Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra opens 2019-20 season with toast to maestro JoAnn Falletta's 20-year tenure as music director

Opening-night performance to feature Falletta's favorite works and friends violinist Tianwa Yang and pianist William Wolfram

The Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra will open its 2019-20 season with a toast to BPO musicians and JoAnn Falletta, who takes the podium for her 20th year as music director. All ticket-holding patrons are invited to the champagne toast, which will take place in the Mary Seaton Room of Kleinhans Music Hall just prior to the 8 p.m. main stage concert, titled “Favorites & Friends: A Celebration of 20 Years.” Pre-concert music will be provided in the Mary Seaton Room by the Buffalo Philharmonic Chorus, under the direction of Adam Luebke. 

For the opening night BPO performance, Falletta has handpicked a sparkling repertoire, including Saint-Saëns’ Capriccio and Rondo played by violin virtuoso Tianwa Yang, whom Falletta conducted in her U.S. premiere performance; Rossini’s Overture to Semiramide; Liszt’s powerfully foreboding Totentanz, with Falletta’s friend William Wolfram on piano; and finishing with Dvořák’s bucolic and idyllic Symphony No. 8.

A special opening night pre-concert dinner and post-concert soiree package is also available. Guests can enjoy a three-course dinner that includes wine, beer and cocktails at Henry’s at Kleinhans Music Hall, catered by Oliver's, in advance of the evening concert. They will then join a post-concert mingle in the Mary Seaton Room with Falletta and musicians following the performance.

The dinner-soiree package add-on is priced at $150. Reservations can be made by contacting Katie Johnson at 716-242-7828. More information is at www.bpo.org/opening-night-dinner.

A daylong celebration in honor of maestro Falletta, including a black-tie dinner affair at Hotel Henry, will take place on Oct. 18, separate from the opening night festivities. More information can be found at www.bpo.org/joann20.

Kleinhans Music Hall is located at 3 Symphony Circle, Buffalo.

The BPO is expanding its parking, shuttle and pre-concert dining options this season, including a new free park-and-ride option at the Clement House located at 786 Delaware Ave., and new dining-shuttle options offered by Eckl's@Larkin and the Buffalo Grand Hotel. Learn more at www.bpo.org/dining.