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HOUSTON, TX (October 29, 2025)—

The Houston Symphony is announcing a new special performance in its 2025–26 Season: Oscar-nominated and Emmy-Award-winning actor, director and producer John Malkovich starring in the US premiere of The Music Critic, a show in which classical music, theater, and comedy collide, written and conceived by Aleksey Igudesman. The Houston Symphony presents “The Music Critic” starring John Malkovich for one night only in Jones Hall, Tuesday, April 14, 2026 at 7:30 p.m.

In The Music Critic, Aleksey Igudesman (of the irrepressible classical music comedy duo Igudesman & Joo), has created a witty, satirical mix of the most venomous music critiques of all time, a litany of invective written about some of the greatest composers and the most famous works of music.

Armed with this battery of musical insults, legendary actor John Malkovich plays the narrator, slipping effortlessly into the role of the evil critic who believes the music of Beethoven, Chopin, and their ilk to be weary and dreary.

Igudesman and Hyung-ki Joo, along with a host of outstanding musicians, beg to differ. Malkovich’s bravura delivery of this display of back-biting criticism is accompanied by a kaleidoscope of music by Bach, Mozart, Beethoven, Chopin, Brahms, Schumann, Debussy, Kancheli, Piazzolla, and includes music by Igudesman himself.

John Malkovich says, “I have always loved the opportunity to collaborate on The Music Critic with Aleksey Igudesman, Hyung-ki Joo, and many other gifted and thoughtful young classical musicians. We are all happy to be back on the road, and for the first time also in the USA, participating in an evening which consists of some of the greatest compositions in the history of classical music, paired with the perhaps rather unexpected initial reactions those compositions elicited from some of the world’s renowned music critics, along with some other surprises.”

Aleksey Igudesman says, “The Music Critic is a project very close to my heart and bringing it to the USA is something I dreamed of from the start of its conception. My dear friend John Malkovich in the role of the evil critic is despicable and lovable at the same time and evokes the critic in every one of us. There is a hidden pleasure in ripping apart Brahms, Schumann and Beethoven, especially in this year of all the Beethoven celebrations!”

Tanja Dorn, Principal of Dorn Music, which is managing and booking the North American tour, says, “It’s a joy and a privilege to bring Aleksey’s and John’s dazzling intersection of theatrical and musical genius to US audiences. They have woven together a scenario that is tongue in cheek, charmingly sarcastic, and frankly hilarious. Getting it wrong has never felt so right.”

Tickets to “The Music Critic” starring John Malkovich go on sale to Houston Symphony subscribers and donors November 3, 2025, before going on sale to the general public November 5, 2025 at www.houstonsymphony.org, by phone or text at 713-224-7575, or in person at the Houston Symphony’s Courtyard Level box office at Jones Hall.

About the Houston Symphony

Under the leadership of Music Director Juraj Valčuha, the Grammy Award-winning Houston Symphony continues to inspire and engage diverse audiences in Houston and beyond with exceptional musical performances and enduring community impact. The Symphony held its inaugural performance at The Majestic Theater in downtown Houston on June 21, 1913. Now in its second century as one of America’s premier orchestras, the Houston Symphony is one of the oldest performing arts organizations in Texas and remains a cultural cornerstone of the region.

With an annual operating budget of $40.7 million, the Symphony presents over 130 concerts each year, making it one of the largest performing arts organizations in Texas. Its reach extends far beyond the concert hall, delivering more than 600 performances annually at schools, community centers, hospitals, and other venues, engaging over 160,000 people throughout Greater Houston.

The Symphony's innovative response to the COVID-19 pandemic—completing its 2020-21 Season with in-person audiences and weekly livestreams—earned national recognition and the ASCAP Foundation’s Deems Taylor/Virgil Thomson Broadcast/Media Award. Its commitment to innovation continues, with its 2024-25 Season reaching audiences in over 45 countries and all 50 states via livestreaming, making it one of the few American orchestras to sustain such global digital engagement.

Renowned for its artistry, the Symphony has a distinguished recording legacy under prestigious labels, including Koch International Classics, Naxos, RCA Red Seal, and Pentatone. Highlights include a Grammy and ECHO Klassik Award-winning live recording of Alban Berg’s Wozzeck and recent releases such as Jimmy López Bellido’s Aurora and Ad Astra (2022) and Jennifer Higdon’s Duo Duel (2023).

The Symphony’s educational impact is equally remarkable, with its Harry and Cora Sue Mach Student Concert Series reaching over 50,000 students annually. Its In Harmony after-school program and partnerships with institutions like the Houston Methodist Hospital, MD Anderson Cancer Center, and Texas Children’s Hospital further demonstrate the Symphony’s commitment to fostering community connections and accessibility to the arts.

With a vision centered on artistic excellence, community engagement, and accessibility, the Houston Symphony remains a cultural leader in Houston and a global ambassador for the transformative power of music.

For more information, please contact

Eric Skelly, eric.skelly@houstonsymphony.org

Jessica Henderson, jessica@theckpgroup.com