“Haydn’s Symphony No. 49 in F Minor, 'La passione,' speaks the language of spiritual drama rather than Mozart’s realm of social and class drama. Especially in the symphony’s expansive slow opening movement, Francis discovered the power of understatement, and the orchestra responded with its most compelling sonority of the evening, shimmering yet tightly focused as it floated though the hall. Even the fiery second movement, Allegro di molto, retained this beauty and sonic unity, and the sense of confident exultation in the final movement was indeed thrilling.” -Ken Herman | San Diego Story, June 2019

Michael Francis, Music Director of The Florida Orchestra, Mainly Mozart Festival, and Chief Conductor of Deutsche Staatsphilharmonie Rheinland-Pfal, opens the Detroit Symphony Orchestra's 2019-20 season this weekend.

In 1919, exactly one hundred years ago, attendees to the Detroit Symphony’s first concert in Orchestra Hall experienced the exact same program that will be performed this week, making this an historically thrilling event. The program consists of Weber’s Overture to Oberon, Mozart’s Concerto for Two Pianos, Bach’s Concerto No. 2 for Three Pianos, and Beethoven’s immortal Symphony No. 5.