Modern dance, ballet, opera, classical music and more
Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater
Feb. 19, 2019
Formed on the cusp of the American civil rights movement, Alvin Ailey’s troupe of African American dancers have been telling stories of social change since 1958. Athletic and bold rather than willowy and delicate, the dancers embody power – both physical and spiritual. This 60th anniversary season melds masterpieces from the Ailey archives with new works, even mixing in some hip-hop with the classics.
7:30 p.m. | Walt Disney Theater, Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts, 445 S. Magnolia Ave. | 844-513-2014 | drphillipscenter.org | $39.50-$119.50
Bach Festival Society of Winter Park bachfestivalflorida.org
Friday, Sept. 28
Bach @ the Alfond: Katie Mess, flute
Informal and intimate program with music, tea and scones. ($15)
Friday, Oct. 26
Bach @ the Alfond
Guest performer yet to be announced. ($15)
Sunday, Oct. 28
Eroica Trio
A Grammy-nominated string trio performing works by Shostakovich and Mendelssohn. ($25-$69)
Thursday, Nov. 8
Insights & Sounds: Joe and Mike, the Haydn Brothers
Music from Joseph Haydn and his lesser-known younger brother, Johann Michael, two rock stars of the Classical era. ($20-$45)
Saturday-Sunday, Nov. 17-18
Mendelssohn and Mahler
Mahler's First Symphony along with choral gems from Mendelssohn. ($25-$69)
Saturday-Sunday, Dec. 15-16
A Classic Christmas
Christmas classics performed by the Bach Festival Choir, Youth Choir and Orchesta. ($35-$79)
Thursday, Jan. 24, 2019
Insights and Sounds: Vivaldi's Juditha Triumphans
Performance and discussion of Vivaldi's only surviving oratorio, telling the story of the biblical heroine. ($20-$45)
Sunday, Feb. 10, 2019
Spiritual Spaces: A Musical Retreat
Relaxing and meditative music for stress relief, meditation and healing. ($25-$69)
Friday, Feb. 15, 2019
Paul Jacobs, organ
The Grammy Award-winning organist performs a free concert. (free)
Saturday-sunday, Feb. 16-17, 2019
Saturday-Sunday, Voctave: Orchestral Debut
A first-of-its-kind concert combining an a cappella group with the Bach Festival Orchestra. ($25-$69)
Friday-Saturday, Feb. 22-23, 2019
Concertos by Candlelight: Four Seasons Around the Globe
Themed program with each season represented by a composer from a different country. ($25-$69)
Sunday, Feb. 24, 2019
Itamar Zorman, violin
Performance by the internationally recognized violin virtuoso. ($25-$69)
Saturday, March 2, 2019
Mozart Times Two
The orchestra performs Mozart's Mass in C Minor and Symphony No. 40. ($25-$79)
Sunday, March 3, 2019
J.S. Bach: St. John Passion
TFW the Bach Festival Society finally gets to perform some Bach. ($25-$79)
Saturday, March 16, 2019
Scharoun Ensemble Berlin
One of Germany's leading chamber music organizations, founded by members of the Berlin Philharmonic. ($25-$69)
Sunday, April 14, 2019
Richard Goode, piano
One of today's leading interpreters of Classical and Romantic music, Richard Goode has been hailed for tremendous emotional power. ($40-$99)
Saturday-Sunday, April 27-28, 2019
Power of Romanticism and Resurrection
The final program of the season focuses on work from the French Romantic period. ($35-$79)
Central Florida Community Arts cfcarts.com
Friday-Saturday, Oct. 26-27
CFCArts Symphony Orchestra: Our Greatest Hits
The orchestra revisits some of their best-received performances. ($10-$25)
Friday, Nov. 2
CFC Women's Chorale: Leading Ladies
A program of popular songs interpreted by a women's chorus. ($10-$15)
Thursday-Friday, Dec. 13-14
Let There Be Joy!
Classics of the holiday season, performed by the CFCArts Community Choir and Symphony Orchestra. ($10-$25)
Fall 2018
CFCArts Young Artists Orchestra: Rock Star
The youth orchestra performs songs from the age of classic rock. ($10-$15)
The Civic Minded 5 thecm5.com
Monday, July 8, 2019
Nicole Mitchell
The former chairwoman of the Association for the Advancement of Creative Musicians gives a concert at Timucua. ($10-$20 suggested donation)
Noye’s Fludde
May 18-19, 2019
Opera buffs know this as Benjamin Britten’s setting of an English miracle play about Noah’s Ark to his vivid, sophisticated original music. Fans of Wes Anderson, on the other hand, will recognize it as the charming children’s pageant staged in Moonrise Kingdom. Britten firmly intended this as a children’s opera, to be staged in churches or halls, not theaters, but fear not, if you’re imagining some watered-down kids’ stuff – Britten’s music and staging directions for this opera are as beautiful and avant-garde as any of his “adult” compositions. Not to be missed.
7:30 p.m. Saturday, 2 p.m. Sunday | St. John Lutheran Church of Winter Park and Orlando, 1600 S. Orlando Ave., Winter Park | operaorlando.org | $25
Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts drphillipscenter.org
Saturday, Nov. 10
Dancing for Diabetes
Benefit dance concert featuring award-winning and nationally recognized performers from across Central Florida at Bob Carr Theater. ($15-$25)
Saturday, Dec. 1
Gujarati Society Group Dance Competition
Multiple age groups compete at the Bob Carr Theater with performances of traditional dances from the Indian subcontinent. ($35)
Tuesday, Feb. 19, 2019
Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater
The acclaimed dance troupe from New York City celebrates the uniqueness of the African-American cultural experience through dance. ($39.50-$119.50)
Wednesday-Sunday, March 13-17, 2019
Shen Yun 2019
An exhibition of classical Chinese dance and music, presented by the Florida Falun Dafa Association. ($84.25-$154.25)
Thursday, April 11, 2019
Derek Hough: Live!
Live show from the breakout star of Dancing With the Stars at the Bob Carr Theater. ($49.50-$85)
Florida Symphony Youth Orchestra fsyo.org
Sunday, Oct. 21
Season Opening Concert
All four orchestras perform at the season opener at the Bob Carr Theater. ($20)
Sunday, Oct. 28
FSYO Jazz Orchestra
Matinee concert at Blue Bamboo Center for the Arts. ($20)
Saturday, Nov. 3
FSYO Chamber Orchestra
Performance at the Timucua White House. ($5)
Sunday, Dec. 9
Sounds of the Season
An outdoor concert from FSYO's Symponic Orchestra in Winter Park's Mead Garden. ($10-$15)
Sunday, Feb. 3, 2019
Spring Classics Concert Features a world premiere of a new work by Benoit Glaser at Edgewater High School's auditorium. ($10-$15)
Saturday, Feb. 9, 2019
Celebration Foundation Classical Concert Series
The Symphonic Orchestra performs at Celebration Community Presbyterian Church in Kissimmee. ($25)
Sunday, March 10, 2019
Pops in the Garden FSYO returns to Mead Garden for a performance of popular movie themes, show tunes and more. ($10-$15)
Opera Orlando operaorlando.com
Oct. 24-30
Tales of Hoffman
Opera consisting of four interlinked stories from German author E.T.A. Hoffman, presented with a steampunk theme. ($39-$79)
Saturday-Sunday, Dec. 8-9
Hansel & Gretel
Operatic retelling of the classic fairytale with music composed by Engelbert Humperdinck. ($29-$69)
Jan. 31-Feb. 10, 2019
The Barber of Seville
Experience Rossini's opera as never before as the audience moves along with the action throughout Winter Park's beautiful Casa Feliz villa. ($75-$100)
March 20-26, 2019
Pagliacci/Pulcinella
Opera Orlando interweaves two operas in a 1930s vaudeville setting. ($39-$79)
Saturday-Sunday, May 18-19, 2019
Noye's Fludde
An operatic retelling of the biblical tale of Noah and the flood. ($25)
Orlando Ballet: Carmina Burana
Oct. 12-14
File under “ballet,” though this is very much a collaborative production, with live music provided by the Bach Festival Society Choir and Orchestra. Orlando Ballet artistic director Robert Hill celebrates his 10th season this year, and this performance of his setting of Carl Orff’s thundering cantata about sex, excess and the fickle nature of fate marks the occasion. There is nothing subtle in Carmina Burana, neither musically nor in the text – “O Fortuna” you’re probably familiar with, but may we interest you in a falsetto aria sung from the point of view of a swan being roasted on a spit? How about a little ditty baldly titled “Come, Come, O Come”? – and we don’t expect daintiness from the dancers, either. Rather, expect to witness the strong male dancers of Orlando Ballet exhibiting speed and wit in this bawdy classic.
7:30 p.m. Friday, 2 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. Saturday, 2 p.m. Sunday | Walt Disney Theater, Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts, 445 S. Magnolia Ave. | 844-513-2014 | drphillipscenter.org | $19-$490
Orlando Ballet orlandoballet.org
Friday-Sunday, Oct. 12-14
Carmina Burana
Ballet set to Carl Orff's ubiquitous choral piece, featuring the Bach Festival Society. ($19-$490)
Dec. 7-16
The Nutcracker
The traditional holiday performance of Tchaikovsky's most famous work. ($19-$990)
Friday-Sunday, Feb. 15-17, 2019
Bailamos!
A vibrant, immersive evening of passion, flair and Latin-inspired choreography set to sensational music. ($19-$99)
Friday, March 29, 2019
Fast Forward
Orlando Ballet's Second Company, trainees and students perform pieces that showcase both classical and contemporary dance. (TBA)
Saturday-Sunday, March 30-31, 2019
Peter and the Wolf Family Weekend
Prokofiev's tale of bravery is brought to life with original choreography from Orlando Ballet Artistic Director Robert Hill. ($20-$55)
April 26-28, 2019
Arcadian Broad's Wonderland: Mad Tales of the Hatter
Orlando Ballet's resident wunderkind composed and choreographed this new work based on characters created by Lewis Carroll. (TBA)
American Blues: Rhiannon Giddens with the Orlando Phil
Oct. 13
The charismatic Ms. Giddens, musician, vocalist and co-founder of the Carolina Chocolate Drops, is accustomed to being “the first.” For instance, in 2016, she was the first woman and the first person of color to win the Steve Martin Prize for Excellence in Banjo and Bluegrass, a $50,000 annual award. The Carolina Chocloate Drops were the first modern band to revisit the African American contribution to Piedmont-region folk and stomp of the 1920s. And here, Giddens’ performance with the Phil is the first installment of the 2018-2019 OPO Pops Series. The program for American Blues includes tunes from Gershwin’s An American in Paris and Bernstein’s West Side Story alongside songs from Giddens’ two solo albums.
2 p.m. and 8 p.m. | Bob Carr Theater, 401 W. Livingston St. | 407-770-0071 | orlandophil.org | $25-$85
Orlando Philharmonic Orchestra orlandophil.org
Saturday, Sept. 29
Pines of Rome
This concert evokes Latin American dances and introduces Orlando Philharmonic Composer-in-Residence Angélica Negrón and soprano Maria Laetitia. ($18-$85)
Monday, Oct. 8
Focus Chamber Series: Schumann and Schumann
This program features two works by Clara and Robert Schumann, with Gabriela Martinez on piano. ($18-$54)
Wednesdays, Oct. 10 & 17; Friday, Oct. 26
Young People's Concert: Beyond the Screen
An orchestral primer for young audiences, featuring music from movies and entertainment that they'll recognize.($8)
Saturday, Oct. 13
American Blues
The orchestra is joined by Grammy-winning singer-songwriter Rhiannon Giddens for a program of classics from the likes of George Gershwin and Leonard Bernstein. ($18-$85)
Saturday, Nov. 3
Classics Series: The Planets
Kayhan Kalhor returns to Orlando with a work he recorded with The Silk Road Ensemble and Music Director Eric Jacobsen leads the massive forces of the Orlando Philharmonic in Holst's epic astrological masterpiece. ($18-$85)
Monday, Nov. 19
Focus Chamber Series: Tchaikovsky & Mozart
Conducted by Laura Jackson and featuring Jamie Strefeler on the oboe. ($14.60-$54)
Saturday, Nov. 24
Home for the Holidays
Annual holiday-season kick-off with audience favorites from the orchestra, choirs and guest artists. ($18-$85)
Saturday, Dec. 1 & Sunday, Dec. 9
Symphony Storytime: "'Twas the Night Before Christmas"
The Orlando Phil's brass section presents a musical version of the beloved holiday poem. ($10)
Monday, Jan. 14, 2019
Focus Chamber Series: Mahler's Song of the Earth
One of Mahler's greatest symphonies, conducted by Eric Jacobsen and featuring alto Rachel Calloway and tenor Alex Richardson. ($14.60-$54)
Saturday, Jan. 19
Classics Series: Tango!
Celebrate the great masters of tango along with Finnish composer Jean Sibelius. ($18-$85)
Saturday, Feb. 2, 2019
The Second City Guide to the Symphony
Whose Line Is It Anyway? star Colin Mochrie brings a splash of sketch comedy to this show, a humorous celebration of the symphony orchestra. ($18-$85)
Saturday, Feb. 9 & Sunday, Feb. 17, 2019
Symphony Storytime: Ferdinand the Bull
A retelling of the story of the gentle bull, set to music from Bizet's Carmen. ($10)
Saturday, Feb. 23, 2019
Classics Series: Beethoven's Seventh
The orchestra performs Beethoven's Symphony No. 7 along with Robert Schumann's piano concerto featuring young pianist Harmony Zhu. ($18-$85)
Saturday, March 9, 2019
Mardi Gras in New Orleans
The orchestra gets in the Mardi Gras spirit with a program of Dixieland jazz with guest conductor Byron Stripling. ($18-$85)
Monday, March 18, 2019
Focus Chamber Series: Mozart's Symphony No. 33
Conducted by Ruth Reinhardt and featuring Rimma Bergeron-Langlois on violin. ($14.60-$54)
Monday, April 8, 2019
Focus Chamber Series: Mendelssohn's Italian
Highlighting Robert Carpenter on tuba and conducted by Eric Jacobsen. ($14.60-$54)
Saturday, April 13, 2019
Star Wars and More: The Music of John Williams
The orchestra pays tribute to one of cinema's most influential composers with pieces from Jaws, Schindler's List, Harry Potter and more. ($18-$84)
Saturday, April 27, 2019
Classics Series: French Soirée
A program highlighting the music of Belle Époque France of the late 19th and early 20th centuries. ($18-$85)
Saturdays, May 4 & 11, 2019
Symphony Storytime: Aesop's Fun Fables
The symphony tells some of Aesop's famous tales with familiar orchestral accompaniment. ($10)
Timucua White House timucua.com
Wednesday, Sept. 26
Jenny Lin: The Etudes Project
New Etudes presented alongside Etudes of Chopin, Liszt, Debussy, Ligeti and Philip Glass. ($20)
Sunday, Oct. 21
Central Florida Composers Forum: Piano Concert
Presentation of new works by local composers. (donations)
Sunday, Nov. 11
Laurent Boukobza: Beethoven Piano Sonatas
An evening of classical sonatas in an intimate venue. (donations)
Friday, Nov. 16
Adam Golka
Pianist Adam Golka is an artist-in-residence at the College of the Holy Cross in Worcester, Massachusetts. ($20)
Sunday, Dec. 9
Escape Velocity
A recital of rarely heard masterworks for violin and piano. (donations)
Friday, Dec. 14
Suliman Tekalli
Performance by the versatile soloist and chamber musician. ($20)
Jan. 18, 2019
Mark Hosler of Negativland Hosler performs live with various homemade electronic noise-making devices. ($20)
The Venue thevenueorlando.com
Friday, Oct. 5
Blue LaLa Entertainment Presents: The Ladies of the Peek-a-Boo Lounge in Peek-A-BOOOOOOOOO
Halloween-themed burlesque show. ($13)
Saturday, Oct. 6
Blacklist Babes Cabaret Presents: Get Blacklisted!
An all-live-singing burlesque troupe teaming up with a live band. ($15-$25)
Tuesday, Oct. 9
Reel Pride Film Screening: Mar (The Sea)
A award-winning short film that portrays love, betrayal, and moving on from the harm inflicted by loved ones, followed by a Q&A with the director. ($30)
Friday, Oct. 12
Emerald City Cabaret: Deadly
Emerald City celebrates their third anniversary with a spooky burlesque cabaret. ($16-$20)
Tuesday, Oct. 16
Ten Minute Tuesdays: A Halloween Variety Show
A night of haunted plays, ghostly songs, and other Halloween themed performances. ($10)
Saturday, Oct. 20
Colby Rebel Live: Spirit Messages
Colby is an internationally recognized psychic medium, certified master spiritual teacher and has been featured on numerous TV shows demonstrating her gift. ($25)
Wednesday, Nov. 21
Blue LaLa Entertainment Presents The Ladyboys VS The Ladies of The Peek-A-Boo Lounge
Once a year Blue-La-La Entertainment brings together the Ladies and the LadyBoys of the Peek-A-Boo Lounge for one wild night. ($18-$24)
Saturday, Nov. 24
Sugar Brown: Burlesque Bad & Bougie Comedy
Sugar Brown discloses her diaries through comedy, storytelling, and sexy burlesque dance as she experiences her first time becoming a submissive. ($43.06-$105)
Saturday, Dec. 1
Corsets & Cuties, A Burlesque Cabaret Presents: Holiday Kick-Off!
Cuties take over the Venue to welcome you to the holiday season in the best way possible. ($18-$20)
