Orchestra Musicians Association.
The Florida Orchestra: Coffee subscribers save 20% off the single ticket price. Series subscriptions are on sale now, and single tickets are available Monday, August 14. Coffee Concerts tickets are $24, $29, $34, $42 at floridaorchestra.org or 727-892-3337 and -800-662-7286.
