On-sale date for Yo-Yo Ma concert tickets changed to November

ST. PETERSBURG, FL - In the aftermath of Hurricane Milton, The Florida Orchestra will welcome back audiences to three performances this week at the Mahaffey Theater as scheduled, the orchestra announced today. Music Director Michael Francis will conduct Rachmaninoff's Symphony No. 3 in the Hough Family Foundation Masterworks series on Saturday (Oct. 19) at 8 pm and Sunday (Oct. 20) for a 2 pm matinee - in addition to a pay-what-you-can Inside the Music performance on Thursday (Oct. 17) at 7:30 pm. However, due to disruptions from the hurricane, TFO will delay the on-sale date for tickets to its premier benefit concert "A Gala Concert with Yo-Yo Ma" until Nov. 12 for subscribers and Nov. 19 for the general public.

“In the face of two hurricanes in two weeks, we have been inspired by the power of community,” said TFO President & CEO Ignacio Barrón Viela. “The Florida Orchestra is more committed than ever to welcoming you back to joyful concerts. We are determined to serve you with the extraordinary gift of live music - to bring us together, to support each other, and to offer a haven of peace and hope when you need it most.”

On Saturday and Sunday, Michael Francis conducts Rachmaninoff’s most intriguing – and underrated – symphony along with Sibelius' Violin Concerto. Written in America, Rachmaninoff's Symphony No. 3 radiates lush, romantic melodies, drenched in his trademark orchestral colors. The program starts off with Sibelius’ Violin Concerto, an unquestioned masterpiece revered by concert violinists for more than a century. It features Spanish violinist Francisco Fullana in his TFO debut. The concert also will include a "mystery piece," chosen by Maestro Francis to enhance the program. A Pre-Concert Conversation begins 1 hour before the concert; sponsored by The Ruth & J O Stone Foundation.

Tickets are available online at FloridaOrchestra.org and by phone at 727.892.3337. Due to impacts of the hurricane, TFO's offices and ticket center are not open for in-person business.

Tickets are not necessary for Thursday's performance of Michael Francis' signature Inside the Music community series. With humor and insight, he takes audiences on a journey through a single work - Rachmaninoff's Symphony No. 3 - using orchestra demonstrations. The night ends in a full performance. Admission is pay what you can at the door. The series is generously sponsored by The Cassaly Foundation. (Note: Sibelius' Violin Concerto will only be performed at the full weekend concerts.)

Yo-Yo Ma tickets to go on sale in November

The centerpiece of The Florida Orchestra's season will be its gala benefit concert featuring one of the most universally loved artists in classical music, superstar cellist Yo-Yo Ma, on Feb. 28, 2025 at Ruth Eckerd Hall. Now tickets will go on sale to TFO subscribers and top donors at 10 am Nov. 12 and to the general public at 10 am Nov. 19. Sales had been scheduled to start this week.

The 19-time Grammy Award winner will perform Dvorak’s beautiful, soul-stirring Cello Concerto in this one-night-only special event, conducted by Music Director Michael Francis. The orchestra also will perform Richard Strauss’ famed tone poem Don Juan.

Tickets are $75, $100, $150, $200, $250, $275, $300, $325, $350; fees apply. The benefit concert helps to support TFO’s high standard of artistic excellence, as well as robust education and community programs.

VIP and sponsorships are limited availability on a first reserved basis, and include premium concert seating, pre-concert reception and seated dinner at Ruth Eckerd Hall Great Room. For information, contact TFO Chief Development Officer Susana Weymouth at (727) 362-5430 or [email protected].

The benefit concert is generously presented by The Cassaly Foundation.

The Florida Orchestra’s mission is to Inspire | Educate | Unite to build community through the power of music. TFO will perform more than 100 concerts this season in venues throughout Tampa Bay, including a wide range of classical, popular and family-friendly music. Each year, the orchestra serves more than 155,000 people through concerts and education/community programs.