San Antonio Symphony Announces 2020-21 Classical Season

Today, the San Antonio Symphony announced details of the 2020-21 Classical Season which will mark its first concerts back in the Tobin Center for the Performing Arts. The Classical Series will include 14 weeks of programs, opening with Rachmaninoff's Second Symphony and concluding with Sebastian Lang-Lessing returning to the podium as Music Director Emeritus conducting Shostakovich's Fifth Symphony.

"We know that the beauty of life will reanimate and continue stronger, with the arts even more necessary than before," said Corey Cowart, San Antonio Symphony Executive Director. "This season will mark a new era for the Symphony. We cannot wait to triumphantly return to the stage and for both musicians and audiences to once again enjoy the gifts this art form offers us all."

Other highlights of the season include Falla's Nights in the Gardens of Spain, Brahms' Second Symphony, Carl Orff's Carmina Burana, and Beethoven's Fifth Symphony. Twelve guest conductors will lead the orchestra this year, eight debuting and four returning, as the Symphony continues its search for a Music Director. "Everyone who joins us on the podium this season brings a high level of talent and tenure. It is truly an exciting time for the Symphony," said Cowart.

Several season ticket packages are offered, each with deep discounts affording patrons savings equivalent to at least one free concert. Subscriptions will go on sale soon. Visit sasymphony.org for updates and additional information regarding the 2020-2021 Season.

Symphony subscribers will also have the first chance to purchase tickets to An Evening with Audra McDonald. This one-night-only experience takes place Wednesday, November 4, 2020 at 8 p.m. in the Tobin Center for the Performing Arts, and features Tony, Grammy, and Emmy winning artist Audra McDonald as she joins the San Antonio Symphony for a variety of classics from Broadway to the American songbook. This concert is not part of the Classical Series subscriptions, but is only available for purchase by Symphony subscribers. An Evening with Audra McDonald is part of the Russell Hill Rogers Fund for the Arts Celebrated Artist Series.

The San Antonio Symphony is generously presented by Frost.

Ravishing Rachmaninoff
H-E-B Performance Hall, The Tobin Center
Friday, September 25, 2020, 8:00 p.m.
Saturday, September 26, 2020, 8:00 p.m.

Jeffrey Kahane, conductor
Sterling Elliott, cello

STUCKY: Son et lumière
TCHAIKOVSKY: Variations on a Rococo Theme
RACHMANINOFF: Symphony #2 in E Minor

Nights in the Gardens of Spain
H-E-B Performance Hall, The Tobin Center
Friday, October 2, 2020, 8:00 p.m.
Saturday, October 3, 2020, 8:00 p.m.

Carlos Miguel Prieto, conductor
Jorge Federico Osorio, piano

GABRIELA ORTIZ: Téenek - Invenciones de territorio
FALLA: Nights in the Gardens of Spain
RAVEL: Concerto for the Left Hand
FALLA: The Three-Cornered Hat

SIBELIUS & SCHUMANN
H-E-B Performance Hall, The Tobin Center
Friday, November 6, 2020, 8:00 p.m.
Saturday, November 7, 2020, 8:00 p.m.

Matthew Halls, conductor
Philippe Quint, violin

ANNA CLYNE: Within Her Arms
SIBELIUS: Violin Concerto in D Major
SCHUMANN: Symphony #1, Spring

CARMINA BURANA
H-E-B Performance Hall, The Tobin Center
Friday, November 20, 2020, 8:00 p.m.
Saturday, November 21, 2020, 8:00 p.m.

Michael Christie, conductor
Kathryn Lewek, soprano
John Tessier, tenor
Craig Irvin, baritone
San Antonio Symphony Mastersingers
John Silantien, director

MOZART: Symphony #38, Prague
SCHNITTKE: Moz-Art à la Haydn
ORFF: Carmina Burana

BRAHMS & BEETHOVEN
H-E-B Performance Hall, The Tobin Center
Friday, November 27, 2020, 8:00 p.m.
Saturday, November 28, 2020, 8:00 p.m.

Paulo Bortolameolli, conductor
Eric Lu, pianist

ARTURO MÁRQUEZ: Danzón No. 9
BEETHOVEN: Piano Concerto #3 in C Minor
BRAHMS: Symphony #2 in D Major

MOZART & PROKOFIEV
H-E-B Performance Hall, The Tobin Center
Friday, January 8, 2021, 8:00 p.m.
Saturday, January 9, 2021, 8:00 p.m.

Pablo Rus Broseta, conductor
Sharon Kuster, bassoon
Paul Lueders, oboe
Ilya Shterenberg, clarinet
Jeff Garza, horn

LIGETI: Concert românesc
MOZART: Sinfonia Concertante for Oboe, Clarinet, Horn, and Bassoon
PROKOFIEV: Symphony #5 in B-flat Major

SIBELIUS SYMPHONY NO. 5
H-E-B Performance Hall, The Tobin Center
Friday, January 15, 2021, 8:00 p.m.
Saturday, January 16, 2021, 8:00 p.m.

Jessica Cottis, conductor
John O'Conor, pianist

NA'AMA ZISSER: Island Mantras
MOZART: Piano Concerto #25 in C Major
SIBELIUS: Symphony #5 in E-flat Major

DON QUIXOTE
H-E-B Performance Hall, The Tobin Center
Friday, January 29, 2021, 8:00 p.m.
Saturday, January 30, 2021, 8:00 p.m.

Sebastian Lang-Lessing, conductor
Kenneth Freudigman, cello

STRAUSS: Don Quixote
BEETHOVEN: Symphony No. 7 in A Major

TCHAIKOVSKY SYMPHONY NO. 4
H-E-B Performance Hall, The Tobin Center
Friday, February 5, 2021, 8:00 p.m.
Saturday, February 6, 2021, 8:00 p.m.

David Danzmayr, conductor
Stephen Hough, pianist

John Adams: The Chairman Dances: Foxtrot for Orchestra
SAINT-SAENS: Piano Concerto #5, Egyptian
TCHAIKOVSKY: Symphony #4 in F Minor

DVOŘÁK & BRAHMS
H-E-B Performance Hall, The Tobin Center
Friday, March 5, 2021, 8:00 p.m.
Saturday, March 6, 2021, 8:00 p.m.

Jonathon Heyward, conductor
Colin Currie, percussion

BRAHMS: Tragic Overture, Op 81
Andrew Norman: Switch
DVOŘÁK: Symphony #7 in D Minor

BEETHOVEN'S FIFTH
H-E-B Performance Hall, The Tobin Center
Friday, April 2, 2021, 8:00 p.m.
Saturday April 3, 2021, 8:00 p.m.

Carlos Izcaray, conductor
Eric Gratz, violin

JOAN TOWER: Tambor
STRAVINSKY: Violin Concerto
BEETHOVEN: Symphony #5 in C Minor

THE FIREBIRD
H-E-B Performance Hall, The Tobin Center
Friday, April 9, 2021, 8:00 p.m.
Saturday April 10, 2021, 8:00 p.m.

Garrett Keast, conductor
Lyubov Petrova, soprano
San Antonio Symphony Mastersingers
John Silantien, director

MOZART: Overture to Don Giovanni
POULENC: Gloria
RIMSKY-KORSAKOV: Russian Easter Overture
STRAVINSKY: Suite from THE FIREBIRD (1919)

RACHMANINOFF'S SYMPHONIC DANCES
H-E-B Performance Hall, The Tobin Center
Friday, May 14, 2021, 8:00 p.m.
Saturday, May 15, 2021, 8:00 p.m.

Lina Gonzalez-Granados, conductor
Benjamin Beilman, violin

GABRIELA LENA FRANK: Three Latin American Dances
BRUCH: Violin Concerto #1 in G Minor
RACHMANINOFF: Symphonic Dances

LANG-LESSING CONDUCTS SHOSTAKOVICH 5
H-E-B Performance Hall, The Tobin Center
Friday, May 28, 2021, 8:00 p.m.
Saturday, May 29, 2021, 8:00 p.m.

Sebastian Lang-Lessing, conductor
Federico Gad Crema, pianist

CHOPIN: Piano Concerto #1 in E Minor
SHOSTAKOVICH: Symphony No. 5 in D Minor

*Artists, programs, prices, dates, and times are subject to change.