The Florida Orchestra, based in St. Petersburg, will present fourteen programs in its Masterworks Series for 2009-10, beginning on October 9 with a program featuring De Falla’s El Amor Brujo, Arturo Marquez’s Danzón No. 2, and Astor Piazzolla’s Concert for Guitar and Bandoneon, with soloist Manuel Barrueco. Stefan Sanderling, the orchestra’s music director, commented, “This is a difficult time for people in our community, and we want to provide them with an uplifting experience, something that symphonic music does so well. With this in mind, we will be performing Beethoven’s Emperor Concerto, Tchaikovsky’s Piano Concerto No. 1, Gershwin’s Rhapsody in Blue, and Mendelssohn’s Violin Concerto.” Other works during the season include Beethoven’s Symphony No. 5, Dvorák’s New World Symphony, Mahler’s Symphony No. 3, Shostakovich’s Symphony No. 6, Sibelius’s The Swan of Tuonela, and a new critical edition of Bartók’s Music for Strings, Percussion, and Celeste by Peter Bartók, the composer’s son. Soloists during the season include violinist Elena Urioste, TFO Principal Harpist Anna Kate Mackle, cellist Julie Albers, and pianist Mikhail Rudy. The orchestra performs at the Tampa Bay Performing Arts Center, Progress Energy Center for the Arts in St. Petersburg, and Ruth Eckerd Hall in Clearwater.
