Holiday Concerts
Handel’s Messiah
Friday and Saturday, December 1-2 at 7 p.m.
Sunday, December 3 at 2 p.m.
Roberto Kalb, guest conductor
Amanda Woodbury, soprano
Zoie Reams, mezzo-soprano
David Portillo, tenor
Christian Pursell, bass-baritone
Kansas City Symphony Chorus, Charles Bruffy, chorus director
Hallelujah! The power of more than 150 musicians and voices combined with the impeccable acoustics of Helzberg Hall provides a triumphant experience of Handel’s majestic choral masterpiece. The Symphony and Symphony Chorus welcome glorious soloists for the Messiah performance of the season — the perfect way to kick off the holidays.
Holiday Film + Live Orchestra Concert
The Muppet Christmas Carol™ in Concert
Friday, December 8 at 7 p.m.
Saturday, December 9 at 1 p.m.
Your Kansas City Symphony presents Disney’s The Muppet Christmas Carol™ in Concert featuring a screening of the complete film with the musical score performed live to the film. Join The Muppets for this classic Charles Dickens holiday tale, with Kermit the Frog playing Bob Cratchit, the put-upon clerk of stingy Ebenezer Scrooge (Michael Caine). Gonzo, as Dickens, narrates the story with the help of Rizzo the Rat. The film also features Miss Piggy as Emily Cratchit, Fozzie Bear as Fozziwig and Robin the Frog as Tiny Tim. Scrooge receives visits from spirits of three Christmases — past, present and future. They show him the error of his self-serving ways, but the miserable old man seems to be past any hope of redemption and happiness.
Christmas Festival
Thursday and Friday, December 14-15 at 7 p.m.
Saturday, December 16 at 1 and 7 p.m.
Sunday, December 17 at 2 and 7 p.m.
Kansas City Symphony Chorus, Charles Bruffy, chorus director
Kansas City’s grandest holiday concert returns for six magical performances. The Symphony and Symphony Chorus present stunning musical arrangements of cherished Christmas carols, festive songs of the season, exciting guest vocalists and a healthy dose of Christmas cheer. Plus, an early visit from Santa!
Holiday Film + Live Orchestra Concert
The Nightmare Before Christmas
Thursday and Friday, December 21-22 at 7 p.m.
Saturday, December 23 at 7 p.m.
Sunday, December 24 at 1:30 p.m.
Jason Seber, guest conductor
See one of Tim Burton’s most celebrated films like never before! The full feature film, “The Nightmare Before Christmas,” will be projected in its entirety on a giant screen in Helzberg Hall with dialogue, singing and effects, accompanied by Danny Elfman’s darkly charming score played live by your Kansas City Symphony.
Presentation licensed by Disney Concerts. © Disney. All rights reserved. MPAA Rating: PG
Special Presentations
Film + Live Orchestra Concert
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows™ in Concert (Part 1)
Wednesday, Thursday and Friday, September 6-8 at 7 p.m.
Sunday, September 10 at 2 p.m.
Justin Freer, guest conductor
Harry’s last year at Hogwarts™ is here, part one of the epic finale Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows™ in Concert! Experience the loss and the love of this series’ finish all over again as Harry and his friends rush to face the Dark Lord Voldemort™ for the last time. With the full film set to your Kansas City Symphony performing live, the final battle for Hogwarts™ School of Witchcraft and Wizardry has never been so emotional.
WIZARDING WORLD and all related trademarks, characters, names, and indicia are © & ™ Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. Publishing Rights © JKR. (s23)
The Music of Led Zeppelin
Friday, September 22 at 8 p.m.
Brent Havens, guest conductor
Don’t miss this spectacular tribute to rock legends Led Zeppelin, with the help of a blazing hot band, vocalist Randy Jackson, the Kansas City Symphony and an incredible light show. Audiences will rock out to classic hits such as “Whole Lotta Love,” “Heartbreakers” and of course, “Stairway to Heaven.”
Tower of Power with the Kansas City Symphony
Saturday, September 30 at 8 p.m.
Damon Gupton, guest conductor
Horn-driven soul/R&B/rock/pop/funk band Tower of Power have been rocking their sound since 1968, infusing “Soul With a Capital ‘S’” into the music industry for over 50 years. For their Kansas City Symphony debut, hear tunes from their latest album “Step Up,” plus explosive hits like “You’re Still a Young Man,” “So Very Hard to Go,” “What Is Hip?” and “Soul With a Capital ‘S’.”
Silent Film + Live Organ Concert
The Phantom of the Opera
Wednesday, October 25 at 7 p.m.
Dorothy Papadakos, organ
Spend a frightful yet delightful evening in Helzberg Hall. With live organ accompaniment, this classic 1929 silent film starring Lon Chaney tells the creepy tale of a demented organist lurking in the catacombs beneath the opera house. The entire movie is shown on the giant Helzberg Hall screen, with acclaimed organist Dorothy Papadakos providing the spooky soundtrack on the Julia Irene Kauffman Casavant organ. Note: The Kansas City Symphony does not perform on this concert.
Film + Live Orchestra Concert
Goonies™ in Concert
Thursday, Friday and Saturday, February 8-10, 2024 at 7 p.m.
A search for lost pirate treasure takes a band of misfit kids on a wild adventure. Experience director Richard Donner’s 1985 fantasy film favorite like never before, as the Kansas City Symphony performs the memorable score live to the movie shown on a giant screen in Helzberg Hall.
Cathie Ryan with the Kansas City Symphony
Saturday, March 16, 2024 at 8 p.m.
Celebrate St. Patrick’s weekend with us! Direct from Ireland, original Cherish the Ladies singer Cathie Ryan brings her Celtic charm to the Helzberg Hall stage with your KC Symphony. Ryan has created the definitive Celtic program featuring a blend of Irish traditional, contemporary and original songs mixed with rafter-raising jigs, reels and rousing Irish step dancing. Get ready for a true celebration of Irish American music that speaks to the heart with a deep respect for the roots of the Irish tradition.
Simply the Best: The Music of Tina Turner
Thursday, April 25, 2024 at 8 p.m.
Jason Seber, guest conductor
Tamika Lawrence, vocalist
All hail the “Queen of Rock ‘n’ Roll.” Tina Turner’s singular voice and decades-spanning career gave us songs that became part of the soundtrack of our lives. Join us for a celebration of Turner’s iconic musical legacy, featuring hits like “Proud Mary”, “What’s Love Got to Do With It”, “Disco Inferno”, “Private Dancer”, and “Simply the Best”. Together with your Kansas City Symphony, we’ll take you “River Deep, Mountain High”.
Film + Live Orchestra Concert
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows™ in Concert (Part 2)
Wednesday, Thursday and Friday, April 11-13, 2024 at 7 p.m.
Sunday, April 14, 2024 at 2 p.m.
In the epic finale to the Harry Potter Film Concert Series the battle between the good and evil forces of the wizarding world escalates into an all-out war. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows™ Part 2 in Concert brings the final chapter to the big screen as your Kansas City Symphony performs every note of the epic score by Alexandre Desplat. The stakes have never been higher!
WIZARDING WORLD and all related trademarks, characters, names, and indicia are © & ™ Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. Publishing Rights © JKR. (s24)
An Evening with Yo-Yo Ma
His Tribute to Michael Stern
Thursday, June 6, 2024 at 7 p.m.
Michael Stern, conductor
In a career spanning four decades, internationally revered cellist Yo-Yo Ma has dazzled the world as both a musician and a champion for culture’s impact on humanity. For one night only, he joins us to honor his close friend, Michael Stern, during Stern’s final season as music director of the Kansas City Symphony.