Looking for date night ideas for Valentine’s Day? The Florida Orchestra has a whole month’s worth, from James Bond to a classical saxophone quartet to a retired astronaut hosting a space-themed concert. There’s so much to love at The Florida Orchestra in February.
Music of Bond – James Bond (Saturday and Sunday, February 8 & 9, with a matinee): Be stirred, not shaken, as TFO’s own secret weapon, Michael Francis, conducts themes from more than 50 years of 007 movies in the Raymond James Pops series.
American Masters Featuring Rascher Sax Quartet (Friday and Sunday, February 14 & 16): You never knew sax could sound like this; Philip Glass’ Concerto for Saxophone Quartet and Orchestra will surprise you. Also come for Gershwin’s An American in Paris and more. Stuart Malina conducts. Perfect for Valentine’s Day.
Beethoven’s Violin Concerto (Friday to Sunday, February 21-23 with matinee): Brilliant Dutch violinist Simone Lamsma performs Beethoven’s only Violin Concerto. Also come for Bartók’s Concerto for Orchestra and more. Christoph König conducts. Free tickets for kids and teens in the Tampa Bay Times Masterworks series.
All About Tchaikovsky Coffee Concert (Wednesday and Thursday, February 26 & 27): Come enjoy some of the most famous music in the world, all by Tchaikovsky, including Romeo and Juliet, 1812 Overture and Capriccio Italien. Stuart Malina conducts. Free coffee and doughnuts.
Out of this World (Friday and Saturday, February 28 & 29): Conductor Sarah Hicks and retired astronaut Nicole Stott take you on a voyage into stellar music from Star Trek, Holst’s The Planets, Star Wars, E.T. and more. The performances will be enhanced with NASA images and a video.
Rachmaninoff’s Piano Concerto No. 3 (Friday to Sunday, March 6-8): Considered the ‘Mount Everest’ of piano concertos, Rachmaninoff’s most difficult work is a thriller to watch live—especially with electrifying pianist Joyce Yang. Also come for Beethoven’s Eighth and Sibelius’ Seventh, two symphonies that pack a lot into a little space. Michael Francis conducts.
The Florida Orchestra Coffee Concert tickets are $24-$42, with concerts at the Mahaffey Theater in St. Petersburg and Ruth Eckerd Hall in Clearwater. Tampa Bay Times Masterworks and Raymond James Pops series tickets are $18-$48. Get your tickets at FloridaOrchestra.org and by calling 727-892-3337 or 1-800-662-7286.
