Frommer's Review
The Atlanta Symphony Orchestra performs under music director Robert Spano and principal guest conductor Donald Runnicles. Complementing the orchestra is the 200-voice Atlanta Symphony Orchestra Chorus, enabling performances of large-scale symphonic/choral works. The season runs from September to May in the Woodruff Arts Center, and there are summer concerts in Chastain Park Amphitheatre as well as in various parks and churches. The box office is open Monday through Friday from 10am to 8pm, Saturday and Sunday from noon to 8pm. Most performances begin at 8pm.
The ASO's annual schedule is extensive. The main offering is the Master Season Series. Master Season concerts, held on selected Thursday, Friday, and Saturday evenings in the plush 1,762-seat Atlanta Symphony Hall, feature renowned guest artists such as violinist Robert McDuffie, cellist Marin Alsop, pianist Olli Mustonen, soprano Sylvia McNair, and mezzo-soprano Susan Graham. Other offerings during the season are Sunday-afternoon Family Concerts geared toward children, Casual Classics on selected Saturday afternoons, holiday concerts during the Christmas season, and a tribute to Martin Luther King, Jr., in mid-January.
The ASO's Classic Chastain Series concerts are held in the 7,000-seat Chastain Park Amphitheatre from June to August, featuring headliners such as Tony Bennett and Natalie Cole performing with the ASO. All tickets except lawn seating are reserved. It's customary to bring elaborate picnics and wine to these events. In addition to the Chastain series, the ASO offers free evening concerts in parks throughout the Atlanta area during the summer; these run the gamut from full symphony performances to light classical concerts.
Note: At press time, plans were underway for the construction of a $300-million Atlanta Symphony Center in Midtown.
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