The Westmoreland Symphony Orchestra will present Carl Orff’s “Carmina Burana” at 7:30 p.m. April 27 in The Palace Theatre in Greensburg.
The full symphony will be joined on stage by more than 100 singers, including the WSO Chamber Singers, Westmoreland Choral Society, Pitt-Greensburg Chorale, Una Voce, children’s choirs and opera soloists.
The work was specifically chosen for the final classical concert of the symphony’s 50th season, says artistic director Daniel Meyer.
“The uninhibited joys of dance, drink, love and song are in full display, and to have the chance to assemble such a large cast that includes choir, children, operatic voices, and a large orchestra honors everyone who has and will continue to make the WSO thrive into its next 50 years,” he says. “As long as we support great music, there will be people who will dedicate their lives to bringing these epic scores to life on the stage.”
Composed in 1935-36, “Carmina Burana” is one of the most frequently performed vocal works of the past century.
After the 1937 premiere of “Carmina Burana,” Orff wrote to his publishers: “Everything I have written to date, and which you have, unfortunately, published, can be destroyed. With Carmina Burana my collected works begin.”
“O Fortuna,” one piece from the work, has been used in movie soundtracks as disparate as “Glory,” “Natural Born Killers” and “Jackass: The Movie.”
The scenic cantata is based on poems and texts from the 11th through 13th centuries, written in Latin, German and medieval French by the Goliards, a band of wandering European poet-musician-scholars. Bawdy and irreverent, the works explore themes of fate, nature, drinking, life and death and love and lust.
In addition to the local vocalists, performers at The Palace will include Grammy-nominated baritone Joshua Jeremiah; tenor Terrence Chin-Loy, a first-year Pittsburgh Opera resident artist; and soprano Amanda Olea, a Central City Opera (Denver) apprentice artist.
Meyer will conduct the performance. Choirmaster is Marvin Huls, former associate professor of music and director of choral activities at Seton Hill University. Marc Tourre is the choir coordinator.
Tickets are $10-$60.
Details: 724-837-1850 or westmorelandsymphony.org
Copyright ©2025— Trib Total Media, LLC (TribLIVE.com)