Madame Butterfly, Handel's Messiah in upcoming Windsor Symphony Orchestra season

The Windsor Symphony Orchestra has announced its music director, Robert Franz, has a new contract with the WSO that will see him at the helm of the orchestra through the 2024-2025 season.

"Being part of the Windsor community and Windsor symphony has been a thrill for me, so I'm totally honoured and gobsmacked to have another sixyears," Franz said.

He quickly fell in love with the orchestra when he first started in the role, he said, and the relationship has only deepened over time.

"It's like any relationship you start to find out even more interesting and profound things about the people you're working with," said Franz.

"We're learning more about each other and how to make music in more deep and personal way. That, for me, is everything."

'Some of the most complicated, interesting music you can imagine'

The orchestra also announced its 2019-2020 season lineup Thursday, and said it expects to sell out for a number of performancesincludingMadame Butterfly,Peter and the Wolf and Handel's Messiah.

Franz said he's most looking forward to conducting Madame Butterfly, but that the show will also move him out of his comfort zone.

"I mean it is two and a half hours of some of the most complicated, interesting music you can imagine," he said.

"Honestly there's so many cool things that are happening throughout the year, and for me every week is different and I love that."