The Music of the Eagles has landed. After two years without Fort Worth's favorite outdoor music series, Concerts in the Garden is coming back this year. The Fort Worth Symphony Orchestra unveiled the hot summer lineup, along with the entire 2022-23 season, on Wednesday, January 12.
The new FWSO season will be maestro Robert Spano’s inaugural one as music director and will include world-renowned guest artists and conductors, new and expanded series, a slate of diverse visiting composers, and important collaborations with other local arts groups.
“As we welcome Robert Spano to Fort Worth in his official capacity as music director, I am thrilled that this new era for the orchestra is coming to fruition,” said FWSO president and CEO Keith Cerny in a statement. “Working with Maestro Spano on the development and planning of the artistic vision for the Fort Worth Symphony Orchestra has been an exceptionally positive collaboration, and I am delighted to present the 2022-2023 season with his clear programmatic influence.”
Working chronologically through 2022-23, here's what FWSO has in store.
Concerts in the Garden
It all starts with Concerts in the Garden, which hasn't happened since the long-ago, pre-covid summer of 2019. The 30th anniversary CITG festival, happening at the Fort Worth Botanic Garden, will be slightly abbreviated from years past, presenting just three weekends' worth of concerts rather than five. It begins Thursday, June 16, 2022 with Texas legends Asleep at the Wheel, and ends Monday, July 4 with a patriotic July 4th Celebration. Acts also include Jackopierce and Sarah Jaffe, Classical Mystery Tour (Beatles tribute), and music of The Rolling Stones, Pink Floyd, Queen, Star Wars, and yes, that old perennial favorite, "The Music of the Eagles."
Tickets will go on sale April 11. Table seats are $38-$78 (20 percent discount for children 10 and under at certain price levels); all lawn seating is $25 (kids 10 and under are free). Note that parking is $35 for valet, $18 in advance/$20 at the gate, or available at Dickies Yellow Lot for variable rates.
Schedule at a glance:
- Asleep at the Wheel — Thursday, June 16, 2022, at 8:15 PM
- Jackopierce — Friday, June 17, 2022, at 8:15 PM
- The Music of The Eagles — Saturday, June 18, 2022, at 8:15 PM
- Sarah Jaffe — Sunday, June 19, 2022, at 8:15 PM
- Classical Mystery Tour — Thursday, June 23, 2022, at 8:15 PM
- The Music of Pink Floyd — Friday, June 24, 2022, at 8:15 PM
- Star Wars and Beyond — Saturday, June 25, 2022, at 8:15 PM
- Star Wars and Beyond — Sunday, June 26, 2022, at 8:15 PM
- The Music of The Rolling Stones — Friday, July 1, 2022, at 8:15 PM
- The Music of Queen — Saturday, July 2, 2022, at 8:15 PM
- July 4th Celebration — Sunday, July 3, 2022, at 8:15 PM
- July 4th Celebration — Monday, July 4, 2022, at 8:15 PM
Pops series
The pops season consists of eight weekends of concerts including popular genres, film scores, and perennial family favorites such as “Home for the Holidays.”
It starts even before the symphonic concerts, with "National Geographic Symphony for Our World" bringing nature to life on the stage and screen August 26-28; conducted by Scott Terrell.
Beloved, longtime FWSO music director Miguel Harth-Bedoya (now with the title music director laureate) returns to conduct two pops concerts: "Star Wars: A New Hope," December 16-18 (a rare performance at Will Rogers Auditorium instead of Bass Hall) and Pink Martini, April 28-30.
Schedule at a glance:
- National Geographic Symphony for Our World — August 26–28, 2022: Scott Terrell, conductor
- Queens of Soul — September 2-4, 2022: Byron Stripling, conductor; Shayna Steele, vocalist
- Rodgers and Hammerstein Celebration — October 21-23, 2022: Carl Topilow, conductor; Scarlett Strallen, vocalist; Hugh Panaro, vocalist; William Michaels, vocalist
- Home for the Holidays — November 25-27, 2022: Stuart Chafetz, conductor; N’Kenge, vocalist; Lone Star Youth Chorus
- Star Wars: A New Hope — December 16-18, 2022: Miguel Harth-Bedoya, conductor
- Twist & Shout: The Music of the Beatles — February 3-5, 2023: Byron Stripling, conductor
- Dancing in the Street: The Music of Motown — March 3-5, 2023: William Waldrop, conductor
- Pink Martini — April 28-30, 2023: Miguel Harth-Bedoya, conductor
Symphonic series
The big, new 11-concert symphonic season gears up September 9 with Spano on the podium in the appropriately titled "A New Musical Era Begins: Brahms, Beethoven, and Schubert," September 9-11, featuring pianist Jorge Federico Osario on Beethoven's triumphant “Emperor” piano concerto.
Other featured soloists throughout the season include a mix of special guests and FWSO musicians: Joe Lovano, saxophone; Joyce Yang, Cliburn-winning pianist; Michael Shih, violin and FWSO concertmaster; Christine Brewer, soprano; Benjamin Baker, violin; Gil Shaham, violin; Jake Fridkis, FWSO principal flute; Sterling Elliot, cello; Jessica Rivera, soprano; Thomas Cooley, tenor; Nmon Ford, baritone; Seraphic Fire, chorus.
Guest conductors include Edo de Waart, Delyana Lazarova, Dame Jane Glover, and Roberto Abbado. Of special interest, "A Night at the Ballet," April 21-23, will feature dancers of the Texas Ballet Theater. Harth-Bedoya returns to conduct Elgar's "Enigma" Variations and more, May 5-7.
Schedule at a glance:
- A New Musical Era Begins: Brahms, Beethoven, and Schubert — September 9-11, 2022: Robert Spano, conductor; Jorge Federico Osario, piano
- Rachmaninoff's Thirds — October 14–16, 2022: Edo de Waart, conductor; Joyce Yang, piano
- A Trip to Harlem: Bernstein, Ellington, Gershwin, and Douglas J. Cuomo — October 28-30, 2022: Robert Spano, conductor; Joe Lovano, saxophone; Douglas J. Cuomo, visiting composer
- A Trip to St. Petersburg: Glinka, Glazunov, and Tchaikovsky — November 18-20, 2022: Delyana Lazarova, conductor; Michael Shih, violin
- Wagner Highlights — November 18-20, 2022: Robert Spano, conductor; Christine Brewer, soprano
- Gil Shaham Plays Tchaikovsky: Mahler and Tchaikovsky — March 10-12, 2023: Robert Spano, conductor; Gil Shaham, violin
- Jake Fridkis in Concert: Schumann, Reinecke, and Liszt — March 24-26, 2023: Roberto Abbado, conductor; Jake Fridkis, flute
- A Night at the Ballet: Brian Raphael Nabors, Humperdinck, Griffes, Ravel, and Stravinsky — April 21-23, 2023: Robert Spano, conductor; Texas Ballet Theater; Ben Stevenson O.B.E., choreographer; Brian Raphael Nabors, visiting composer
- Elgar's Enigma Variations: Strauss, Saint-Säens, and Elgar — May 5-7, 2023: Miguel Harth- Bedoya, conductor; Sterling Elliot, cello
- Haydn: The Creation — May 19-21, 2023: Robert Spano, conductor; Jessica Rivera, soprano; Thomas Cooley, tenor; Nmon Ford, baritone; Serpahic Fire, chorus; Elaine J. McCarthy, visual design
Chamber music series
The multitalented Spano will wear many hats as coordinator and pianist for this three-performance series; he'll even be the composer and headliner for the first concert. It's called "Robert Spano Performs Chamber Music," November 13, and will feature Spano on, piano; Kelley O’Connor, mezzo-soprano; and unnamed FWSO musicians. They'll perform song cycle of Spano's own composition and more.
Schedule at a glance:
- Robert Spano Performs Chamber Music — November 13, 2022, at 2:00 PM: Robert Spano, piano; Kelley O’Connor, mezzo-soprano; FWSO musicians
- From Despair to Hope: Messiaen and Mozart — March 19, 2023, at 2:00 PM: Robert Spano, piano; FWSO musicians
- Three Chamber Music Masters: Mozart, Poulenc, and Lutosławski — May 14, 2023, at 2:00 PM: Robert Spano, piano; FWSO musicians and guests
Family series
Three concerts of age-appropriate programming, performance times, and concert lengths that creates a symphonic experience for wiggly kids and newcomers of all ages — all at Bass Hall.
Schedule at a glance:
- Dancing with the FWSO Stars! — September 17, 2022, at 11:00 AM at Bass Performance Hall
- Heroes at the Symphony — February 4, 2023, at 11:00 AM at Bass Performance Hall
- Wild Symphony — March 4, 2023, at 11:00 AM at Bass Performance Hall
Special concerts and gala
There'll be six one-night-only concerts, beginning with Handel’s Messiah. After bowing out of his 2021 FWSO Gala appearance as a pandemic precaution, superstar cellist Yo-Yo Ma comes to Fort Worth for the glitzy Gala Concert and Dinner. Plus, two performances led by new FWSO principal guest conductor designate Kevin John Edusei; the Three American Tenors; and the annual New Year’s Eve concert.
Schedule at a glance:
- Handel’s Messiah — December 10, 2022, at 7:30 PM at Will Rogers Memorial Auditorium: Julian Wachner, conductor; Molly Netter, soprano; Steven Soph, tenor; Jonathan Woody, bass; University of North Texas Vox Aquilae
- New Year’s Eve: ABBA The Concert — December 31, 2022, at 7:30 PM, Bass Performance Hall: Robert Franz, conductor; ABBA The Concert
- Edusei Conducts: An Evening of Brahms, Schumann, and Howard — February 11, 2023, at Van Cliburn Concert Hall, Texas Christian University: Kevin John Edusei, conductor; Michael Shih, violin; Allan Steele, cello
- Annual Gala Concert and Dinner with Yo-Yo Ma — February 25, 2023, at 7:00 PM at Bass Performance Hall: Robert Spano, conductor; Yo-Yo Ma, cello
- Three American Tenors — May 13, 2023, at 7:30 PM: Robert Spano, conductor; Michael Fabiano, vocalist; Bryan Hymel, vocalist; Matthew Polenzani, vocalist
- Edusei Conducts: An Evening of Kodály, Mozart, and Brahms — June 2, 2023, at 7:30 PM at Bass Performance Hall: Kevin John Edusei, conductor; Joshua Elmore, bassoon
Meet the Composer series
New to the FWSO in the 2022–2023 season, the Meet the Composer Series at the Renzo Piano Pavilion at the Kimbell Art Museum provides an opportunity for listeners to learn more about composers and their works either from the composer themselves or a musicologist who specializes in the featured composer.
Schedule at a glance:
- Composer Douglas J. Cuomo — October 13, 2022, at 6:00 PM at Kimbell Art Museum
- Composer Stacy Garrop — January 5, 2023, at 6:00 PM at Kimbell Art Museum
- Musicologist Robert Greenberg — February 2, 2023, at 6:00 PM at Kimbell Art Museum
- Composer Brian Raphael Nabors — April 20, 2023, at 6:00 PM at Kimbell Art Museum
Tickets and subscriptions
Subscriptions for the 2022-2023 season go on sale April 4; Symphonic 11-concert subscription packages are $220-$869. Pops eight-concert subscription packages are $236-$668.
Single tickets will go on sale July 18 for regular season concerts. Concerts in the Garden single tickets will go on sale April 11.
For more information and tickets visit www.fwsymphony.org.
Concerts in the Garden returns in summer 2022.
