The Philadelphia Orchestra Yannick Nézet-Séguin Music Director

This season marks the 100th birthday of Leonard Bernstein and we celebrate all year long, with works for stage, screen, and concert hall by the legendary American composer beginning with the adored and pioneering West Side Story. Follow the New World’s most famous star-crossed lovers from timeless hits like “Tonight,” “Maria,” and “Somewhere” (with lyrics by the then-unknown Stephen Sondheim). The Philadelphia Orchestra will be onstage with a cast of talented Broadway vocalists, drawing talent from the success of Bernstein’s MASS in 2015. This is Bernstein’s complete score, in all its breathless, nuanced—and ultimately heartbreaking—beauty.

This season marks the 100th birthday of Leonard Bernstein and we celebrate all year long, with works for stage, screen, and concert hall by the legendary American composer beginning with the adored and pioneering West Side Story. Follow the New World’s most famous star-crossed lovers from timeless hits like “Tonight,” “Maria,” and “Somewhere” (with lyrics by the then-unknown Stephen Sondheim). The Philadelphia Orchestra will be onstage with a cast of talented Broadway vocalists, drawing talent from the success of Bernstein’s MASS in 2015. This is Bernstein’s complete score, in all its breathless, nuanced—and ultimately heartbreaking—beauty.

Stéphane Denève begins his newly extended tenure as Principal Guest Conductor with Mahler’s premiere symphony matched with a Philadelphia Orchestra premiere. Mahler’s groundbreaking First Symphony “changed the genre forever” (The Guardian). From the shimmering opening to the joyful finale, this work shakes the soul. The six members of the Grammy-winning ensemble Eighth Blackbird join the Orchestra for Jennifer Higdon’s On a Wire in its first-ever Philadelphia Orchestra performances. Higdon is hailed as one of American’s greatest living composers; Eighth Blackbird has been captivating audiences since its founding 20 years ago. 

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Audience favorite Gil Shaham returns with Tchaikovsky's monumental Violin Concerto, Stéphane Denève introduces music by a fellow Frenchman, plus beloved ballet music and Scriabin's vibrant orchestral showpiece Poem of Ecstasy.

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That’s Wynton Marsalis, master of New Orleans jazz and classical trumpet. The sensational Nicola Benedetti has been raising the roof around the globe with the jazz-inspired Violin Concerto Marsalis wrote for her; this performance—her Philadelphia Orchestra subscription debut—highlights our multi-year exploration of American Sounds. And you may think you know Holst’s astrological work of art, The Planets, but it’s truly otherworldly experienced live, including an off stage women’s chorus. The women of the Westminster Symphonic Choir provide the ethereal voices, with our good friend Cristian Macelaru leading the musical forces.

These concerts will be LiveNote enabled.

Bruckner, says Yannick, is the only composer he feels as if he had conducted in a previous life. You’ll understand why he’s sealed his international reputation as a true Brucknerian when he leads the Orchestra in this epic symphony, the last the composer completed. It’s “the summit of his art,” says Yannick, with a final coda that conjures “all the bells of the world ringing at the same time.” A smaller ensemble and the “lovely turns” (New York Times) of concertmaster David Kim open the program with Bach’s airy and melodic Violin Concerto No. 2, an intimate contrast to Bruckner’s intricate masterpiece.

“This is one of his greatest masterpieces,” says Yannick about Haydn’s The Seasons. “He put everything he had into that score.” From the first blush of spring to impending winter, Haydn’s exuberant oratorio, written close to the end of his life, encompasses a full year of living: sunrises and sunsets, a thundering storm, the wonder of nature and all the Earth’s creatures, sonorous calls to the hunt, and boisterous drinking songs. Yannick’s mission to bring great choral repertoire to Verizon Hall continues with gusto with what he calls Haydn’s “most touching work: grand scale and very full of life, joy, and hope.”

Spend Thanksgiving weekend with The Philadelphia Orchestra and a program filled with American music.

Pablo Heras-Casado returns to Verizon Hall following his stunning 2016 debut with the Orchestra to lead Brahms’s Second Symphony.

Handel and Britten begins our annual winter festival featuring music from the majestic British Isles.

Hear! Hear the pipes are calling! These are the first Philadelphia Orchestra performances of Peter Maxwell Davies’s sprightly composition, inspired by the high-spirited Orkney Islands wedding of friends and featuring, yes, a bagpipe solo. First Associate Concertmaster Juliette Kang is the violin soloist for Bruch’s fantasia of traditional folk songs from the Highlands and beyond. Mendelssohn took a walking tour of Scotland as a young man and returned home with the first strains of his “Scottish” Symphony—one of his most cherished works.

Fabio Luisi conducts Haydn’s grand “London” Symphony and legendary soloist Yefim Bronfman joins the Orchestra for Beethoven’s timeless Piano Concerto No. 3.

Christoph Eschenbach returns to Verizon Hall with a passionate program featuring Beethoven’s Fifth Symphony.

Out of respect for the safety of our patrons, the Thursday, February 8, 2018, 7:30 PM performance of Mozart and Mahler has been canceled. This decision was made after evaluating numerous factors related to the Eagles Super Bowl Parade that would make it challenging for our patrons and Orchestra musicians to attend the concert. The Friday matinee and Saturday evening performances of this program will go on as planned.

Once more, one of America’s most acclaimed and most frequently performed living composers, Philadelphian Jennifer Higdon, graces us with a brilliant new work, this time for those stalwarts of the brass section, the trombones and tuba. Hear them shine in this rare turn in the spotlight. Beethoven’s Eighth Symphony may seem overshadowed by the magnificent Ninth that followed, but there’s compositional genius (and humor) to burn here. Zoltán Kodály’s Dances of Marosszék are the rural counterpart of Brahms’s more urbane Hungarian Dances; they make wonderful bookends for this strikingly original program.


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Michael Tilson Thomas returns to conduct Tchaikovsy’s “Pathétique” Symphony.

Dutch composer Michel van der Aa hails the sensational violinist Janine Jansen as the inspiration for his Violin Concerto, as much for her expressive personality as her chosen instrument: “If Janine had played the flute, I would have written a Flute Concerto.” Be among the first to hear this highly creative new work. Yannick honors The Philadelphia Orchestra’s deep Rachmaninoff tradition with his Second Symphony, popular with audiences and composer alike; its rave reception boosted Rachmaninoff’s faith in his musical abilities.

Principal Trumpet David Bilger takes center stage in Christian Lindberg’s eclectic, virtuosic Akbank Bunka (“unadulterated jazz with the flirtatious unpredictability of a butterfly”—The Scotsman). Stravinsky’s indelible dance music for The Firebird and Prokofiev’s fervent Fifth Symphony are also led by the brilliant young Israeli conductor Lahav Shani, just named to be the new principal conductor of the Rotterdam Philharmonic. Don’t miss this rising star in his Philadelphia Orchestra debut.

Grammy-winner and Artist-in-Residence Hilary Hahn returns to Verizon Hall with a 20th-century masterpiece: Prokofiev’s First Violin Concerto, written as the Russian Revolution swirled in 1917. Maestro Denève offers another Philadelphia premiere from Guillaume Connesson, his Flammenschrift (Flaming Letters), a tribute to German music. Equally worthy of tribute: Richard Strauss’s spiritual Death and Transfiguration and Ravel’s whirling La Valse, described by the composer as “dancing on the edge of a volcano.”

This engaging concert evokes Italy and Egypt (with a French accent). Berlioz presents all the color and excitement of a Roman carnival. Saint-Saëns composed his Fifth Piano Concerto in Luxor (hence the name); Nicholas Angelich serves up its exotic musical flavor with panache. Guillaume Connesson based his new work on a line from the Italian poet Giacomo Leopardi’s The Calm after the Storm, while the Italian Respighi paints a landscape portrait as enduring as the Eternal City itself. Stéphane Denève leads our tour-de-force tour.

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It's the consummate kickoff for the season's subscription concerts. Emanuel Ax returns to Verizon Hall to join the Fabulous Philadelphians in Mozart's final piano concerto. Yannick and the Orchestra explore the King of Instruments in Wayne Oquin's Resilience, written for organist and Philadelphia audience favorite Paul Jacobs. Tchaikovsky's fiery Fourth Symphony rounds out the program.

Our tribute to Leonard Bernstein continues with his Serenade—a musical retelling of Plato’s ode to love—written for his friend Isaac Stern and recorded to great critical acclaim by our 2017-18 artist-in-residence, Hilary Hahn, when she was 18, five years after she made her Philadelphia Orchestra debut. Opera Philadelphia received raves when it staged the local premiere of Thomas Adès’s lascivious Powder Her Face in 2013. In this Philadelphia Orchestra co-commission, Yannick leads the first U.S. performances of a suite of music from the ripped-from-the-tabloids opera. Finally, a melancholy clarinet solo heralds the opening of Sibelius’s First Symphony, giving way to an explosion of sound evoking a sparkling Scandinavian panorama.

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Joshua Bell first captivated Philadelphia audiences and then the world with his astonishing prowess, on full display in this series of concerts centered on St. Petersburg, Russia. Bell performs Wieniawski’s romantic and Paganini-like Violin Concerto No. 2, premiered while the composer and violinist was living and teaching in St. Petersburg. The Concerto exhibits a glossy nostalgia in stark contrast to Shostakovich’s emotionally charged work dedicated to the same great Russian city. The “Leningrad” Symphony is a vivid depiction of invading armies and the devastating impact of war. Yannick leads the Orchestra for three performances of Shostakovich’s towering masterpiece.

These concerts will be LiveNote enabled.

Joshua Bell first captivated Philadelphia audiences and then the world with his astonishing prowess, on full display in this series of concerts centered on St. Petersburg, Russia. Bell performs Wieniawski’s romantic and Paganini-like Violin Concerto No. 2, premiered while the composer and violinist was living and teaching in St. Petersburg. Cristian Măcelaru guest conducts, pairing Bell and Wieniawski with Dvořák’s euphoric Symphony No. 8 and Beethoven’s Leonore Overture No. 3.

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The poet W.H. Auden captured the mood of an uneasy generation with his post-war The Age of Anxiety, a work that inspired Bernstein’s Second Symphony, a musical dialogue among four strangers searching for happiness in an unsettled world. At least one of them finds “the core of faith,” said Bernstein, “which is what one is after—and what I’m after in every work I ever write.” Bernstein himself was at the piano for the premiere; our soloist is the daring and dashing Jean-Yves Thibaudet, “a musician with fearless, flawless fingers” (The West Australian). Yannick compares the tortured genius of Bernstein with that of Schumann with the latter’s flowing Symphony No. 4, ending with the passionate frenzy of Richard Strauss’s Don Juan.

MIT professor and inventor of new technology for music Tod Machover has been called “America's most wired composer.” In this crowd-sourced Philadelphia Orchestra commission, he creates a piece infused with sounds and voices contributed by today's Philadelphians. Inspired by the hundreds of thousands who sang in unison on the Parkway during the visit of Pope Francis in 2015, and reflecting the Orchestra's deep relationship with, and commitment to, its city and community, this work will represent Philadelphia Voices in the truest sense. The Chichester Psalms, setting psalms in their original Hebrew, is one of Bernstein's most overtly religious works and an exquisite choral plea for peace. We conclude with Musorgsky's Pictures from an Exhibition in Ravel's orchestration, a glorious showcase of the Philadelphia Sound.

These performances are made possible in part by the generous support of the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation.


These concerts will be LiveNote enabled.

Yannick, Daniil Trifonov, and The Philadelphia Orchestra: It’s a dream team of Rachmaninoff specialists. Following the Grammy-nominated Deutsche Grammophon recording Rachmaninoff Variations and Trifonov’s critically acclaimed subscription debut performing the Piano Concerto No. 4, the young Russian superstar returns to perform and record live the composer’s gorgeous and popular Second and Third concertos. Come twice to hear both masterpieces paired with Bartók’s most famous work, which gives each section of the orchestra a turn in the spotlight. Plus, be a part of a Philadelphia Orchestra live recording!

Yannick, Daniil Trifonov, and The Philadelphia Orchestra: It’s a dream team of Rachmaninoff specialists. Following the Grammy-nominated Deutsche Grammophon recording Rachmaninoff Variations and Trifonov’s critically acclaimed subscription debut performing the Piano Concerto No. 4, the young Russian superstar returns to perform and record live the composer’s gorgeous and popular Second and Third concertos. Come twice to hear both masterpieces paired with Bartók’s most famous work, which gives each section of the orchestra a turn in the spotlight. Plus, be a part of a Philadelphia Orchestra live recording!

Period ensemble expert Nicholas McGegan returns for an intimate performance of Italian-style Baroque and neo-classical music. Plus the Fred J. Cooper Memorial Organ is featured in one of the many great Handel concertos for the instrument with the skillful Peter Richard Conte at the keys. The Italian Baroque concerto grosso tradition inspired Respighi and Stravinsky to write historically inspired works that bookend this program. And no program of Italian music would be complete without the definitive national voice of Rossini, telling the Cinderella tale in his Overture to La Cenerentola. Two performances only!

Hélène Grimaud and Yannick Nézet-Séguin have performed together all over the world, becoming great musical friends. Their warmth and deep artistic connection will be on display as they bring this season to an electrifying conclusion with monumental works by Beethoven, Brahms, and Schumann. Grimaud (“astounding technique and daring musical insight”—San Diego Story) stars in landmark piano concertos (Beethoven’s Fourth, Brahms’s First – performed on Thursday, May 17) that have defined the piano repertory; her unique interpretations will have you listening to these favorite works with renewed joy. Schumann revised his Fourth Symphony late in his troubled life; his personal struggles did not prevent him from creating a masterpiece that has only grown in stature over time. And we end this season’s musical journey with Beethoven’s Seventh Symphony.

Hélène Grimaud and Yannick Nézet-Séguin have performed together all over the world, becoming great musical friends. Their warmth and deep artistic connection will be on display as they bring this season to an electrifying conclusion with monumental works by Beethoven, Brahms, and Schumann. Grimaud (“astounding technique and daring musical insight”—San Diego Story) stars in landmark piano concertos (Beethoven’s Fourth, Brahms’s First – performed on Thursday, May 17) that have defined the piano repertory; her unique interpretations will have you listening to these favorite works with renewed joy. Schumann revised his Fourth Symphony late in his troubled life; his personal struggles did not prevent him from creating a masterpiece that has only grown in stature over time. And we end this season’s musical journey with Beethoven’s Seventh Symphony.

The Philadelphia Orchestra is proud of its deep commitment to cultural diplomacy and exchange around the globe. This year the Orchestra has a renewed five-year strategic partnership with the National Centre for the Performing Arts in Beijing and is pleased to once again present the Centre’s Orchestra, along with two special guest artists and a program rich with cultural exchange. The concert opens with the U.S. premiere of a new Violin Concerto, commissioned for the Centre’s 10th anniversary and performed by Chinese sensation Ning Feng. Gautier Capuçon joins with a performance of Chen Qigang’s haunting Reflections of a Disappearing Time, for cello and orchestra. Brahms’s Symphony No. 4 closes the evening with a nod to the cultural exchange between our two orchestras as the Philadelphians perform this work for Chinese audiences in Beijing in May 2017. 

Fill your holidays with the magical sound of The Philadelphia Orchestra, inspired by the legendary Ormandy / Philadelphia Orchestra recording of the same name from 1962.

Since its premiere in Dublin in 1742, Handel’s beloved oratorio has earned all of those standing ovations. With its blend of sophisticated music and deep spirituality, Messiah is the perfect accompaniment to Christmas, and the ideal antidote for the hustle and bustle of the holiday season. Join Cristian Măcelaru, the Philadelphia Symphonic Choir, and The Philadelphia Orchestra for these joyful performances. Two nights only!

Join the Fabulous Philadelphians and say farewell to 2017 in the city’s best New Year’s Eve celebration!

Princess Leia, Harry Potter, Indiana Jones, and Superman take over Verizon Hall in our annual Halloween festivities. Come dressed as your favorite character and fly along to the music of John Williams. His legendary film scores haunt us in shark-ridden waters and sends us soaring along with lovable aliens. Learn about all the magic effects that Williams uses to transport us to lands of wonder and delight with selections from many of your favorite films.

It’s the start of the holiday season with The Philadelphia Orchestra! Bring the whole family for a festive celebration of your favorite Christmas songs.

Celebrate Leonard Bernstein's 100th birthday with your whole family! Bernstein’s daughter Jamie carries on his tradition of inspiring young listeners at our next Family Concert with a guided tour of her father's youthful works.

Prokofiev's classic children's tale, Peter and the Wolf, comes to life in this enchanting performance featuring Principal Guest Conductor Stéphane Denève and Artist-in-Residence violinist Hilary Hahn who will join together to tell this beloved tale in new and surprising ways.