Your weekend arts forecast: Tchaikovsky, a fiery ‘Firebird’ – and Feliciano

Pianist Conrad Tao is guest soloist for The Florida Orchestra’s weekend concerts. He will perform Tchaikovsky’s well-known Piano Concerto No. 1, on a program that also includes the complete The Firebird by Stravinsky, and the world premiere of Eric A. Heumann’s The War in Heaven.

New York Magazine called Tao “the kind of musician who is shaping the future of classical music.” A talented composer and visionary collaborator, he is a U.S. Presidential Scholar in the Arts, a Davidson Fellow Laureate and a Gilmore Foundation Young Artist.

The one-time child prodigy is also an accomplished violinist.

Conducted by Michael Francis, the concert is presented at the Mahaffey Theater Saturday at 8 p.m., and at Ruth Eckerd Hall Sunday at 8 p.m. All tickets here.

Theater

At the Straz Center, a touring company of the Broadway musical comedy The Prom is in residence through Sunday in Morsani Hall. The musical with a message, said Variety, is “so full of happiness that you think your heart is about to burst,” and you might as well believe it. Tickets are here.

Also a the Straz Center: In the Jaeb Theatre, Bob Devin Jones is directing Regina Taylor’s Crowns;

The Diary of Anne Frank is in its final weekend at Stageworks (last show Sunday);

I Love to Eat is in its penultimate weekend at freeFall Theatre;

Also in its second weekend of three, at Studio Grand Central, is Mayday: Captain Lerro and the Skyway Bridge;

American Stage’s School Girls: Or, the African Mean Girls Play has this weekend, and one more; we’ll talk with star Phyllis Yvonne Stickney Friday here in the Catalyst.

Jose Feliciano. Publicity photo.

Jazz and pop and more

Jose Feliciano is in concert Friday at the Central Park Performing Arts Center in Largo. Here’s a singer and guitarist who’s been on the road for 60 years and shows no sign of slowing down. His lone Top Ten hit, a cover of the Doors’ “Light My Fire,” charted in 1968 – still, between that, “Feliz Navidad” and an unrelenting touring schedule – sometimes with full orchestra (not this show, however) – Feliciano has managed a robust and fulfilling career. Tickets are here.

At thestudio@620, jazz trumpeter Joe Breidenstine and his Quartet perform a 3 p.m. matinee Sunday. The group includes Mike DiRubbo on alto sax, Pablo Arencibia on piano, Joe Porter playing bass and Dave Rudolph, drums. Tickets here.

It’s guitar-mania in Clearwater this weekend, as Ruth Eckerd Hall brings back blues giant Joe Bonamassa Friday, and jazz icon Pat Metheny has a Sunday date at the Capitol Theatre.

The mighty Tower of Power plays the Cap tonight, followed (on Saturday) by a make-up date from Don “American Pie” McLean. And the ageless Paul Anka is doing a Sinatra tribute show tonight at Ruth Eckerd Hall.

All Ruth Eckerd/Capitol Theatre tickets are here.

Check out the Nicki Parrott Trio, a unique jazz event, Friday at the Palladium. Here’s our interview with Ms. Parrott.

George Thorogood and the Destroyers play the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Saturday. And The Jacksons – that’d be Jackie, Tito, Marlon and Jermaine – are onstage there Monday. Tickets here.

Please add us to your mailing list – send all press releases and event info to bill@stpetecatalyst.com.

You can also submit your events to the Catalyst calendar, by clicking here.