The Florida Orchestra has released the lion’s share of its 2026-’27 season program, and its Masterworks series — always the red meat of what’s on offer — focuses heavily on American composers, honoring the nation’s 250th anniversary.
Those include Bernstein’s captivating “Age of Anxiety,” led by legendary U.S. conductor Leonard Slatkin on April 2 & 3, and May 1 & 2 concerts pairing Gershwin’s beloved “Rhapsody in Blue” and selections from Frank Zappa’s classical rarity, “Yellow Shark” (oh, with Stravinsky’s “Petrushka” kicking off the imaginative program).
There also will be plenty of canon classics from Tchaikovsky, Beethoven, Mozart and others. In fact, the season’s debut concerts (Oct. 2 & 4) will be crammed with spirited works including Tchaikovsky’s “1812 Overture” and Beethoven’s “Wellington Victory.”
I’m always eager to see what collaborations are planned with the Master Chorale of Tampa Bay, and TFO music director Michael Francis will lead a couple landmark programs in his 12th season leading the orchestra. On March 20 & 21, Francis will lead the orchestra’s first-ever performance of the concert version of Beethoven’s only opera, “Fidelio.” And then on May 28 & 30, TFO and the Master Chorale will present Verdi’s powerful masterpiece, “Requiem.”
Some other season highlights:
- Talented young soloist Jeneba Kaneh-Mason will perform Florence Price’s Piano Concerto in One Movement (Oct. 16 & 17) as part of a program that also features Rimsky-Korsakov’s popular “Scheherazade.”
- TFO principal harp Anna Kate Mackle will be featured in Ginastera’s unique Harp Concerto (Nov. 6-8).
- Principal cello Yoni Draiblate will perform Friedrich Gulda’s Cello Concerto (Nov. 20 & 21).
- Concertmaster Jeffrey Multer will solo in Mozart’s Violin Concerto No. 5 (May 14-16).
Additionally, among a few other performances I personally will be anxious to attend, that Slatkin program featuring “Age of Anxiety” (you see what I did there?) also will feature Shostakovich’s renowned Symphony No. 5. On Jan. 16 & 17, guest conductor JoAnn Falletta — a personal favorite — will lead a diverse program topped by contemporary American composer Joan Tower’s Concerto for Piano (Homage to Beethoven). And on Feb. 19-21, Mahler’s masterful Symphony No. 1 tops the bill (I’ll never say no to Mahler).
TFO resident conductor Chelsea Gallo again will lead a slate of Morning Matinee concerts (11 a.m. starting times). And I should mention that all evening concerts will start a bit earlier this season, at 7:30 p.m.
As for pops highlights, a “Music of the Beatles” program is coming Oct. 9-10, featuring guest vocalists, vintage photos and video footage, and a half-dozen “Holiday Pops” concerts are set for mid-December.
In announcing the wide array of works planned for the orchestra’s 59th season, the TFO’s maestro offered a typically eloquent summation.
“This season is about new discovery and familiar connection,” Francis said. “We’re performing some of the most powerful works ever written, while pairing them with music that feels fresh and unexpected.”
Season ticket packages went on sale May 29, and single-ticket purchases will be available starting Aug. 11. More information will be coming in the fall regarding yet-to-be announced film-music concerts, other lighter fare and chamber programs.
For details on TFO programs, as well as ticket and venues info, consult www.floridaorchestra.org.
Temporary quarters
The Palladium Chamber Series will perform its five-concert 2026-’27 series at the acoustically sublime music hall on St. Petersburg College’s Gibbs Campus.
The temporary move to a new performance venue is prompted by a soon-to-commence renovation of SPC’s Palladium Theater in downtown St. Pete. Representing a major overhaul of the historic venue, the work is expected to take at least a year to complete.
The westside-situated Gibbs auditorium, at 6605 Fifth Ave. N., is a 310-seat venue, so expect some sell-outs next season. Entering its 14th season, the Palladium Chamber Series has marked notable growth in each post-pandemic season and now pulls in 300 or more patrons for most concerts.
Its most recent season finale — a glorious Schubert-Shostakovich-Mendelssohn affair on April 15 — certainly packed them in. The crowd skewed towards oldsters, as usual, but also drew a notable contingent of youthful hipsters, a key element in the series’ growing success.
Details on the new chamber season will be released in coming weeks. •
