The Florida Orchestra is reimagining a fall season that brings the comfort and joy of live classical music back to Tampa Bay while maintaining health and safety as the top priority. The Florida Orchestra is conducting the season with a three-phased approach for maximum safety.
The 53rd season will open on Saturday, October 31 and Sunday, November 1 with Beethoven’s Symphony No. 7, conducted by Music Director Michael Francis.
In phase one, all concerts will be held exclusively at the Duke Energy Center for the Arts – Mahaffey Theater, located at 400 1st St. S. in St. Petersburg. In addition to in-person concerts, The Florida Orchestra will offer livestream video for free.
“It is a crazy, complicated puzzle to make the season work, but we are tackling it with a strong team thanks to the unwavering support of our community. We are grateful to everyone who has continued to make contributions,” said The Florida Orchestra President and CEO Mark Cantrell.
“The Florida Orchestra’s board of directors have stood by our musicians and staff because they know this orchestra will play an important role in helping our community heal. We must take these steps for safety and financial stability now to ensure a brighter future,” added Cantrell.
In phase one, the orchestra will be divided into smaller ensembles of 20 to 40 players. There will be more concerts and a greater variety of music. The result is an expansion of the premier Tampa Bay Times Masterworks series to include exciting new Soundwaves concerts which explore a wide range of music and composers.
Overall, concerts will be shorter with no intermission. Some weekends will offer five performances over two days, but all will be with limited audiences.
“By expanding our Masterworks series to include our wonderful new Soundwaves concerts, I am thrilled to share an amazing kaleidoscope of sounds and colors. We will feature works we do not often get the chance to perform,” said Francis.
Moreover, the orchestra will feature more of its own virtuoso musicians.
Phase one will have limited, spaced seating for the safety of patrons. The Florida Orchestra will accommodate season ticket holders first, and any remaining tickets will go on sale on Monday, October 12. For full flexibility, the orchestra is announcing a revised concert schedule with new dates and repertoire only through the end of the year.
For more information and to get tickets, please visit www.floridaorchestra.org.
