In Monday’s (2/26) Creative Loafing Tampa Bay, Josh Bradley writes, “It hasn’t even been 48 hours since Sting co-headlined one of the biggest concerts of the year with Billy Joel [at Tampa’s Raymond James Stadium], and the Police frontman has already been confirmed to front The Florida Orchestra’s annual gala event at the Mahaffey Theater in early May. Tickets to see Sting and The Florida Orchestra play St. Pete’s Duke Energy Center for the Arts-Mahaffey Theater on Thursday, May 9 go on sale to the general public next Wednesday … This won’t be the first time the King of Pain has performed with the decades-old ensemble, either. In 2017, under the baton of [Music Director] Michael Francis, he fronted TFO’s 50th anniversary gala, which raised $1.5 million for its free community programs, which, according to a press release, would go toward reaching ‘people in hospitals, schools, parks, museums and more, as well as artistic initiatives that bring top talent to Tampa Bay stages.’ Some of the orchestra’s arrangements were even extracted from his 2010 album of orchestral reinterpretations, Symphonicities, which we’re assuming will be put to good use this time around as well.”
