♦ PITTSBURGH SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA
♦ Ax Plays Brahms
Heinz Hall
MAR 6: FRI 7:30 PM
MAR 8: SUN 2:30 PM
JACOB BANCKS The Greatest Show on Earth [WORLD PREMIERE & PSO COMMISSION]
BEETHOVEN Symphony No. 2
BRAHMS Piano Concerto No. 1
Notes: There’s so much expressive power in this famous piano concerto – one of Brahms’ most personal works and a cornerstone of the repertoire. Who better to hear it from than the world-famous (and Pittsburgh favorite) Emanuel Ax? Pair this delicacy with Beethoven and a world premiere of a work by Jacob Bancks, whose music has been praised as “colorfully orchestrated, invitingly lyrical” (The New York Times) and “highly caffeinated” (The Boston Globe).
♦ Mahler’s Resurrection
Heinz Hall
MAR 13 FRI 7:30 PM
MAR 14 SAT 7:30 PM
MAR 15 SUN 2:30 PM
BORIS PIGOVAT: Yizkor [PSO COMMISSION]
MAHLER: Symphony No. 2, “Resurrection”
Notes: Some pieces of music are so engaging, so electrifying that audiences are transfixed by their inherent emotional power. Mahler’s passionate and tempestuous Second Symphony – about humanity’s search for meaning in life and death – is such a work. Composed for a massive orchestra, choir, and soloists, it is riveting from its darkly ferocious opening to its exhilarating, ecstatic finale. Hebrew for “remembrance,” Yizkor was commissioned to honor the memory of those lost in the Tree of Life tragedy.
♦ Beethoven’s Eroica
Heinz Hall
MAR 27 FRI 7:30 PM
MAR 28 SAT 7:30 PM
MAR 29 SUN 2:30 PM
BARBER: Overture to The School for Scandal
SCHUMANN: Piano Concerto
BEETHOVEN: Symphony No. 3, “Eroica”
Notes: Never underestimate the impact of Beethoven’s “Heroic” Symphony. When it premiered, the audience was startled by its length, its originality, and the revolutionary way in which the composer was bending musical rules without breaking them. This was the true start of Beethoven’s genius — and no one had ever heard anything like it before. The composer originally titled the piece “Bonaparte” out of admiration for the French hero, but when Napoleon declared himself emperor, Beethoven flew into a rage and re-titled it simply “Eroica,” meaning “Heroic.”
♦ CITY THEATRE
♦ Eureka Day
1300 Bingham Street
Pittsburgh, PA 15203
March 7 – 29, 2026
Notes: Fresh from Broadway (though detoured from DC – Google it ), this all too timely, bitingly funny comedy takes place during several board meetings at an ultra-progressive California school proud of its inclusivity and commitment to consensus – at least until a mumps outbreak reveals varying views (like, everyone’s) on vaccination. In “one of the funniest plays to open [all] year” (The New York Times) parents dance the line of advocating for their children while trying not to offend…anyone.
♦ PITTSBURGH CAMERATA
♦ Music of the Americas
♦ Shadyside Presbyterian Church
Sunday, March 1, 2026, at 3:00 p.m.
Notes: Presenting a newly commissioned piece by Michael Markowski.
♦ PITTSBURGH OPERA
♦ Time To Act
♦ Music by Laura Kaminsky
♦ Libretto by Crystal Manich
Bitz Opera Factory
FEBRUARY 28, MARCH 3, 6, 7, 8, 2026
Notes: Build the world you want to see.
A group of high school students prepares for a production of Sophocles’ Antigone, joined by a new student, Alona, who comes with a formidable secret.
Pittsburgh Opera is proud to present this gripping world premiere. Time to Act demonstrates how the arts can uplift and unify victims of trauma, empowering them to act, while giving voice to the young citizens who have been most impacted by an ongoing cycle of devastating school violence.
Time to Act is composed by Laura Kaminsky, whose acclaimed opera As One has become the most-produced modern opera in America. Emmy Award nominee Crystal Manich, the librettist, is a Pittsburgh Opera mainstay whose works for stage, film, and circus have been seen across the United States, Europe, Argentina, and Australia.
♦ PITTSBURGH CONCERT CHORALE
♦ Rachmaninoff All-Night Vigil
Westminster Presbyterian Church
March 7, 7:30PM
Ingomar United Methodist Church
March 8, 4:00PM
Notes: Recognized as one of the greatest, major a cappella choral works of all time, Sergei Rachmaninoff’s All-Night Vigil stands as an emblem of hope, resilience, and faith. Pittsburgh Concert Chorale will take you on a spiritual journey through this extraordinary work. Its lush harmonies, intricate textures, and deep resonance echo from the ancient cathedrals of Russia, inviting you to contemplate, dream, and rejoice.
♦ PITTSBURGH SPEAKERS SERIES
♦ Malcolm Gladwell
Heinz Hall
Wed, Mar 18, 2026, 8:00pm
Notes: Best-selling author of Revenge of The Tipping Point, Blink, and Outliers, Gladwell employs masterful storytell¬ing to break down complex and often misunderstood concepts shaping society, offering a unique perspective on the forces driving human behavior. A New Yorker writer for 29 years, he hosts the Revisionist History podcast.