Music legends ranging from Beethoven and Mozart to Aretha Franklin and John Williams will bask in the spotlight during the Fort Wayne Philharmonic’s 2021-22 season, which opens Oct. 2.
“After living through one of the most miserable years in recent history, I felt it was important for the Fort Wayne Philharmonic to return to the stage with as strong an artistic statement as possible,” Music Director Andrew Constantine said in an email. “You’ll hear some of the most uplifting and magnificent music of the orchestral repertoire and enjoy the outstanding talents of a number of the orchestra’s finest members as soloists.”
In addition, guest performers scheduled to appear with The Philharmonic this season include noted pianists Orion Weiss and Richard Goode, Music Director and Principal Conductor Maximiano Valdes of the Puerto Rico Symphony, and the Fort Wayne Ballet.
Grab Your Season Subscription
Season subscriptions are on sale now at fwphil.org and through the ArtsTix box office. Tickets for individual concerts will go on sale in mid-August.
All Masterworks classical music series concerts and most Pops series performances will take place at 7:30 p.m. downtown at the Embassy Theatre. As of late July, wearing masks will be optional and no social distancing measures will be in effect.
This fall’s performances will launch The Philharmonic’s first concert season since the coronavirus pandemic shut down the orchestra and other entertainment events in spring 2020.
The Philharmonic, which returned to performing with its Patriotic Pops concerts in late June, also went through lengthy contract negotiations with orchestra musicians during the downtime.
Here are top performances from The Philharmonic’s 2021-22 season as it has been announced so far. The orchestra expects to release additional information soon about its performance schedule.
Masterworks Classical Series
Other Masterworks concerts include “The Rach 2” on Saturday, Oct. 23, including Rachmaninoff’s Symphony No. 2 in E minor, Opus 27; “John Williams and Dvorak” on Saturday, Feb. 19; and “Tchaikovsky’s 5th” with guest conductor Maximiano Valdes on Saturday, April 9.
Pops Series
Other Pops Series concerts include perennial favorite Holiday Pops at 7:30 p.m. Friday, Dec. 10; 2 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. on Saturday, Dec. 11, and Saturday, Dec. 18; and 2 p.m. on Sunday, Dec. 19.
You also can take a trip back in time on Saturday, Feb. 5, with “Music of the Beatles: Classical Mystery Tour.”
Other Performances
The Philharmonic’s Freimann Series chamber music will be presented at 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 13; Wednesday, Feb. 9; and Wednesday, April 27, at The History Center, 302 E. Berry St.
They will also be presented at 2 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 17; Sunday, Feb. 13; and Sunday, May 1, in Rhinehart Recital Hall in Rhinehart Music Center at Purdue University Fort Wayne, 2101 E. Coliseum Blvd.
“Bach in the Barn at Joseph Decuis Farm” will be performed at 7:30 p.m. Thursday-Saturday, May 5-7, at the farm near Roanoke.
The Philharmonic will also offer more details in the future about two other scheduled performances: “Messiah by Candelight,” 7:30 p.m. Thursday-Friday, Dec. 16-17, and “Tchaikovsky’s Sleeping Beauty with Fort Wayne Ballet,” 2:30 and 7:30 p.m. Friday-Sunday, April 22-24.
Young Audiences
The Philharmonic will offer special ticket options for the younger generation.
College students can buy tickets to Masterworks classical music concerts for $10 each. Those tickets are available beginning two weeks before each concert.
Children ages 18 and younger can attend Masterworks concerts free if accompanying a paying adult. The orchestra offers reduced prices for children attending Pops series concerts.
For more about Philharmonic ticket policies, accessibility, and other issues, call the ArtsTix Community Box Office at (260) 422-4226 or go to fwphil.org.
