New season, new era: Single tickets on sale now for St. Louis Symphony Orchestra's inaugural season with Music Director Stéphane Denève 

Orchestra's 140th season, which runs from September 2019 to May 2020, crafted by Denève as musical gift to St. Louis

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(July 24, 2019, St. Louis, MO) – Today, single tickets for an extraordinary new era of the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra's storied history go on sale, celebrating the inaugural season with Music Director Stéphane Denève. This milestone 2019/2020 season, the orchestra's 140th, was designed by Denève, the SLSO's 13th Music Director, and includes a wide variety of concerts, including classical mainstays, exciting music of our time, presentations of film scores with movies projected on the big screen, special one-night-only performances with renowned guests, family-centered concerts, holiday concerts, and innovative concert experiences.

Tickets can be purchased at www.slso.org.

Denève shaped the 19/20 season around an Arch of Franco-American musical friendship, paying homage to St. Louis' most enduring symbol and exploring the deep relationships between French and American music. He brings to St. Louis a robust variety of world-renowned artists to perform cornerstone works by Beethoven, Berlioz, and Ravel, along with newer works by 16 composers of today.

Additional 19/20 season highlights include:
• Three world premieres and a U.S. premiere
• Three concert programs and a recital with Denève's close friend and collaborator, the Jean-Paul and Isabelle Montupet SLSO Artist-In-Residence, pianist Jean-Yves Thibaudet
• New friendships with 23 renowned conductors and artists making their St. Louis debuts
• Solo performances by five members of the SLSO family, including: Jelena Dirks (Principal Oboe), Kristin Ahlstrom (Associate Principal Second Violin), Angie Smart (First Violin), Andrea Kaplan (Associate Principal Flute), and David Halen (Concertmaster)
• Performances of six film scores, including: Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, Home Alone, Beauty and the Beast, Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 1, and Raiders of the Lost Ark
• A three-program Family Concert series led by SLSO Resident Conductor Gemma New
• Special performances, including: The Music of John Williams (September 13-15, 2019), A Tribute to Aretha Franklin (October 11, 2019), Big Band Holidays (December 4, 2019), Mercy Holiday Celebration (December 13-15), A Gospel Christmas with Kennedy Holmes (December 18-19, 2019), BMO Wealth Management New Year's Eve Celebration (December 31, 2019), Ben Folds (February 13-14, 2020), and Lift Every Voice: Black History Month Celebration (February 21, 2020)
• New concert experiences, including: a symphonic play written and directed by Didi Balle, Maurice Ravel: A Musical Journey (May 1, 2020); and two SLSO Crafted Concerts, casual concert experiences with a pre-concert happy hour included (November 15, 2019, and May 8, 2020)

During the 19/20 season, which runs from September 2019 through May 2020, the SLSO will present approximately 110 live performances at Powell Hall through various series: Classical, Live at Powell Hall, IN UNISON, Education Concerts, Family Concerts, and Holidays at Powell. In addition, the SLSO presents St. Louis Symphony Live at the Pulitzer, a four-program series at the Pulitzer Arts Foundation. SLSO musicians also perform more than 75 free programs in the community each season, actively engaging audiences in schools, parks, hospitals, nursing homes, and other public spaces throughout the region.

Tickets are on sale now and may be purchased at www.slso.org or by calling the Box Office at 314-534-1700. Concerts may be added and are subject to change. To see a chronological listing of concerts, visit https://www.slso.org/en/tickets/performance-listing/.

The 19/20 SLSO Classical Season is presented by World Wide Technology and the Steward Family Foundation. The SLSO's Live at the Pulitzer and Summer at the Symphony concerts will be announced on later dates.

About the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra
Celebrated as one of today's most exciting and enduring orchestras, the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra is the second-oldest orchestra in the country, marking its 140th year with the 2019/2020 season and its first with Music Director Stéphane Denève. Widely considered one of the world's finest orchestras, the SLSO maintains its commitment to artistic excellence, educational impact, and community connections – all in service to its mission of enriching lives through the power of music.

In addition to its regular concert performances at Powell Hall, which has been the permanent home of the SLSO for more than 50 years, the orchestra is an integral part of the diverse and vibrant St. Louis community, presenting dozens of free education and community programs and performances throughout the region each year. It presents St. Louis Symphony Live at the Pulitzer, a four-program series at the Pulitzer Arts Foundation. The SLSO also serves as the resident orchestra for Opera Theatre Saint Louis, with the upcoming season marking the 43rd year of the partnership.

The Grammy Award-winning SLSO's impact beyond the St. Louis region is realized through weekly Saturday night concert broadcasts on St. Louis Public Radio, acclaimed recordings, and regular touring activity. A sought-after artistic partner by preeminent musicians and composers from across the globe, as well as by local and national organizations, the SLSO enjoys a long history of robust and enduring artistic collaborations that have developed and deepened over the years.

Today, the SLSO builds on the institution's current momentum on all fronts, including artistic, financial, audience growth, and community impact, and looks toward the future with Stéphane Denève. Denève begins his tenure as the SLSO's 13th Music Director with the 19/20 season. For more information, visit slso.org.

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