When music-struck parents envision their lessons-taking children as one day soaring to great heights playing the violin, surely Joshua Bell and Itzhak Perlman play prominent roles in those dreams.

Fortunately for us all, the Houston Symphony has signed both on for appearances in its 2018-19 season, which is being announced today. In a jam-packed season exploring works both old and new, classical and bluesy, the symphony will also present a world premiere, a continuation of work by America's Charles Ives, and Harry Potter because you know, why not?

Soprano Nicole Heaston, long a Houston favorite in opera and classic music circles and mezzo-soprano Kelly O'Connor, a Grammy award winner, will be part of Mahler's Symphony No. 2, Resurrection — along with 250 musicians.

This marks Music Director Andrés Orozco-Estrada's fifth year in this position and he spoke to its eclectic nature in a statement in the symphony's press release.

“I’m proud and look forward to sharing the stage with the incredible members of our orchestra and sharing these wonderful musical experiences and our bold sound with our city,” said Orozco-Estrada. “The classical series features some of the world’s greatest conductors and soloists, as well as powerful masterworks, new works and lesser-known music. This is going to be a wonderful season; full of energy, passion and great music. I encourage everyone to give themselves the opportunity to come and discover a complete new universe.”

The lineup with descriptors from the Houston Symphony:

SYMPHONY SUMMER SPECIAL

Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban™—In Concert

Friday, JUNE 15, 7:30 p.m.

Saturday, JUNE 16, 7:30 p.m.

Sunday, JUNE 17, 2:30 p.m.

Houston Symphony Chorus

Betsy Cook Weber, director

The Harry Potter™ phenomenon continues with the third film of the series, Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban™. The Houston Symphony will perform every note from John Williams’ sensational score while audiences relive the magic of the film projected in high definition on the big screen.

SYMPHONY SUMMER SPECIAL

The Music of George Michael

Saturday, JULY 14, 7:30 p.m.

Brent Havens, conductor

Relive all your favorite George Michael hits when the Houston Symphony pays tribute to an artist who was gone too soon. From “Faith” and “Careless Whisper” to “One More Try” and “Wake Me Up Before You Go-Go,” you’ll be singing along in your seat.

SYMPHONY SUMMER SPECIAL

WORLD PREMIERE

Apollo 13—Film with Live Orchestra

Saturday, JULY 21, 7:30 p.m.

Steven Reineke, conductor

Houston Symphony Chorus

Betsy Cook Weber, director

Get ready, Space City! The world premiere performance of Apollo 13 with live soundtrack fittingly takes place right here in Houston as the complete film starring Tom Hanks, Kevin Bacon and Bill Paxton is projected on the big screen at Jones Hall, with James Horner’s Oscar®-nominated score performed live by the Houston Symphony. Relive the incredible story of one of the most thrilling and suspenseful space missions in history like never before in what promises to be an emotional and truly unforgettable concert event.

POPS SERIES

Viva Las Vegas

Friday,, AUGUST 31, 8 p.m.

Saturday, SEPTEMBER 1, 8 p.m.

Sunday, SEPTEMBER 2, 7:30 p.m.

Steven Reineke, conductor

Frankie Moreno, vocalist

Roll the dice, shuffle the deck and throw on your most glamorous attire—we’re heading to Vegas, baby! No airfare required and everyone’s a winner as Vegas headliner Frankie Moreno brings the hottest show on the Strip straight to you. You’ll hear hits of Chuck Berry, The Beatles, Frank Sinatra, and, of course, Elvis!

SYMPHONY SPECIAL

Opening Night with Yuja Wang

Saturday, SEPTEMBER 8, 7:30 p.m.

Gustavo Gimeno, conductor

Yuja Wang, piano

RAVEL Alborado del gracioso

RAVEL Concerto for the Left Hand

BARBER Overture to The School for Scandal

PROKOFIEV Excerpts from Romeo and Juliet

Be part of the glamour of opening night as the one-and-only Yuja Wang brings her extraordinary artistry and trademark panache to Ravel’s virtuosic concerto and sparkling showstoppers for solo piano. A night of musical magic ends in Prokofiev’s vibrant, impassioned rendering of Shakespeare’s star-crossed lovers.

CLASSICAL SERIES

Mahler’s Resurrection Symphony

THURS, SEPTEMBER 13, 8 p.m.

Saturday, SEPTEMBER 15, 8 p.m.

Sunday, SEPTEMBER 16, 2:30 p.m.

Andrés Orozco-Estrada, conductor

Nicole Heaston, soprano

Kelley O’Connor, mezzo-soprano

Houston Symphony Chorus

Betsy Cook Weber, director

IVES Symphony No. 4, Prelude

MAHLER Symphony No. 2, Resurrection

There is no other symphony like it. No music can match its drama, power and sheer impact. Dive into an awe-inspiring new season as Andrés leads Mahler’s epic saga of life, death and transcendence, a monumental journey that starts in the depths of despair, then channels the combined power of more than 250 musicians for an electrifying finale that shakes the rafters and soars to the heavens above.

Houston Symphony Endowment, Diamond Guarantor

General and Mrs. Maurine Hirsch Memorial Concert Fund, Guarantor

CLASSICAL SERIES

Bronfman Plays Prokofiev

Friday, SEPTEMBER 21, 8 p.m.

Saturday, SEPTEMBER 22, 8 p.m.

Sunday, SEPTEMBER 23, 2:30 p.m.

Andrés Orozco-Estrada, conductor

Yefim Bronfman, piano

IVES Symphony No. 4, Comedy

PROKOFIEV Piano Concerto No. 2

PROKOFIEV Symphony No. 1, Classical

SHOSTAKOVICH Symphony No. 9

Showstopping! Indisputably one of the greatest classical musicians in the world today, Grammy® Award-winner Yefim Bronfman returns for Prokofiev’s scintillating concerto, a virtuosic whirlwind absolutely guaranteed to bring down the house. A program of Russian masterworks also spotlights Shostakovich’s spirited, slapstick Ninth and Prokofiev’s effervescent Classical throwback, a showpiece for the Houston Symphony’s virtuosity.

Rochelle and Max Levit, Grand Guarantor

CLASSICAL SERIES

Dvo?ák’s Stabat Mater

Thursday, SEPTEMBER 27, 8 p.m.

Saturday, SEPTEMBER 29, 8 p.m.

Sunday, SEPTEMBER 30, 2:30 p.m.

Andrés Orozco-Estrada, conductor

Houston Symphony Chorus

Betsy Cook Weber, director

DVO?ÁK Stabat Mater

A stunning creative outpouring that arose from the tragic death of his young children, Dvo?ák’s Stabat Mater stands as one of the towering monuments of choral music, a soul-stirring meditation on grief and hope. Be there as Andrés leads the Houston Symphony, Chorus and soloists in this sublime and moving masterpiece, full of tender, luminous beauty that shines forth like a light in darkness.

POPS SERIES

The Music of ABBA

Friday, OCTOBER 5, 8 p.m.

Saturday, OCTOBER 6, 8 p.m.

Sunday, OCTOBER 7, 7:30 p.m.

Steven Reineke, conductor

Rajaton, vocal ensemble

Dance, jive and have the time of your life as international vocal phenomenon Rajaton and the Houston Symphony bring you the greatest hits from ABBA’s incredible catalog. You know them, you love them: “Dancing Queen,” “Mamma Mia,” “S.O.S.” and so many more.

FAMILY SERIES

Peter and the Wolf

Saturday, OCTOBER 6, 10 a.m. and 11:30 a.m.

Robert Franz, conductor

Experience one of the most beloved children’s tales of all time in Prokofiev’s enchanting Peter and the Wolf, in which the courageous Peter and his animal friends outwit the fearsome Wolf. Plus, “Be Prepared” with your mightiest lion’s roar as the Houston Symphony plays popular songs from Disney’s The Lion King—“Hakuna Matata,” “The Circle of Life” and more!

CLASSICAL SERIES

Perlman Plays & Conducts

Thursday, OCTOBER 18, 8 p.m.

Saturday, OCTOBER 20, 8 p.m.

Sunday, OCTOBER 21, 2:30 p.m.

Itzhak Perlman, conductor and violin

BACH Violin Concerto in A Minor

MOZART Symphony No. 40

SCHUMANN Symphony No. 4

It doesn’t get any more must-see than this. Legendary violinist Itzhak Perlman is your conductor and soloist in a program of musical delights, including Bach’s crowd-pleasing concerto and Schumann’s rhythmic and rustic Fourth Symphony. To top it off, hear one of the most beloved symphonies ever composed in Mozart’s ingenious Symphony No. 40.

Margaret Alkek Williams, Underwriter

CLASSICAL SERIES

Tchaikovsky’s Violin Concerto

Friday,, OCTOBER 26, 8 p.m.

Saturday, OCTOBER 27, 8 p.m.

Sunday, OCTOBER 28, 2:30 p.m.

Fabien Gabel, conductor

Karen Gomyo, violin

HERRMANN Vertigo Suite

TCHAIKOVSKY Violin Concerto

KORNGOLD Suite from The Sea Hawk

TCHAIKOVSKY The Tempest

Its hair-raising technical demands were deemed “unplayable” when first composed—but Tchaikovsky’s Violin Concerto has gone on to become one of the best known and best loved in the repertoire. You’re in good hands with Karen Gomyo, “an artist of rare musical command” (Chicago Tribune). Plus, enjoy the cinematic sweep of music from Hitchcock’s Vertigo.

CLASSICAL SERIES

The Seven Deadly Sins

Friday, NOVEMBER 2, 8 p.m.

Saturday, NOVEMBER 3, 8 p.m.

Sunday, NOVEMBER 4, 2:30 p.m.

Bramwell Tovey, conductor

Storm Large, vocalist (Anna)

Hudson Shad, vocalists (The Family)

R. STRAUSS “Dance of the Seven Veils” from Salome

SCRIABIN The Poem of Ecstasy

WEILL The Seven Deadly Sins

From the storied team of Kurt Weill and Bertolt Brecht comes the tale of two personas (one sensible, one sultry) on a seven-city search for the American dream. Storm Large has earned rave reviews playing Anna all across the country, and now brings her signature role to Houston. Part parody. Part poetry. All riveting.

POPS SERIES

An American in Paris—Film with Live Orchestra

FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 9, 8 p.m.

Saturday, NOVEMBER 10, 8 p.m.

Sunday, NOVEMBER 11, 7:30 p.m.

Constantine Kitsopoulos, conductor

S’Wonderful! Fall in love with the beauty of Paris and the magic of Gershwin’s music as this 1951 classic film starring Gene Kelly and Leslie Caron comes to the big screen at Jones Hall, with live soundtrack by the Houston Symphony.

CLASSICAL SERIES

A Mozart & Brahms Thanksgiving

Friday, NOVEMBER 23, 8 p.m.

Saturday, NOVEMBER 24, 8 p.m.

Sunday, NOVEMBER 25, 2:30 p.m.

David Danzmayr, conductor

Inon Barnatan, piano

SUPPÉ Overture to The Beautiful Galatea

MOZART Piano Concerto No. 22

BRAHMS Symphony No. 4

How glorious it is to behold pure genius at its prime in Mozart’s late, great Piano Concerto No. 22, written during an astoundingly prolific stretch in which the music poured forth as if fully formed. Then, peer through a dazzling kaleidoscope of color with Brahms’ radiant final symphony. It’s a program of musical delights, this Thanksgiving with the Houston Symphony.

CLASSICAL SERIES

Ohlsson Plays Beethoven

Thursday, NOVEMBER 29, 8 p.m.

Saturday, DECEMBER 1, 8 p.m.

Sunday, DECEMBER 2, 2:30 p.m.

Edo de Waart, conductor

Garrick Ohlsson, piano

BEETHOVEN Piano Concerto No. 3

ELGAR Symphony No. 1

Beethoven’s soulful and sparkling Piano Concerto No. 3 gets the superstar treatment from legendary pianist Garrick Ohlsson, whose virtuosic artistry yields “a sound so lush it almost glistens” (Seattle Times). Then, immerse yourself in the soaring musical world of Sir Edward Elgar as renowned conductor Edo de Waart—a master of grand-scale symphonies—leads the composer’s lavish, heartfelt First.

POPS SERIES

Very Merry Pops

Friday, DECEMBER 7, 8 p.m.

Saturday, DECEMBER 8, 8 p.m.

Sunday, DECEMBER 9, 2:30 p.m.

Sunday, DECEMBER 9, 7:30 p.m.

Steven Reineke, conductor

Ali Ewoldt, vocalist

Houston Symphony Chorus

Betsy Cook Weber, director

Sleigh bells ring and jingle bells chime as the Houston Symphony’s beloved holiday spectacular returns! Gather with family and friends in a cozy winter wonderland for a sparkling celebration filled to the brim with traditional carols, festive favorites and heartwarming cheer. The fabulous Ali Ewoldt, who currently stars as Christine in Broadway’s The Phantom of the Opera, joins in the fun, performing unforgettable renditions of your favorite holiday classics.

FAMILY SERIES

A Polar Express Christmas

Saturday, DECEMBER 8, 10 a.m. and 11:30 a.m.

Robert Franz, conductor

All aboard! Find your compartment and get ready for a magical journey to the North Pole on The Polar Express. Featuring the original storybook images projected on the big screen, this timeless tale of a boy who believes will have your young ones waiting for the sound of Santa’s sleigh! Plus, enjoy festive favorites like “Frosty the Snowman” and “Let it Snow” and lift your voices in a holiday sing-along.

SYMPHONY SPECIAL

Home Alone—Film with Live Orchestra

Friday, DECEMBER 14, 7:30 p.m.

Constantine Kitsopoulos, conductor

High School for the Performing and Visual Arts Chorale

Patricia Bonner, Shannon Carter and Julia Hall, directors

A true holiday favorite, this beloved comedy classic features renowned composer John Williams’ charming and delightful score performed live to picture by the Houston Symphony. Macaulay Culkin stars as Kevin McCallister, an 8-year-old boy who’s accidentally left behind when his family leaves for Christmas vacation, and who must defend his home against two bungling thieves.

SYMPHONY SPECIAL

Handel’s Messiah

Friday, DECEMBER 21, 8 p.m.

Saturday, DECEMBER 22, 8 p.m.

Sunday, DECEMBER 23, 2:30 p.m.

Jane Glover, conductor

Houston Symphony Chorus

Betsy Cook Weber, director

HANDEL Messiah

This Christmas, be moved by Handel’s ever-glorious setting of the greatest story ever told. The Houston Symphony, chorus and guest soloists join forces to fill Jones Hall with joyous refrains and exultant arias, including the powerful “Hallelujah” Chorus.

CLASSICAL SERIES

Gershwin’s Rhapsody in Blue

Friday, JANUARY 4, 8 p.m.

Saturday, JANUARY 5, 8 p.m.

Sunday, JANUARY 6, 2:30 p.m.

Jeffrey Kahane, conductor and piano

RAVEL Piano Concerto in G

TIMO ANDRES Paraphrase on Themes of Brian Eno

MILHAUD La création du monde

GERSHWIN Rhapsody in Blue

Saucy as the city streets, majestic as a city skyline, Rhapsody in Blue’s iconic opening and unforgettable melodies make it one of the most enduringly popular works in all of classical music. Hear the original jazz band version, alongside Ravel’s bluesy, dreamy Concerto in G as the phenomenal Jeffrey Kahane plays and conducts this program of symphonic gems with a French twist and a Jazz Age flair.

POPS SERIES

Totally ‘80s

Friday, JANUARY 11, 8 p.m.

Saturday, JANUARY 12, 8 p.m.

Sunday, JANUARY 13, 7:30 p.m.

Stuart Chafetz, conductor

Aaron Finley, vocalist

Nicole Parker, vocalist

Break out those Members Only jackets, stirrup pants and shoulder pads and hold on to your hairspray—we’re going Totally ‘80s! Nicole Parker (Mad TV, Broadway’s Wicked) and Aaron Finley (Broadway’s Kinky Boots, Rock of Ages), bring you the chart-topping hits of Sting, Elton John, Cyndi Lauper and more.

CLASSICAL SERIES

Ravel’s La valse

Thursday, JANUARY 24, 8 p.m.

Saturday, JANUARY 26, 8 p.m.

Sunday, JANUARY 27, 2:30 p.m.

Andrés Orozco-Estrada, conductor

Baiba Skride, violin

IVES Symphony No. 4, Fugue

KORNGOLD Violin Concerto

STRAVINSKY Symphony in Three Movements

RAVEL La valse

Filled with radiant warmth and dazzling flights into the stratosphere, Korngold’s Violin Concerto is one of the most treasured in the repertoire. In the hands of Latvian star Baiba Skride, “a passionate, heart-on-sleeve player” (The Guardian), it promises to be nothing short of extraordinary. This dynamic program ends with Ravel’s fiery showstopper, a hair-raising whirlwind that evokes old-world elegance waltzing on the brink of oblivion.

POPS SERIES

The Ella Fitzgerald Songbook

Friday, FEBRUARY 15, 8 p.m.

Saturday, FEBRUARY 16, 8 p.m.

Sunday, FEBRUARY 17, 7:30 p.m.

Steven Reineke, conductor

Montego Glover, vocalist

Capathia Jenkins, vocalist

N’Kenge, vocalist

Celebrate Valentine’s Day with vintage Ella standards that never go out of style—romantic songs like “Our Love is Here to Stay” and “Come Rain or Come Shine”—sung with pitch-perfect verve by Broadway’s Capathia Jenkins, Montego Glover and N’Kenge.

FAMILY SERIES

Wild, Wild West

Saturday, FEBRUARY 16, 10 a.m. and 11:30 a.m.

Robert Franz, conductor

Grab your spurs and trusty steed, lil’ pardners—we’re gallopin’ back to the days of covered wagons and Wild West adventure! Do a do-si-do through Copland’s “Hoedown” and hold tight to the reins for Rossini’s William Tell Overture. Plus, hear fun favorites from Toy Story 2, Oklahoma! and more, and encounter a few special surprises on the western frontier. Yee Haw!

CLASSICAL SERIES

Eschenbach and Josefowicz

THURS, FEBRUARY 28, 8 p.m.

Saturday, MARCH 2, 8 p.m.

Sunday, MARCH 3, 2:30 p.m.

Christoph Eschenbach, conductor

Leila Josefowicz, violin

ESA-PEKKA SALONEN Violin Concerto

MAHLER Symphony No. 9

Eschenbach, Mahler and the Houston Symphony. It’s a combination that made the world take note, and you’ll hear why when the beloved former Music Director returns for Mahler’s extraordinary farewell symphony, an all-encompassing musical drama that ends with a breathtaking descent into rapt silence. Called “pure, euphoric poetry” (Los Angeles Times), Salonen’s Violin Concerto is performed by the violinist who inspired it: the fiery and fearless Leila Josefowicz.

CLASSICAL SERIES

Debussy’s La mer

Friday, MARCH 8, 8 p.m.

Saturday, MARCH 9, 8 p.m.

Sunday, MARCH 10, 2:30 p.m.

Ludovic Morlot, conductor

Susan Graham, mezzo-soprano

BERLIOZ Overture to Béatrice et Bénedict

BERLIOZ Les nuits d’été

ROUSSEL Suite from The Spider’s Feast

DEBUSSY La mer

As sensuous and bewitching as the sea by which it’s inspired, Debussy’s La mer stands as one of the most stunning achievements in symphonic music. Acclaimed French conductor Ludovic Morlot returns to interpret this immortal masterpiece, music of majesty, mystery and primordial power. A luminous all-French program spotlights world-renowned mezzo-soprano Susan Graham in Berlioz’ poignant reveries of love and loss, Les nuits d’été.

CLASSICAL SERIES

Bell Plays Beethoven

Friday, MARCH 15, 8 p.m.

Saturday, MARCH 16, 8 p.m.

Sunday, MARCH 17, 2:30 p.m.

Joshua Bell, conductor and violin

BEETHOVEN Violin Concerto

BEETHOVEN Symphony No. 4

Nine symphonies. Five piano concertos. One perfect violin concerto. A violin lovers’ dream season continues as the incomparable Joshua Bell, hailed as “the greatest American violinist active today” (The Boston Herald), plays and conducts Beethoven’s sublime, supremely beautiful masterpiece. A blockbuster all-Beethoven program ends with the joyous and jovial Fourth Symphony.

POPS SERIES

Star Wars: A New Hope—In Concert

Friday, MARCH 22, 8 p.m.

Saturday, MARCH 23, 8 p.m.

Sunday, MARCH 24, 7:30 p.m.

Steven Reineke, conductor

For the first time ever in Houston, experience Star Wars like never before as A New Hope comes to the big screen at Jones Hall, complete with John Williams’ epic, unforgettable score played live by the Houston Symphony.

CLASSICAL SERIES

Carmina Burana

Friday, MARCH 29, 8 p.m.

Saturday, MARCH 30, 8 p.m.

Sunday, MARCH 31, 2:30 p.m.

Yaniv Dinur, conductor

Houston Symphony Chorus,

Betsy Cook Weber, director

Brinton Averil Smith, cello

D’ALBERT Cello Concerto

ORFF Carmina Burana

Bold and bawdy, fiery and visceral, Carmina Burana is one of the most instantly-recognizable pieces in all of music. Escape into this intoxicating ode to life, lust and all things earthy, an unforgettable concert experience that thrills with haunting medieval chants, dynamic spectacle and sheer sonic force. Plus, Principal Cellist Brinton Averil Smith takes center stage for d’Albert’s lyrical concerto.

CLASSICAL SERIES

Tchaikovsky & Rachmaninoff

THURS, APRIL 4, 8 p.m.

Saturday, APRIL 6, 8 p.m.

Sunday, APRIL 7, 2:30 p.m.

Kazushi Ono, conductor

Simon Trpceski, piano

SHOSTAKOVICH Suite from The Age of Gold

RACHMANINOFF Piano Concerto No. 4

TCHAIKOVSKY Symphony No. 3, Polish

Opulent and unabashedly beautiful, Rachmaninoff’s piano music speaks straight to the heart. Pianist extraordinaire Simon Trpceski shines in the composer’s shimmering final concerto. Composed during a carefree summer in the Russian countryside, Tchaikovsky’s Symphony No. 3 features some of his sunniest and most delightful music.

POPS SERIES

Cirque de la Symphonie

Friday, APRIL 26, 8 p.m.

Saturday, APRIL 27, 8 p.m.

Sunday, APRIL 28, 2:30 p.m.*

Michael Krajewski, conductor

Cirque de la Symphonie, artists

The breathtaking, gravity-defying artists of Cirque drop into Jones Hall for an evening of high-flying excitement and incredible music. Be dazzled by world-class acrobats, aerial flyers, contortionists, strongmen, jugglers and more.

FAMILY SERIES

Once Upon a Time

Saturday, APRIL 27, 10 a.m. and 11:30 a.m.

Robert Franz, conductor

Wave your magic wand and enter an enchanted land of glass slippers, mysterious witches and fairy godmothers as your favorite fairy tales come to life through music and dance! Ballet dancers will dazzle the senses as the Houston Symphony performs the treasured music from Tchaikovsky’s Sleeping Beauty, Prokofiev’s Cinderella, Stravinsky’s Firebird and more.

CLASSICAL SERIES

Beethoven’s Eroica

Friday, MAY 3, 8 p.m.

Saturday, MAY 4, 8 p.m.

Sunday, MAY 5, 2:30 p.m.

Andrés Orozco-Estrada, conductor

Leticia Moreno, violin

JIMMY LÓPEZ Aurora, for Solo Violin and Orchestra

(Houston Symphony commission, world premiere)

BEETHOVEN Symphony No. 3, Eroica

Heroic. Ferocious. Groundbreaking. Hear the symphony that changed it all as Andrés conducts Beethoven’s Eroica, a staggering musical vision too powerful to be contained. A monumental weekend also features the grand unveiling of Composer-in-Residence Jimmy López’ Violin Concerto, a stunning feast for the senses that combines light displays with musical luminescence to immerse you in the breathtaking beauty of the Northern Lights.

CLASSICAL SERIES

Rachmaninoff’s The Bells

Thursday, MAY 9, 8 p.m.

Saturday, MAY 11, 8 p.m.

Sunday, MAY 12, 2:30 p.m.

Andrés Orozco-Estrada, conductor

Javier Perianes, piano

Houston Symphony Chamber Chorus

Betsy Cook Weber, director

IVES Symphony No. 4, Finale

SAINT-SAËNS Piano Concerto No. 5, Egyptian

RACHMANINOFF The Bells

Jingling sleigh bells, reverent wedding bells, thunderous alarm bells and mournful iron bells—these are the sonic atmospheres traversed in Rachmaninoff’s spectacular choral symphony, which draws its text from the poetry of Edgar Allan Poe. Plus, Spanish sensation Javier Perianes dazzles in Saint- Saëns’ sensuous and exotic Egyptian concerto.

CLASSICAL SERIES

Bluebeard’s Castle

Thursday, MAY 16, 8 p.m.

Friday, MAY 17, 8 p.m.

Andrés Orozco-Estrada, conductor

Michelle DeYoung, mezzo-soprano (Judith)

Matthias Goerne, baritone (Bluebeard)

BARTÓK Bluebeard’s Castle

Prepare for an extraordinary concert experience as the 2018–19 Classical season closes with a complete semi-staged performance of Bartók’s riveting psychological thriller, in which a young bride slowly discovers the gruesome depths of her husband’s dark secrets. A dream cast featuring two of the world’s most sought-after opera stars joins Andrés Orozco-Estrada and the Houston Symphony for the must-see event of the season.

POPS SERIES

Song and Dance: The Best of Broadway

Friday, MAY 24, 8 p.m.

Saturday, MAY 25, 8 p.m.

Sunday, MAY 26, 7:30 p.m.

Steven Reineke, conductor

Houston Symphony Chorus

Betsy Cook Weber, director

Experience iconic moments from musical theater— everything from beloved overtures and dream ballets to electrifying “full company” renditions featuring the Houston Symphony Chorus—in this blockbuster POPS Season finale. Featuring music of Rodgers and Hammerstein, Leonard Bernstein, Jule Styne and more.