JUST ADDED! THE FLORIDA ORCHESTRA ANNOUNCES TWO POP CULTURE CONCERTS

ST. PETERSBURG, FL — The Florida Orchestra kicks off its 59th season with two live orchestra pop culture experiences: Steve Hackman's Taylor Swift: The Symphony Era on Saturday, Sept. 12, followed the next weekend by Disney's Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl in concert live to film on Friday, Sept. 18, and Saturday, Sept. 19, all at the Mahaffey Theater in St. Petersburg. Tickets are on sale now at FloridaOrchestra.org.

Swifties already know every word. Now they can hear Taylor Swift songs transformed. Created and conducted by Steve Hackman, Taylor Swift: The Symphony Era will span Swift’s storied catalog with songs from across her musical eras such as Love Story, You Belong with Me and TheFate of Ophelia. This isn't a tribute concert. It's a completely original experience that draws unexpected comparisons between songs and unearths new musical Easter eggs, promising to keep even the most dedicated Swifties on their toes. Four vocalists and band join the orchestra.

A composer, conductor and producer, Hackman has built a national reputation for his genre-defying productions that blend popular music with the power of a symphony orchestra — ranging from Brahms X Radiohead to Beethoven X Beyonce, Beethoven X Coldplay and Tchaikovsky X Drake.

The adventure continues the following weekend with Disney's Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl in concert. Audiences will experience the entire blockbuster film on the big screen while The Florida Orchestra performs Klaus Badelt and Hans Zimmer's score live to film.

The Sept. 19 performance falls on International Talk Like a Pirate Day, a tradition celebrated with plenty of revelry in honor of Tampa Bay’s pirate heritage. Pirate attire is encouraged at both film concerts.

Oscar® and GRAMMY®Award-winning composer Hans Zimmer and his production team have scored each Pirates of the Caribbeanadventure for the franchise. Pirates of the Caribbean:The Curse of the Black Pearlis based on the attraction at Disney Parks and is the first installment of the film series. Set in the 18th century, the swashbuckling adventure follows the roguish Captain Jack Sparrow as he teams up with blacksmith Will Turner to rescue Elizabeth Swann from the cursed crew of the stolen Black Pearl. Led by the cunning Captain Barbossa, the undead pirates are bound by an ancient curse, setting the stage or a thrilling tale of danger, mystery and high-seas adventure.

Steve Hackman's Taylor Swift: The Symphony Era
Steve Hackman, conductor & creator
Featuring a chorus of The Master Chorale of Tampa Bay
Saturday, Sept. 12, 2026, 7:30 pm | Mahaffey Theater
Tickets start at $38 (all fees included)

Please note: Taylor Swift will not appear at this performance. This event is fan-sponsored and not endorsed by or in any way affiliated with TAS Rights Management, Taylor Swift, or their affiliated entities. 

Disney's Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl In Concert
Featuring a chorus of The Master Chorale of Tampa Bay
Fri, Sept. 18, 7:30 pm
Sat, Sept. 19, 2 pm – Matinee
Mahaffey Theater, St. Petersburg
Tickets start at $28 (all fees included)
Presentation licensed by Disney Concerts. All rights reserved.

Tickets for both concerts are on sale now at FloridaOrchestra.org or by calling the Ticket Center at 727.892.3337.

The Florida Orchestra will perform nearly 100 concerts this season in venues throughout Tampa Bay, including a wide range of classical, popular and family-friendly music. Music Director Michael Francis launches The Florida Orchestra’s premier Hough Family Foundation Masterworks series with Tchaikovsky’s 1812 Overture on Oct. 2 & 4 at the Mahaffey Theater. The Raymond James Pops series opens Oct. 9 & 10 with Revolution: The Music of The Beatles at the Straz Center and Mahaffey Theater. Led by Resident Conductor Chelsea Gallo, the Morning Matinees series kicks off Oct. 7 & 8 at Ruth Eckerd Hall and the Mahaffey Theater.

For the orchestra’s full 2026-27 calendar, click here. 

About The Florida Orchestra
The Florida Orchestra’s mission is to INSPIRE | EDUCATE | UNITE through the power of music. Now in its 59th season, The Florida Orchestra is the largest professional orchestra in Florida and the only performing arts organization to serve the entire Tampa Bay region. Led by internationally acclaimed Music Director Michael Francis, TFO’s 70 professional musicians and conductors perform more than 100 concerts each season, from classical masterworks and Pops to film, family and special performances. Beyond the concert hall, TFO reaches more than 150,000 people annually through concerts, education and community programs – nearly half through free or low-cost initiatives. Learn more, purchase tickets or support the orchestra at FloridaOrchestra.org. The Florida Orchestra is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization (EIN 59-1223691; CH1830). To learn more about how you can support the power of music in building community, contact: Julie Baker, Vice President of Development, jbaker@floridaorchestra.org  To donate now: FloridaOrchestra.org/donate

About Disney Concerts
Disney Concerts is the concert production and licensing division of Disney Music Group, the music arm of The Walt Disney Company. Disney Concerts produces concerts and tours, and licenses Disney music and visual content to symphony orchestras, choruses and presenters on a worldwide basis. Disney Concerts’ concert packages include a variety of formats, such as “live-to-picture” film concerts, and themed instrumental and vocal compilation concerts that range from instrumental-only symphonic performances to multimedia productions featuring live vocalists and choirs. Showcasing concerts from the largest movie franchises in the world and the most iconic studios in entertainment –Walt Disney Pictures, Walt Disney Animation Studios, Marvel Studios, Lucasfilm, Pixar, 20^th Century Studios and National Geographic – Disney Concerts delivers world-class specialty entertainment, from bespoke performances to blockbuster hits, classics to seasonal favorites, in many of the world’s leading venues. Current and upcoming titles include the Star Wars Film Concert Series, Tim Burton’s The Nightmare Before Christmas, Infinity Saga Concert Experience, Black Panther, Moana, Frozen, The Lion King, Coco, Waiting to Exhale, Disney Princess: The Concert, The Muppet Christmas Carol, Toy Story, Edward Scissorhands, Home Alone 2, and the hit Worlds Collide tours. For more information visit www.disneyconcerts.com.