Music Director Stéphane Denève leads the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra in opening concerts of its 145th season, September 21-29

(August 22, 2024, St. Louis, MO) – Today, the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra announced details of its September concert lineup to open its 145th season, led by Stéphane Denève in his sixth season as The Joseph and Emily Rauh Pulitzer Music Director. Concerts feature the return of acclaimed violinist Gil Shaham, performances of the score to the Academy Award-winning film E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial, and a unique electronic dance music (EDM) party at The Hawthorn. These opening concerts follow the SLSO’s ceremonial opening of the season, the free community concert in Forest Park on Thursday, September 19.

Tickets start at $47 for E.T., $20 for Opening Weekend, and $45 for the EDM party and are on sale now. Tickets may be purchased at slso.org or by calling the Box Office at 314-534-1700.  A full concert calendar is available at slso.org or on the SLSO’s mobile app available for iOS or Android.  Audiences can attend a Pre-Concert Conversation, an engaging discussion about the music and artists on the program, one hour prior to each concert of the Opening Weekend program. 

While the transformational expansion and renovation of Powell Hall progresses, the SLSO will perform September concerts at the Stifel Theatre in downtown St. Louis. Shuttle service will be available for all classical concerts starting at $15 per seat. There will be two shuttle pick-up locations for performances at Stifel Theatre: Plaza Frontenac and St. Louis Community College–Forest Park.

E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial in Concert
Saturday, September 21, 7:00pm CDT
Sunday, September 22, 2:00pm CDT
Stifel Theatre
1400 Market Street, St. Louis, MO 63103

Stéphane Denève, conductor

John Williams  E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial

Director Steven Spielberg’s masterpiece, E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial, follows the moving story of a lost alien who befriends a ten-year-old boy named Elliott. Denève conducts performances of John Williams’ Academy Award-winning score—a favorite of Denève’s, who is a personal friend of Williams—while the film plays live.

Symphonie Fantastique: Opening Weekend
Friday, September 27, 7:30pm CDT
Sunday, September 29, 3:00pm CDT
Stifel Theatre
1400 Market Street, St. Louis, MO 63103

Stéphane Denève, conductor
Gil Shaham, violin

Hector Berlioz “Hungarian March”from The Damnation of Faust
Johannes Brahms Hungarian Dances Nos. 1, 3, and 10
Mason Bates Nomad Concerto (First SLSO performances)
Hector Berlioz Symphonie fantastique

Presented by the Whitaker Foundation.

Denève opens the SLSO’s nomadic 24/25 season with music that combines facets of central and eastern European culture with vivid musical imagery. Hungarian-inspired music by Hector Berlioz and Johannes Brahms paint a picture of 19th-century Bohemia. One of the most sought-after living composers, Mason Bates was influenced by folk dances of Eastern Europe and the soulful music of wanderers to compose his Nomad Concerto, which will receive just its third-ever performance with the SLSO. This new concerto will be brought to energetic life by soloist Gil Shaham in his 14th appearance with the SLSO. The dreams and passions of Hector Berlioz’s Symphonie fantastique, a signature work of Denève’s that tells the story of Berlioz’s obsession with actress Harriett Smithson, concludes the concert.

Symphonie Electronique
Saturday, September 28
8:00pm CDT; Doors
9:00pm CDT; DJ Masonic
10:30pm CDT; House of Tucci
The Hawthorn
2225 Washington Ave., St. Louis, MO 63103

Mason Bates, DJ
Alexis Tucci, DJ

DJ Masonic (composer Mason Bates), SLSO musicians, and local DJ Alexis Tucci join forces for a night of revelry as the night club meets classical music at this genre-defying electronic music dance (EDM) party at The Hawthorn in Midtown.

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 145th year with the 2024/2025 season and its sixth with Stéphane Denève, The Joseph and Emily Rauh Pulitzer Music Director. Widely considered one of the leading American orchestras, the Grammy® Award-winning SLSO maintains its commitment to artistic excellence, educational impact, and community collaborations—all in service to its mission of enriching lives through the power of music.

The transformational expansion and renovation of its historic home, Powell Hall, slated to be completed in 2025, builds on the institution’s momentum as a civic leader in convening individuals, creators, and ideas, while fostering a culture welcoming to all. Committed to building community through compelling and inclusive musical experiences, the SLSO continues its longstanding focus on equity, diversity, inclusion, and access, embracing its strengths as a responsive, nimble organization, while investing in partnerships locally and elevating its presence globally. For more information, visit slso.org.

About Stifel Theatre
Stifel Theatre is a historic, 3,100 seat theatre in the heart of downtown St. Louis. Originally opened in 1934, Stifel Theatre’s stage has welcomed some of entertainment’s greatest performers and was the primary venue for the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra from 1934-1968. Following a $78.7 million restoration, this historical gem has been restored to its original splendor and undergone state-of-the-art upgrades.

Stifel Theatre plays host to a wide variety of events, including concerts, comedies, theatricals, family shows, holiday productions, and more.

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