Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra Classics Series resumes in January with Beethoven, Haydn and Mozart

Milwaukee, Wis. (Jan. 14, 2026) — The Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra opens the second half of its season in January with two Classics Series programs at the Bradley Symphony Center, featuring acclaimed guest conductors, internationally celebrated soloists, and beloved masterworks from the Classical repertoire.

The Classics Series resumes Jan. 23–24 with Beethoven & Haydn. Renowned 18th-century specialist Bernard Labadie leads the orchestra in Haydn’s Symphony No. 103, known as the “Drumroll” symphony, alongside Beethoven’s Violin Concerto performed by Kerson Leong. Described by the Toronto Star as “not just one of Canada’s greatest violinists but one of the greatest violinists, period,” Leong will bring his expressive intensity and lyricism to Beethoven’s groundbreaking concerto.

The series continues Jan. 31–Feb. 1 with Zeitouni Conducts Mozart. Conductor Jean-Marie Zeitouni leads a musical journey across Central and Eastern Europe in a program that includes works by Ligeti and Kodály, and Mozart’s vibrant Symphony No. 38, “Prague.” The program also features Mozart’s Piano Concerto No. 21, performed by Sir Stephen Hough, one of today’s most distinguished pianists.

Tickets are available at mso.org or by calling the MSO Box Office at 414-291-7605.

BEETHOVEN & HAYDN
Friday, January 23 at 7:30 p.m.
Saturday, January 24 at 7:30 p.m.

Bernard Labadie, conductor
Kerson Leong, violin

Program:
Haydn: Symphony No. 103, “Drumroll”
Beethoven: Violin Concerto

Violinist Kerson Leong, praised for playing “with sincerity and without exaggeration” (The Strad), performs Beethoven’s beloved Violin Concerto. Innovative and lyrical, the concerto transformed the genre and gives the soloist ample space to shine. The MSO welcomes leading 18th-century specialist Bernard Labadie to conduct one of the era’s finest symphonic gems, Haydn’s spirited and aptly named “Drumroll” Symphony.

BERNARD LABADIE, CONDUCTOR

Bernard Labadie is internationally recognized as a leading conductor in Baroque and Classical repertoire. He founded Les Violons du Roy in 1984 and served as its music director for two decades, and he is the founding conductor and music director of La Chapelle de Québec. Labadie has appeared at leading venues worldwide, including Carnegie Hall, the Concertgebouw, the Barbican Centre, and Walt Disney Concert Hall. From 2017 to 2025, he served as principal conductor of the Orchestra of St. Luke’s in New York. A frequent guest with major orchestras across North America and Europe, Labadie has recorded extensively on labels including ATMA Classique, Warner Classics, Erato and Hyperion. His honors include being named an Officer of the Order of Canada, Chevalier of the Ordre national du Québec, and a Chevalier des Arts et Lettres du Québec.

KERSON LEONG, VIOLIN

Violinist Kerson Leong has been described by the Toronto Star as “not just one of Canada’s greatest violinists but one of the greatest violinists, period.” He rose to international prominence after winning First Prize at the International Yehudi Menuhin Violin Competition in 2010. Known for his expressive intensity and technical mastery, Leong has performed in major venues including Carnegie Hall, Wigmore Hall, the Auditorium du Louvre, and the National Centre for the Performing Arts in Beijing. His recordings have received widespread critical acclaim, earning distinctions from Gramophone, The Strad and Classica. A dedicated chamber musician and educator, Leong appears regularly at leading international festivals and gives masterclasses at major institutions worldwide. He is an associate artist of the Queen Elisabeth Music Chapel in Belgium and performs on the “ex-Bohrer, Baumgartner” Guarneri del Gesù courtesy of Canimex Inc., Drummondville (Quebec), Canada.

ZEITOUNI CONDUCTS MOZART

Saturday, January 31 at 7:30 p.m.
Sunday, February 1 at 2:30 p.m.

Jean-Marie Zeitouni, conductor
Stephen Hough, piano

Program:
Ligeti: Concert Românesc
Mozart: Piano Concerto No. 21
Mozart: Symphony No. 38, “Prague”
Kodály: Dances of Galánta

One of today’s most distinguished pianists and the first classical musician to receive a MacArthur Fellowship, Stephen Hough performs Mozart’s Piano Concerto No. 21, a work that unfolds from quiet restraint into warmth and urgency. Guest conductor Jean-Marie Zeitouni leads a vibrant musical journey across Central and Eastern Europe, from Ligeti’s Romania and Kodály’s Hungary to Mozart’s joyful portrait of Prague.

JEAN-MARIE ZEITOUNI, CONDUCTOR

Jean-Marie Zeitouni is widely regarded as one of the most accomplished conductors of his generation, praised for his expressive precision and versatility in both symphonic and operatic repertoire. He regularly conducts leading orchestras and opera companies throughout Europe and North America. Highlights of recent and upcoming seasons include engagements with the Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra, Colorado Springs Philharmonic, Opéra de Montréal, and Opéra de Québec, as well as a debut at Casa da Música in Porto. Zeitouni has led numerous acclaimed productions and recordings, including world premieres of operas by composer Julien Bilodeau. In 2025, he was appointed music director of the Edmonton Symphony Orchestra and artistic and musical director of Opéra de Québec. Previously, he served as artistic director of I Musici de Montréal and music director of the Colorado Music Festival and Columbus Symphony Orchestra.

STEPHEN HOUGH, PIANO

Sir Stephen Hough is one of today’s most distinctive and versatile artists, combining an international career as a concert pianist with those of composer and writer. Named by The Economist as one of 20 living polymaths, he was the first classical performer to receive a MacArthur Fellowship and was knighted for services to music in 2022. Hough has appeared with most of the world’s leading orchestras and at major recital halls and festivals across the globe. His extensive discography of more than 70 recordings has earned multiple Gramophone Awards, Grammy nominations, and international honors. In addition to performing, Hough is an active composer whose works are regularly commissioned and performed. He serves on the faculty of The Juilliard School and holds honorary positions with several leading musical institutions.

ABOUT THE MILWAUKEE SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA

Led by Music Director Ken-David Masur, the Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra (MSO) is Wisconsin’s largest cultural institution and one of the nation’s leading orchestras. Since its founding in 1959, the MSO has performed more than 130 concerts annually, including classics, pops, family, education, and community programs throughout the state. The orchestra has premiered works by composers such as John Adams, Philip Glass, J.E. Hernández, Roberto Sierra, Marc Neikrug, Matthias Pintscher, and Dobrinka Tabakova, earning national recognition for artistic innovation. The MSO was also the first American orchestra to offer live recordings on iTunes.

In 2021, the MSO completed the restoration of a historic downtown movie palace, opening the Bradley Symphony Center. The venue has become a vibrant hub for music and community engagement, sparking renewal along West Wisconsin Avenue and serving as a catalyst for cultural activity in Milwaukee.

The MSO’s commitment to education and outreach reaches tens of thousands of students annually. Its nationally recognized Arts in Community Education (ACE) program, now in its 36th year, integrates music across subjects and provides vital opportunities in schools where arts programming may be limited. ACE offers lesson plans, classroom visits by MSO ensembles, and concerts tailored to each grade level. Along with Youth and Teen concerts, Family Series, and Meet the Music pre-concert talks, these programs provide students and families with meaningful, transformative experiences in music.

Through its artistic excellence, innovative programming, and community engagement, the MSO continues to inspire new audiences, nurture the next generation of musicians, and strengthen Milwaukee’s reputation as a vibrant center for music and the arts.

NOTE: This press release was submitted to Urban Milwaukee and was not written by an Urban Milwaukee writer. While it is believed to be reliable, Urban Milwaukee does not guarantee its accuracy or completeness.