TICKETS NOW ON SALE FOR SIX RARE PERFORMANCES

Internationally-acclaimed violinist Itzhak Perlman and renowned flutist Sir James Galway will headline two of the six concerts planned for 2019 by the Fort Myers Community Concert Association.

Tickets are now on sale for the six performances. Organizers say these bring the best in classical opera, ballet, and symphony performances to Southwest Florida.  All performances will be at the Barbara B. Mann Hall on the Florida SouthWestern State College campus in Fort Myers.

“We anticipate that we’ll be sold out by the time the series begins in January,” said Community Concert Association President Mary Lee Mann.  “Where else can you see not one, but six performances for what you would expect to pay for just one?”

All six concerts are included in one ticket price. Prices range from $198 for prime orchestra and mezzanine seats to $186 for other orchestra and mezzanine seats. Tickets are also available for $102 for lower balcony seating and just $78 for upper balcony.  Most mezzanine seating already is sold out, Mann said. 

For tickets and membership information, visit www.fortmyerscommunityconcerts.org or call 239-693-4849. Tickets to individual performances are not available at this time.

“We have been fortunate this year to attract some of the most outstanding artists in the world today, thanks to the generosity of our major underwriters and supporters,” Mann said.

The six performances all begin at 7:30 pm:

• National Symphony Orchestra of Romania  – January 7, 2019. The National Symphony Orchestra of Romania is honoring the unification of Romania and Transylvania in their first ever tour of the United States.  Acclaimed as one of the world’s top ensembles, they have made a name for themselves as Romania’s best and brightest orchestra. They will perform Enescu’s Romanian Rhapsody No. 1, Dvorak’s Cello Concerto, Suite from Der Rosenkavalier by Strauss and Ravel’s Bolero.
• Teatro Lirico D’Europa performing Puccini’s “Tosca” – January 14, 2019. A tale about an impulsive diva, a sadistic police chief, and an idealistic artist, comes alive as Teatro Lirico D’Europa performs Giacoma Puccini’s exasperating and thrilling opera “Tosca.” Teatro Lirico D’Europa is the most successful opera touring company in Europe and the U.S. and travels with a full orchestra of 47 to 50 members and a chorus of 40 singers.
• Russian National Orchestra  –February 12, 2019.  The Russian National Orchestra began as a courageous demonstration of artistic freedom during the Soviet regime.  Playing with captivating beauty, they have risen to the pinnacle of the classical music world.  Celebrating the 100^thanniversary of Rachmaninoff coming to the United States, they will perform his Vocalise, Piano Concerto No. 2 in C minor, Op. 18 and Symphonic Dancers, Op. 45.
• Russian National Ballet –February 25, 2019. The Russian National Ballet performs the timeless “Cinderella.”  Jubilant music, lush scenery and the hilarious double-roles of the step-sisters captivate audiences. The Russian National Ballet Theatre was founded with the support of the Ministry of Culture of the Russian Federation. The Ballet invigorates the tradition of classical Russian ballet with developments in dance from around the world.
• Itzhak Perlman – March 11, 2019 – Perlman is the reigning virtuoso of the violin and is returning to the Community Concert series for the second time.  Perlman was born in Israel. He gave his first recital at age 10 before moving to the United States to study at the Juilliard School. Perlman has been honored with more than 20 Grammy Awards (including Lifetime Achievement in 2008) and four Emmy Awards. He has also been awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2015.
• Sir James Galway, Flutist – March 28, 2019 – Nicknamed “the man with the Golden Flute,” Sir James Galway is an Irish virtuoso flutist who is regarded as both the supreme interpreter of the classical flute repertoire and a consummate entertainer who plays songs from a variety of musical genres, including show tunes, pop, and country. He has recorded dozens of albums over the decades and has sold more than 30 million records.

The Fort Myers Community Concert Association, now in its 70^th concert season, is an all-volunteer not-for-profit organization founded by the legendary Barbara B. Mann in 1949 to bring world-class entertainment to Southwest Florida at affordable prices.  The association consists of more than 1,700 members, underwriters, and sponsors.  Performers brought to Fort Myers in the past by the association include The Israel Ballet, The Boston Brass, Minnesota Orchestra, Cleveland Orchestra, Vienna Boys Choir, Pianist Andre Watts, Violinist Joshua Bell with the Academy of St. Martin in the Fields and many others.