Experience Magic of Opera and Orchestra with Peoria Symphony’s Force of Destiny featuring Rodrick Dixon
For Immediate Release:
September 15th, 2026
PEORIA, IL – After its sold out concert in August with folk sensation Gregory Alan Isakov, the Peoria Symphony Orchestra presents its second concert of the 2026-27 Season, Force of Destiny. This concert, an exhilarating program of dramatic opera arias and overtures, features international opera star tenor Rodrick Dixon. It will be conducted by PSO Music Director George Stelluto and will take place at the Prairie Home Alliance Theater in the Peoria Civic Center on October 2nd, 2026 at 7:30 pm.
The most dramatic and exquisite moments from your favorite operas by Verdi, Puccini, Wagner, Mozart and more will enthrall you. Maestro Stelluto calls them “some of the greatest tales of love, loss, tragedy, and triumph the world has ever known.”
This type of powerful musical experience has made the Peoria Symphony Orchestra a cultural cornerstone of Central Illinois for 129 years. It reflects PSO’s mission to entertain, educate, and inspire through music while inviting our entire community to experience OUR Peoria Symphony Orchestra.
About Rodrick Dixon
Rodrick Dixon possesses a tenor voice of extraordinary range and versatility that has earned him the respect and attention of leading conductors, orchestras and opera companies. Mr. Dixon is delighted to join Maestro George Stelluto and the Peoria Symphony for the 2026-2027 season. He made his Peoria Symphony debut in the Beethoven 9th Symphony; he returned for the premier of Too Hot to Handel: The Jazz-Gospel Messiah and participated in the 2024 Symphony Gala. This year, Mr. Dixon’s national and international appearances include London, Vietnam, James Conlon’s LA Opera Farewell Gala concert, South Dakota Symphony Missa Solemnis, the Los Angeles premiere of Too Hot to Handel and the Denver Symphony. Mr. Dixon will record Crucifixion Resurrection composed by Hannibal Lokumbe in Bastrop, TX. The work was commissioned, premiered by the Philadelphia Orchestra, and conducted by Yannick Nézet-Séguin.
Rodrick Dixon recently made his debut with the Royal Opera House, Concertgebouw, New York Philharmonic, Aspen Music Festival and Nashville Symphony. He appeared with LA Opera, Philadelphia Orchestra, Ravinia Festival, Cincinnati Symphony, Richmond Symphony and the South Dakota Symphony. His body of work covers 25 years of television, recordings, and live theater. His PBS Specials include Three Mo’ Tenors, Cook, Dixon & Young Vol. 1; and the Mark Twain Awards honoring Whoopi Goldberg at the Kennedy Center (with tenors Victor Cook and Thomas Young). He went on to record Prague PBS Special Hallelujah Broadway, starring his wife, soprano Alfreda Burke. They also performed Too Hot To Handel: The Jazz-Gospel Messiah at the Detroit Opera House and Chicago’s Auditorium Theatre for the last 20 years. His TV specials include the Miss World Pageant in China and Washington, DC on the “E!” Channel broadcast in 126 countries. His eclectic discography with Sony BMG, EMI Records and Naxos has delighted fans all over the world; from Opera to Broadway to Gospel.
Ticket Information
Tickets start at $34 for Adults. Students can attend for just $15. For more information and to purchase tickets, please visit peoriasymphony.org/purchase-tickets.
# # #
About Peoria Symphony Orchestra
Founded in 1897, the Peoria Symphony Orchestra (PSO) is a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt, not-for-profit organization whose mission is to entertain, educate, and inspire through music. The PSO presents excellent live musical performances, innovative music education programs, and engaging community outreach efforts, which significantly impact the cultural and economic vitality of Central Illinois.
For media inquiries or more information
Ashley Hade, Marketing and Communications, Peoria Symphony Orchestra.
Email: ashley@peoriasymphony.org // Direct line: 309-465-1563
