The Seattle Symphony is capping a season this week that has seen the company overhaul its top brass and its hall get the biggest facelift since the building opened in 1998. The Symphony closes the season with the popular Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony, Thursday through Saturday evening and a Sunday 2 p.m. matinee. 

ArtLove Salon will be open for a pre-show reception for concertgoers on Thursday. Register online and present your Seattle Symphony tickets at the door for the reception featuring complimentary snacks and beverages. 

Mezzo-sopranos Alicia Olatuja and Jennifer Johnson Cano, soprano Toni Marie Palmertree, and tenor Seokjong Baek are the featured soloists. Beethoven’s iconic and last symphony will be set against Steve Mackey’s original composition, RIOT, with Mackey on guitar. 

The 2025-26 season has been the first under the artistic leadership of Xian Zhang, the first female artistic director in the company’s history. The Symphony also hired a new CEO, Jeremy Rothman, last month, who comes to Seattle after 18 years at the Philadelphia Orchestra, including his latest post as Chief Artistic Director. 

Benaroya Hall, the home of the Seattle Symphony, is in the middle of a remodel, backed by a $20 million fundraising campaign. Fundraising is nearly complete, and renovations are progressing on schedule, according to Seattle Symphony spokesperson Alison Ward. 

“Work is currently underway in the Grand Lobby and the Boeing Company Gallery. The structure of the new Overlook Lounge is complete, and demolition in the Boeing Company Gallery is finished, with plumbing, electrical, and framing now in progress,” Ward said. “Benaroya Hall will be closed from mid-July through August to allow for the most intensive phase of construction, with reopening planned for September.” 

With a new look in leadership and its performance hall, concertgoers can look forward to another distinct season and a new look in 2026-27. Seattle Symphony favorites also return. 

Ludovic Morlot returns to conduct The Sounds of Spring next fall on October 22 and 24. Violin virtuoso Itzhak Perlman returns for a Sunday matinee on January 24. Tacoma’s J’Nai Bridges returns on March 21 as the featured soprano in Berlioz’s Romeo et Juliet. 

“Seattle’s next Symphony season is a powerful reminder that world-class arts and culture are essential to a thriving city,” said Seattle Symphony trustee and Port of Seattle Commissioner Sam Cho. “Under Music Director Xian Zhang’s leadership, this season brings together extraordinary artists, bold programming, and opportunities for our community to connect through music. We’re fortunate to have an institution that continues to elevate Seattle’s global cultural standing while inspiring audiences here at home.”