Name: Gaffigan Conducts Beethoven 9
Start: 2026-06-21T14:00:00
Location: Davies Symphony Hall

The San Francisco Symphony presents a series of exceptional events at the Davies Symphony Hall that bring together cinematic and orchestral grandeur. From the epic adventures of 'The Lord of the Rings' to the profound spiritual explorations of Mahler's Second Symphony and the timeless beauty of Mozart’s Requiem, these events promise to captivate audiences with stunning performances and thought-provoking compositions. Join us as we delve into the details of these remarkable performances, highlighting their unique contributions to the cultural tapestry of San Francisco.

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The San Francisco Symphony's 2025-2026 season promises a dynamic blend of cultural narratives, visual storytelling, and musical transcendence. From live scores accompanying epic films to orchestral masterpieces addressing life's grand questions, this season captures the essence of human experience through a rich tapestry of sound. Explore with us as renowned conductors and performers illuminate works from composers like Mahler, Verdi, and Handel, offering a profound journey for audiences at the iconic Davies Symphony Hall.

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The San Francisco Symphony's upcoming 2025-2026 season promises a rich tapestry of performances that celebrate the timeless beauty of classical music. From the evocative strains of Handel’s 'Messiah' to the celestial voyages of Holst's 'The Planets,' audiences will be treated to an array of musical artistry conducted by renowned maestros. This season's lineup includes interpretations of Mozart's poignant 'Requiem,' Beethoven's transformative Ninth Symphony, and even live score performances of beloved films. Join us as we delve into the highlights of a season that bridges tradition with artistic exploration.

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The San Francisco Symphony is set to present an extraordinary series of concerts at the renowned Davies Symphony Hall. Featuring a vibrant mix of classical orchestral works and film scores, the events promise an immersive experience for enthusiasts and newcomers alike. From Manfred Honeck's theatrical rendition of Mozart's Requiem to Bernard Labadie's premiere of Bach’s Easter Oratorio, the performances underscore the evocative power of music. Highlighting these remarkable events is James Gaffigan's interpretation of Beethoven's transcendent Ninth Symphony and a live orchestral performance of 'The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King'.

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Experience a symphonic journey into the heart of classical music with the San Francisco Symphony's diverse lineup of events. From Honeck's theatrical interpretation of Mozart's Requiem to Labadie's debut with Bach's Easter Oratorio, and even a live score performance of 'The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King,' these performances promise to captivate audiences. In this exploration of masterpieces, Gaffigan's rendition of Beethoven's Ninth Symphony stands as a testament to music's transformative power. Join us as we delve into these events, where artistry meets emotion.

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Experience the magic of orchestral music and film in an extraordinary lineup hosted by the San Francisco Symphony at Davies Symphony Hall. From Manfred Honeck's gripping interpretation of Mozart's final work to Bernard Labadie's vivid rendition of Bach's Easter Oratorio, these events offer a unique exploration of musical masterpieces. Dive into a world where classical music meets the cinematic grandeur of 'The Lord of the Rings', and witness the transformative power of Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony, conducted by James Gaffigan, that resonates with timeless themes of unity and compassion.

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Prepare for an unforgettable musical journey with the San Francisco Symphony as they present a series of extraordinary performances. From Manfred Honeck's theatrical take on Mozart’s Requiem and Haydn’s Symphony No. 93 to Bernard Labadie's debut with Bach’s Easter Oratorio, this symphonic voyage promises a blend of orchestral brilliance and spiritual reflection. Adding a cinematic twist, the Symphony will perform the live score for 'The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King,' and culminates with James Gaffigan conducting Beethoven's transformative Ninth Symphony. Experience music that transcends time and genre.

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Kelley O’Connor

Thomas Cooley

Peixin Chen

James Gaffigan

Jessica Faselt

Jenny Wong

San Francisco Symphony Chorus

San Francisco Symphony

Myths and legends are at the fore of a program headed by charismatic mezzo-soprano Isabel Leonard and conductor Fabien Gabel. Ravel’s riveting, Russian-accented song cycle Shéhérazade abounds in sensuous modal melodies and dynamic drama that are sure to leave you as spellbound as Shéhérazade’s sultan. D’Indy’s vivid Istar, derived from Babylonian myth, celebrates the goddess of love and fertility, Istar, who strips herself naked to rescue her dead lover from hell. Based on a 19th-century German fairy tale about an empress who lacks both shadow and soul, Strauss’s surging single-movement Symphonic Fantasy on Die Frau ohne Schatten showcases what he called “the best parts” of his similarly titled opera.

Isabel Leonard Sings Ravel

Davies Symphony Hall

Pianist Hélène Grimaud takes center stage in a recital that highlights her breathtaking intuition and inventiveness in vast sonatas by Beethoven and Schubert.

Hélène Grimaud Piano Recital

Prokofiev’s ballet music for Romeo and Juliet is every bit as singular as the Shakespeare tragedy that inspired it: Savage and sensual, tragic and comic, it conveys all the passion of the play and loses none of its ambiguity. Debuting French conductor Marie Jacquot leads the Orchestra in the first SF Symphony performances of Andromède, by her underrated fellow countrywoman Augusta Holmès. The symphonic poem infuses ancient Greek myth with Wagnerian grandeur. Inspired by the music of early Christianity, Ottorino Respighi pulls off medieval plainsong with 20th-century pizzazz in his spellbinding Concerto gregoriano. Japanese violinist Sayaka Shoji summons up all of its enormous expressive power.

Prokofiev Romeo and Juliet

Choreographer Alonzo King and LINES Ballet’s regular collaborations with the San Francisco Symphony feel both like a homecoming and an evolution of a shared artistic language. In reimagining the expansive Americana of Copland’s Appalachian Spring and the evocative, impressionistic textures of Debussy’s Prelude to The Afternoon of a Faun, King and LINES Ballet invite us to explore how movement and sound breathe together in real time. Conductor James Gaffigan and SF Symphony Principal Cello Rainer Eudeikis expand the palette with Prokofiev’s sardonic and spectacular Sinfonia concertante. This cello concerto in all but name boasts one of the most demanding roles in the repertoire. The cello doles out every frequency in its range, from throbbing low notes to piercing cries.

Alonzo King LINES Ballet and Appalachian Spring

The SF Symphony Youth Orchestra opens the season by honoring the legacy of Michael Tilson Thomas—a longtime champion of the SFSYO—with a performance of his playful Agnegram. Kodály’s Dances of Galánta celebrates the vibrant folk traditions of Central Europe, whose melodies and rhythms also left a lasting imprint on Brahms. The program culminates with Brahms’s monumental Symphony No. 4, the product of a lifetime of experience and study.

Brahms 4

Watch Jack Skellington plot to take over Christmas in the fantastical Disney tale Tim Burton’s The Nightmare Before Christmas. This beloved stop motion cult hit comes to life like never before as the SF Symphony performs Danny Elfman’s delightfully quirky score live with the film on the big screen.

Tim Burton’s The Nightmare Before Christmas

Lights, Camera, Music!: Watch Steven Spielberg’s Hook on the big screen at Davies Symphony Hall as John Williams’s score is performed live by the SF Symphony.

Hook in Concert

Settle in as violinist Hilary Hahn, baritone Matthias Goerne, and pianist Gloria Chien present a recital at Davies Symphony Hall, featuring a new SF Symphony-commissioned work by Reena Esmail alongside favorite chamber and vocal works by Beethoven and Bach.

Hilary Hahn Trio

Stir things up with the wildly popular, internationally flavored ensemble, Pink Martini. Drawing inspiration from a global blend of cabaret, samba, retro pop, and jazz, the ensemble joins forces with the San Francisco Symphony for a scintillating performance to kick off the holiday season.

Pink Martini with the SF Symphony

George Frideric Handel’s Messiah was an instant classic soon after its 1742 premiere and has been a holiday tradition around the world ever since. Through a dramatic series of arias, recitatives, and choruses, Handel offers a musical meditation on Christ’s birth, life, and resurrection—and his message of redemption. Ruben Valenzuela leads the SF Symphony and Chorus in this perennial favorite.

Handel Messiah

It’s never too early to plan a holiday tradition—let the Deck the Hall Holiday Concert be yours! Treat your family to a concert of holiday favorites and sing-alongs led by conductor Daniel Bartholomew-Poyser with members of the San Francisco Symphony, guest artists, and beloved costumed characters.

Deck the Hall Holiday Concert

Deck the Hall Signature Fundraiser

Beethoven wanted his Ninth Symphony—led here by James Gaffigan—to enact a journey of transformation, exploring themes of struggle and salvation, community and compassion. Although he wasn’t religious in the conventional sense, he found spiritual sustenance in his art. Even in our hyperpolarized times, Beethoven’s Ninth feels like a unifying force across the globe, a cultural common good. For its creator, who drafted, revised, and perfected his final symphony over more than 30 years, its meaning was urgent, immediate, vital: In those decades he saw the humanist ideals of the French Revolution trampled by repressive regimes.

Gaffigan Conducts Beethoven 9

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