ST. PETERSBURG, FL – Four-time Grammy Award winner and international star Seal will perform with The Florida Orchestra at its annual gala concert on Saturday, February 9, 2019, at the Mahaffey Theater. He will be joined by Music Director Michael Francis, who will conduct the orchestra in a sparkling evening of American standards and soulful music from Seal’s hit albums to benefit the orchestra’s community and artistic initiatives.
“An Intimate Evening with Seal” features the multiplatinum singer-songwriter performing classics from the Rat Pack era such as Luck Be A Lady and I’ve Got You Under My Skin from his 2017 Standards album, all imbued with his singular sense of soul. Seal also will sing his early hits including Crazy and chart-topping Kiss From a Rose, which earned him multiple Grammy Awards and global esteem. The London-born singer has sold more than 30 million albums worldwide.
Seal is known for unforgettable live shows, with his one-of-a-kind soaring, husky baritone voice. At his sold-out concert with the San Francisco Symphony, he received a thunderous standing ovation. “Listeners were transported to a time when a singer could hold an audience without any props or staging – simply great vocal chords, thoughtful lyrics and a genuine love for the music,” according to a review on StarkInsider.com.
Concert tickets go on sale exclusively to Florida Orchestra subscribers and donors on Monday, November 5, and to the general public on Monday, November 12. Tickets will be $75, $100, $125, $150, $200 and $250. Concert tickets do not include the VIP Gala Experience reception or dinner.
Table sponsorship packages for the VIP Gala Experience include a pre-concert champagne reception with hors d’oeuvres and live music, valet parking, prime seats at the concert and a post-concert gourmet dinner overlooking the waterfront at the Mahaffey Theater in St. Petersburg. More information on table sponsorship can be found by clicking here.
The gala is the premier fundraising event of the year for The Florida Orchestra, the largest orchestra in the state, serving more than 200,000 patrons last season. All proceeds support TFO’s high standard of artistic excellence on stage as well as growing education and community programs, including free hospital, park, museum, youth concerts and more throughout Tampa Bay. Last season’s special 50th Anniversary Gala Concert featured rock legend Sting and raised a record $1.5 million to support TFO’s mission.
About Seal
Seal sounds right at home singing the classics that comprise his tenth studio album and first for Republic Records, Standards, released in November 2017. At the same time, the London-born and Los Angeles-based four-time Grammy Award-winning icon imbues all 14 tracks with his singular sense of soul.
Perhaps his unmistakable voice was always meant to carry these numbers. “This is the album I have always wanted to make,” he affirms. “I grew up listening to music from the Rat Pack era, so recording these timeless tunes was a lifelong dream.”
For Seal, Standards continues a tradition of storied performances that began in 1991 when his voice drove Adamski’s 1991 club smash Killer followed by his own Top 10 hit Crazy. On the heels of his debut album, he went on to win the prestigious BRIT Award for Best British Male in 1992, while hits like Kiss From a Rose (1994), included on the Batman Forever soundtrack, earned him multiple Grammy Awards and global esteem. With worldwide album sales exceeding 30 million, his 2015 album 7 yielded the hit Every Time I’m With You and earned widespread critical acclaim.
Beyond the stage and studio, his influence permeates multiple facets of pop culture. Following three popular stints on The Voice Australia, he also returned as a coach for the 2017 season. Also in 2017, Seal was a guest judge for America’s Got Talent season 12.
About Michael Francis
Michael Francis took over as music director of The Florida Orchestra in the fall of 2015 and instantly became a huge hit. Quickly establishing an international presence, the British conductor also is music director of the Mainly Mozart Festival in San Diego and a popular guest conductor around the globe. He has made a long-term commitment to The Florida Orchestra and the Tampa Bay community, extending his contract through at least 2024. Click for a full bio.
About The Florida Orchestra
The Florida Orchestra is recognized as Tampa Bay’s leading performing arts institution, the largest professional symphony orchestra in Florida, and one of the most vibrant and innovative orchestras in America. Its 51st season runs through May. Under the leadership of Music Director Michael Francis, it performs more than 130 concerts a season, with series of classical, popular, and morning coffee concerts in Tampa, St. Petersburg and Clearwater, as well as free Pops in the Park. Dedicated to bringing music to all people, connecting to the community is a priority, with pre-concert talks, family and youth concerts and other educational activities. Kids and teens get in free to Masterworks concerts with Classical Kids tickets. FloridaOrchestra.org and 727.892.3337 or 1.800.662.7286.
The Florida Orchestra Presents An Intimate Evening with Seal
Four-time Grammy winner Seal performs with The Florida Orchestra, including American standards such as Luck Be A Lady and I’ve Got You Under My Skin, as well as his soulful hits Kiss From a Rose and Crazy. Michael Francis conducts. The gala concert benefits TFO’s community programs and artistic initiatives.
7 pm Saturday, Feb. 9, 2019, at the Mahaffey Theater in St. Petersburg
Tickets: $75, $100, $125, $150, $200 and $250. Concert tickets do not include the VIP Gala Experience reception or dinner.
Public on sale: Nov. 12. FloridaOrchestra.org; 727.892.3337 or 1.800.662.7286
