The Betsy Hotel Announces FREE Classical Music Series This Summer

Address: 1440 Ocean Dr, Miami Beach, FL 33139

Phone: (866) 792-3879

The Betsy will host a robust lineup of programming, including the return of its popular Opera on the Terrace series, a chamber music concert featuring MMF student musicians, several Sunday sunset concerts in Lummus Park (across the street from the hotel), and musical master classes led by guest presenters. Performers include MMF students and alumni, many of whom go on to professional careers on world stages.

Widely recognized as the anchor of the arts on Ocean Drive, The Betsy has long been a champion of cultural programming in South Beach. Now in its 11th year, the partnership between The Betsy and MMF continues to create opportunities for the next generation of musicians while making classical music more accessible to the community. The Betsy is a dedicated sponsor and official host hotel of MMF.

A full schedule is listed below and can also be found on The Betsy’s culture calendar.

Opera on The Terrace | Multiple Dates | 8:30-9 p.m. | The Terrace*

During this curated half-hour pop-up, Miami Music Festival soloists perform opera, Broadway and other favorite tunes.

• Performances take place July 5, 6, 7, 11, 16 & 17

*In the event of rain, opera pop-ups will take place in The Betsy Piano Bar

Chamber Music Concert | Monday, July 14 | 8-9 p.m. | The Gallery*

This chamber concert comprises remarkably talented student musicians from MMF’s Orchestral Institute.

*Enter the hotel at 1433 Collins Ave. for direct access to the venue.

Ocean Drive Promenade Sunday Sunset Concerts | Every Sunday June 29 – July 20 | 6-7:30 p.m. | Lummus Park* 

• July 6 – Arias at Sunset (Rusalka cast)
• July 13 – Arias at Sunset (Ghosts of Versailles cast)
• July 20 – Youth Program Spectacular

*Concerts take place in Lummus Park (at 14th Place & Ocean Drive). In the event of rain, concerts are inside The Betsy Hotel.

In addition to the performances listed above, MMF will also offer a series of masterclasses designed to give aspiring musicians the opportunity to learn from acclaimed MMF professionals. Experts will lead the masterclasses, offering insights into technique, interpretation and the realities of professional musical careers. Classes are free and open to anyone interested in pursuing a career in classical music. A class schedule can be found below:

Master Classes | Multiple Dates | 7-9 p.m. | The Gallery*

• July 2 & 9 – Robert Dundas, associate professor of voice and director of opera theater at Florida International University
• July 3 – David Toulson, resident stage director at MMF
• July 7 – Manny Perez, accomplished and sought-after voice teacher and artistic consultant
• July 8 – Sandra Lopez Neil, internationally acclaimed soprano
• July 11 – Marc Callahan, bass-baritone and assistant professor at MMF 
• July 15 – Grant Gilman, conductor at MMF

*Enter the hotel at 1433 Collins Ave. for direct access to the venue.

The Betsy’s commitment to the arts extends year-round through its robust daily live jazz program. Hosted nine times a week in the hotel’s Piano Bar – with no cover charge or drink minimum – these performances feature award-winning jazz musicians from around the world. Performances take place Sunday through Thursday from 6-11 p.m., Fridays and Saturdays from 6 p.m. to midnight and Saturdays and Sundays from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Upcoming jazz performances can be found on The Betsy’s event calendar.

About The Betsy

The Betsy is a 130-room luxury oceanfront boutique resort located within the South Beach’s Art Deco Historic District. The celebrated family-owned and -operated resort opened in March 2009 following a complete restoration of the historic Betsy Ross Hotel. In December 2016, it underwent a groundbreaking expansion, merging with the former Carlton Hotel. The Betsy is home to two food and beverage outlets helmed by award-winning Chef Laurent Tourondel – LT Steak & Seafood and The Alley – as well as The Piano Bar, renowned for its live jazz. The hotel also boasts a 3,200-square-foot rooftop complex with a swimming pool, a property library and nearly 25,000 square feet of special event space. Widely known as a leading literary hotel, The Betsy offers jazz nine times a week, classical music pop-ups, major art exhibitions, poetry readings and an acclaimed artist residency program, which has hosted more than 1,000 writers and creatives. Public art includes “The Betsy Orb,” an egg-shaped architectural masterpiece that serves as a bridge connecting the hotel’s two buildings, and “The Betsy Poetry Rail,” an installation of poetry etched into metal by water jets celebrating 12 poets that shaped Miami history and culture. The Betsy Hotels motto is “Expect no more. This is Happiness.” These words were penned by Hyam Plutzik (1911-1962), a three-time finalist for the Pulitzer Prize and father of hotel owner Jonathan Plutzik. For more information, visit thebetsyhotel.com.

About Miami Beach Classical Music Festival

Founded in 2013, Miami Beach Classical Music Festival (MMF) is a local nonprofit providing affordable, world-class musical instruction and groundbreaking performance experiences to young artists and the South Florida community. Since its inception, the organization has helped establish Miami as a premier destination for elite young classical musicians to train and perform. While the next generation of classical artists comes to Miami to receive instruction from an assembly of world-class faculty, the community benefits from accessible public concerts featuring top talent alongside many of classical music’s greatest living performers rarely heard in South Florida. Recently, MMF became the first nonprofit organization to utilize innovative projection-mapping technology, transforming its already-stellar performances into immersive, awe-inspiring productions of music and light. For more information, visit miamimusicfestival.com.